The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-07-12
LEGISLATORS THEN AND NOW

LEGISLATORS THEN AND NOW.
: We emphatically disagree with our
Trenton contemporary, the Times, in its
affirmation that the Senate and House
of New Jersey have ''degenerated' in
these days and since the time of some
old stagers a%dmlringly mentioned. The
Times attributes the alleged degeneracy
to "the advent of the young man in
politics" The Times should notice that
the important legislation of the last
W years has mainly been the undoing
by the legislators whom the Times now
admires at a distance, and in repairing
their neglects.
We venture to say that more good
legislation has been put on the statute
books in these two years than during
twenty-five years of previous legislative
history. And it may also be affirmed
that there has been in the Legislatures
of 1905 and 1907 a more sincere and
honest purpose to promote the public
interests and welfare than in the aver
age Legislature in the past. In view of
work lone or to be done, and of accom-
plished results, the length of the ses-
sion. the partisanship and the eccentric
tiles displayed can well be overlooked.
But an attentive study of Legislatures
In past years does not bear put the
eulogium of the Times. There was a
long period when New Jersey was
known as the Estate of Camden and
Amboy," by reason of the abject sub
mission of its Legislature to a railroad
directory. There was a time, not so
remote, when the candidate for the
Legislature received his $500 from the
railroads for campaign expenses. and
when the Legislature vas openly divi-
ded into two ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
and Central. There was a time, still
nearer, when the Legislature took its
orders from a railroad official at
Camden.
And all these years the railroads were
taking from the people an annual tax
subsidy of $1,000, 900 or $4,000, 900, with
the full consent of the Legislatures.
The good men who legislated then also
consented to see the great riparian do
main of the State sacrificed. They
legislated to build up a private
water monopoly. They saw an an
nual slaughter on the railroads and
refused to make m change in
the ancient statute which practically
made railroad companies irresponsible.
They permitted the valuable public
service privileges of the State, worth
many millions, to be acquired for moth
ing by corporations that capitalized
them to make the people pay interest
on this wealth. There was not much of
great value in sight that they didn't
give away or see stolen under their
precious noses.
There was, perhaps, more individual
pretension in those legislative days, but
there was more ran humbug. Nor
were the cen in many Legislatures
such as would ~favorably compare with
legislative proceedings now. We should
welcome the younger men in the Legis-
iature. They are broader. more gene
rous and far more patriotic than their
legislative forbears. No public trust
has beer betrayed in these last two
years. and infinitely great benefits lave
been conferred upon the State at large.
It was only by a miracle that Gov
ernor Ludlow prevented a Legislature
from passing over his veto three of the
worst bills ever introduced in any Leg
isiature. n he was prosecuted for his
patriotism long after he had retired
from office. "By their fruits We shall
know them" In former years special
interests dominated the New Jersey
Legislature. That cannot be truthfully
said of the majorities in the last two
Legislatures.