Bridgeton pioneer. (Bridgeton, N.J.) 1884-1919, 1907-03-14
TALKING ABOUT
NEW CITY CHARTER.

Following the meeting on Friday
hlRnt thera was much discussion
among the people concerning the nro.
posed Cstv Charter. That the bill as
proposed by the Commission will he
introduced in the Senate this week.
seems assured. There will be a legis-
iatiVe committee announced by Mayor
Hampton. who will place the bill in
the hands of Senator Minch. and of
course he will present it to the Lep1s-
lature.
Those who were at the meeting Fri
day night were convinced that much
would be gained by having the bill at
once introduced. It was urged that
there would be plenty of time for the
people to consider the matter before
they were called upon to vote for or
against the matter at the election in
November. 1t was largely this argu.
ment that justified the haste which
has been manifest. since the work Of
the commission has been completed.
A member of City Council. in sneak
ing OF this phase of the situation said
Saturday night, that he felt this view
was mistaken 'one. He took the
position that there was a crying de-
mand for new charter The people
all agreed to that. He, himself. was
anxious to see one arranged and
adopted, and it was because OF the
necessity for charter, that he wanted
to treat the matter with the copsidera-
tion due it.
Ihe Councilman said that he
thought that when charter bill was
submitted to the Legislature it should
be onesthat the people would be sure
OF Eaccepting on election day and for
that reason she urged that time be
taken to fully inform all the people
and endeavor to get them to support
the measure. This Councilman
thought that it would be better to
study the charter carefully before it
became law rather than afterward.
suppose, he says, if after the Legisla
ture has enacted charter, that the
| people will not accept, what has been
| gained. The city woulu be worse-off
than before, because the Legislature
would hesitate to again try and meet
the demands of the people. In a
word. the argument of the Council.
man was that the people should be
practically agreed upon the provisions
OF the charter before the Legislature
is called upon to pass upon them.
1t is quite likely that Council will
take up the charter tomorrow night.
and it will be thoroughly discussed
just what the outcome will be is not
decidedly apparent.
The citizens, however, that were at
the meeting Friday night will go
ahead and endeavor to have the bill
passed by the Legislature at this ses.
| sion.
1t mas been suggested that the pro-
posed charter would have less opposi-
tion if it did not apply to all cities in
the State, as it was arranged by the
Commission. 1t is said that the bill
could be made to apply to "any city
OF the second class having a popula-
tion exceeding $4,000 and not MOI e
than &c. 000.' Such a bill could not
| be made to apply to any city in New
Jersey excepting Bridgeton and Plain
field. 1t IS urged that this might
cause less apprehension upon the part
I-of the Legislators generally.
There is much of a practical nature
that must be done ii the charter is to
prevail. 1t Is idle to.feel that the
Legislature will treat the subject
lightly, In fact it is not improbable
that the Legislature will refuse tovcon-
slider the matter at all at this session.
Last winter the Governor was au-
thorized by the Legislature to appoint
Commission to investigate the whole
matter of municipal government and
report back, by bill. general scheme
for the government of cities, with that
view of simplifying the present
schemes, and giving municipalities
greater control and without legisIa-
tive interference. With this Commits
sion at work, the Legislature may feel
averse to opening up an entirely new
scheme, until after the report of the
State Commission.
Senator MincE at Banquet.