New-York tribune., 1909-06-14
A AMENDMENTS IN PERIL
Machines of Both Parties Fear Loss
of P0zcer Through Them.

From the Regular Correspondent Of The Trbune-l
Trenton June IA peculiar situation in regard
to the proposed constitutional amendments has
arisen in the state. due TO the fact that the poti
clans are making the welfare OF the people of sec
ondary Importance 10 the holding together of their
political machines.
Although these amendments We're fostered by
Republican Legislature there viii be hnited
the part of that party to help insure their
adoption; indeed. the efforts of a majority of the
be directed toward opposing them. The is
also true of the Democratic machine. which fears
the adoption of Assembly districts for the
reason that the Republican bosses oppose them
AT the present time the people Of the state have
practically no direct representation in the lower
house because AssembIymen elected by coun-
ties at large. In the counties with than
Assemblyman and there are thirteen such counties,
imaginary districts created, and candidates
drawn from them. The voters of any of these
imaginary districts are not the ones. however, who
have the final to who shall represent them,
as they may by voting against candidate. decline
to accept him their representative, only to find
that their wishes have been overrued by the voters
from another end of the county, who have in
terest in their affairs and who vote for the candi-
date whom the former oppose simply because he be
longs to one political party or the other.
SCHEME AIDS POLITICIANS.
In Hudson County. for instance, a candidate
selected represent what IS known as the North
Hudson district must be voted by the citizens
of Bayonne ten miles away. The same is true i'll
Essex where a voter in the LIST Ward Of Newark
has Just as much right tell the citizens of the
Oranges who shall represent them In the Assembly
as the citizens of that section of the county them
selves.
This feature. however, IS what appeals TO the
politicians, as 1t enables them to get solid deleEa-
tons in the lower house which means increased
power to them. Under the Assembly district plan
the forty thousand Republicans Hudson County
would be represented at Trenton, whereas now the
Democratic majority in the county at large means
a Democratic representation. Both the Democratic
and Republican machines in Essex are opposed to
this amendment-the Republicans because they fear
and the Democrats because they think the
county is going their way and want to shut out
the Republicans from representation
Tackled to this amendment is a provision in
creasing the terms Of the Governor, Senator'S
Assemblymen and county officers for the purpose
of separating local and national elections from
state elections Much opposition has sprung up TO
this part of the amendment. the chief argument
being that it removes the lawmakers further away
from the people. BUc the question arises, Can they
be any further away than at the present time un-
der the county election plan?
No good grounds have ret been advanced for the
defeat Of tho amendment increasing the salary Of
Senators and Assemblymen to S."0 year; and,
indeed. there many persons who believe the IN
crease is not enough. The judiciary amendments
are favored by all lawyers interested in bringing
this part Of the states machinery up to the stand
ard OF other states.