Perth Amboy evening news., 1907-01-08
Master and Servant,

companies will be laid before you at
this session.
Master and Servant.
The report of the commission on mas
ter and servant will be presented to
you at this session. The law on this
subject is largely judge-made and has
become a mass of legal subtleties more
fruitful of controversy and litigation
than capable of doing justice. This
condition of affairs requires careful
legislative treatment.
Uniform Divorce Laws.
One Of the most formidable perils
which menace the social order of oul.
country today is the prevalence of easy
divorce. In order to combat most eff
fectually this enemy to society an in
terstate conference was called in Feb
ruary last to consider the ACCESSIBILITY
of uniform divorce laws among the
several states. New Jersey was ably
represented. The conference passed
resolutions recommending uniformity
of legislation concerning divorce
throughout the entire Union, and |
have requested the New Jersey dele
CATION to draft IN act along the lines
suggested. Upon the completion OF
their work. already begun, l will at
once submit the act thus prepared TO
the Legislature with a special message
thereon.
Delaware River Fisheries.
The fisheries of the Delaware river
require immediate action. Shad and
sturgeon ire diminishing with alarm
ing rapidity. Fewer fish were caught
during the entire season of 1906 than
were caught a few years ago in a sim
gle day. The United States bureau of
fisheries, our own fish and game COM
mission and the commissioner of fish
cries of PENNSYLVANIA, all concur in the
recommendation for uniform legisla-
ton for the protection of the shad fish
cries, else they think that this great
and valuable food fish will become ex-
tinct.
hi Judiciary Amendments.
sAfi the session OF 1905 an act was
passed providing for the appointment
of a commission to take into consider
alton and report to the legislature pro-
posed amendments to the constitution
relative to the courts of New Jersey.
This commission, consisting of ex-Gov-
ernor Griggs. former Justice Van
Syckel. Charles l.. Corbin, John II.
Hardin and Ex-Governor Murphy rep
resenting the lay element, after MAX
ing a thorough examination and care
full study of the constitutional provi.
sions and the statutes governing our
judicial system, submitted it's report
to the Legislature of 1905 for consider
alton. 10 The recommendations of the
commission were subsequently embod-
led i'll the form of a joint resolution
providing for the adoption of the pro-
posed amendments, and a bill was pre-
pared for the subsequent adaptation of
the structure and practice of the courts
to revised judicial methods. Owing to
n constitutional inhibition against the
submission of any amendment or
amendments to n vote Of the people
oftener thar once in five years no ac-
ton could be taken at the last session.
The Legislature this year, however, is
under no restrictions of this kind, the
time limit having expired last year.
Simplicity of system and promptness
Of legal action are desirable both for
the litigant and the ends of justice.
| Continuous appeals and technicalities
IN practice prolong controversies in
some cases until final decision comes
too late to make amends to the in
jured. "Justice delayed is justice de-
nied.'', Under our present %antiquated
judicial system these delays and the
Iniustices resulting therefrom are in
rvitabie. Our judicial system was de-
rised to meet the requirements of six
~ years ago.
Simplicity of Legislation.
One of the needed reforms in govern
mental affairs is more careful and less
hasty legislation. Despite repeated ex-
rcutive. suggestion the phraseology and
language OF Dur laws continue obscure
md confusing aud the number Of laws
at each session to multiply rather than
diminish. Every law should be intelli-
gible to the ordinary mind, and no new
law should be passed unless the public
welfare will suffer from the failure of
its enactment.
The average number of.laws per year
for the last decade has been about $50.
There are 5000 acts now in force.
Such n mass of law is so conflicting
and perplexing as to be a sealed book
to the lay citizen and to the lawyer a
mass of intricacy which battles profess
sional skill and research. We have had
no revision of the statutes since that
of 1874. The general statutes publish
ed, closing with the acts of 1895, was a
mere compilation. The time is ripe for
a condensation and revision of our
statutes.
Jury Reform.
Reformation of our jury system was
at the last session made a subject Of
legislative enactment. A great step in
advance was made by providing that
the petit jury lists should be subject
TO revision in the way of substitution
and elimination at the hands of the
Judge of the court of common pleas.