The star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1908-1909, 1909-01-12
LEGISLATURE At
WORK, PRINCE HITS
At COMMISSIONS
Continued from First Page.)

semblyman William p. Martin, of Es-
sew, captain of the New Idea forces.
DIR. Prince was then nominated for
speaker by Assemblyman Burpo, and
after his election he was escorted to
the chair. When he assumed the
speakership he delivered a carefully
prepared address in which he raped
state commissions vested with au-
thority and paid for by the taxpay-
ers." He suggested that the House
this year avoid shifting responsibility
from his own shoulders to those of
such bodies.
His remarks were taken as aimed at
the Governors State Excise Commits
sion. He suggested a new House
standing committe on highways TO
handle bills dealing with roads and
with automobile regulations. After
thanking the Republican majority for
Lis office the new speaker said in part:
ITO the Republican members of this
Hou my gratitude shall be shown by
my entire loyalty to the principles of
that Republicanism in and by which
our party has lived and triumphed for
forty years. But l shall none the less
deem it my duty as the presiding
officer of the entire Assembly always
to give every opportunity to the mi
nority to present their measures and
express their views fully upon them;
and 1 shall constantly aid the minority
as well as the majority In the carry
in Oh of all fair parliamentary DELHI
Grafton.
Rnps Commissions.
n he proper function of a legislative
body is the enactment of such laws as
are desired by and are beneficial to its
electors. OF late years, however. the
opinion has prevailed in
some quarters that a legislators fame
depends largely upon his productive
ness as a maker of laws. According
to this view, the more bills he pre-
sents the more competently he is in
exercising his functions. But in these
days, then in almost every State the
statute books are crowded with undi-
gested legislation. there is much more
need of careful judgment and prudence
in presenting new bills than there is
of a multiplication of our already vast
lists of statutes.
In this connection | might suggest
to the members of the House the fol-
lowing thought: We are elected, ac-
cordinG to our constitution, as repre-
sentatiVes Of the people of the state.
to make the states laws not only ac-
cording to such limitations Of popular
opinion as we may possess. but in
the absence of these special sugges-
tons from our constituents, to use our
own personal judgment in the framing
of laws. The question has often oc-
Cured to me, particularly of late,
whether we are carrying our full share
of responsibility, if, in the case of every
important proposition, We shift this
responsibility from our own shoulders
to those of some State commission
vested with authority and paid for by
the taxpayers. / ask this House sug-
gestively, merely as a member speak
ing to my fellows, whether we should
moi more often exercise our own leg
islative functions delegated to us by
the people rather thar to seek shelter
from criticism on crucial points be-
meath the wings of an expensive COM
mission.
II trust that this will be a brief and
thorough session. and with that end
in view l shall try in every way to
| cooperate with the majority leader to
call the House to order punctually at
the hour set for it's converting. l urge
| upon the members, therefore. to have
their legislation ready as early as pos
sible in the session so that the House
may sit oftener than has been the Gus
tom during the first weeks of the ses-
sion. In this way and only thus can
we hope to avoid the hasty rush of
legislation during our closing period,
which has too often led to the death of
genuinely important and beneficial
measures"
Wait on Governor.
A committee was then appointed to
wait upon the Governor. and when il
retired the election of officers and the
naming of standing committees was
proceeded with. Following the election
Of officers the secretary of the Gov
ernor appeared with his message,
which was ordered spread upon the
minutes.
After the adoption of numerous reso-
lutions relative to the routine business
of the session adjournment was taken
for a week.
The new officers for the House, in ad-
dition to those already mentioned, are
as follows:
Assistant clerk, Upton S. J~effries, Oh
y Ca0ndAp raolnafA1. tDYrrro r1orL