The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1908-01-21

Agreements, leases or mortgages here
after made for such purpose or to
secure money for such purpose
should be deemed absolutely void, nor
should any agreement be lawful which
obligates any person to take, buy or
sell only the product or output of beer
or other malt or spirituous liquor of
any other person or corporation in or
at any licensed place Of business.
If these suggested laws can be enact
ed and the existing excise laws enforc-
ed, there will come an increased legiti-
mate revenue for municipalities, with
probably large reduction Of the num-
Der of licensed saloons and also quiet
observance of Sunday under conditions
which will guarantee proper rest and
recreation to the men of our state and
their families.
Jury Reform.
The selection of the grand jury at
the mere personal whim Of sheriff is,
in the hands of a sheriff, who holds
lightly his obligations of Office, most
dangerous power. The liberty of the
citizens is in the hands of one man, and
the criminal machinery of the state,
with all its power and ignominy, may
be directed most unjustly against any
person or be used to crafty personal
or political ends.
This has been done in our state, and
grand juries have been selected at the
behest of power foreign to the sher-
ifs office. 1t should be made impossi-
BILE hereafter. 1t is not wise to take all
the power from the sheriff in the mat
ter of selecting Jurors, saying nothing
of the question of the constitutional
right to do so. But the drawing of
grand and petit jurors should be regu-
lated by strict law under a system of
or in connection with other persons as
commissioners, so that impartial re-
suits may be obtained and citizens in
different between the state and offend
ers may be selected for all classes of
| jury duty.
Removal of Municipal Officers.
There should be power in the ex-
ecutive Of the state upon the complaint
of the governing body or of specified
number of the citizens Of any munich
pality to receive and to determine
charges against the mayor of any mu-
nicipality for the failure to perform his
duty or for malfeasance In Office II
exists in some of our sister states, and
1t should exist with us. Municipal gov
eminent is the problem of our time
and a municipal executive should be
vigilant in the performance of his duty
watchful for the interests of the PEG
Pile vigorous in the enforcement of all
laws.
The charters of most of the cities and
towns of our state make the mayor the
head of the police department and OF
many other departments in the city OF
town Upon him in municipal mat
| ters, as upon the executive of the state
| In state matters, should rest the re
sponsibility of seeing that all other
| officials do their duty. For the failure
on his part to perform his duty there
should be some remedy for the people
Of the municipality. The power Of re-
moval Of such an official can only be
lodged in one Of two places namely,
the courts or the executive Of the state.
Such power should not be lodged in
the court except in the ordinary way,
through Indictment or on presentment
Of q grand jury, and then for crime
only.
The legislature should provide that
upon charges and after hearing, the
governor of the state should have au-
thority to remove the executive Of any
municipality for causes which should