Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1910-03-19

ever we do by
legislat alton for
those whom the country has placed
upon its pension list depends in large
measure Upon a rather artificially nur-
tured form of hero worship, which has
~degenerated into a politico-economic
commercialism. about which we are in
one way brutally frank; so brutally
frank as really to make most of our
legislation actually insulting to those
who are deserving of their country's
need of support, while, on the other
hand, we are grossly illogical In disre-
garding the peculiar statement of
scripture which covers such cases,
namely, 1.-THE hands are the hands of
Esau, but the voice is the voice of
jacob
And this element OF self-deception,
about which volumes could be written,
Is naturally carried forward from the
Federal aspect of it into the same
aspect In every State of the union.
This creates inconsistency and unkind-
ness where kindness is intended. Nor
can State legislation very we'll help
that.
The same is true of such things as
border upon socio-economic conditions.
such as taxation. We have built our
entire financial system upon the as
sumption that there is only one kind
OF property right, and upon the
scholium which naturally goes with
that assumption, that that kind Of
property right alone must be protect
ed. On this scholium we have built I'D
a thing called THE Tariff"
Out of the tariff have grown
economic conditions which bear heavily
upon country and State. We try to
meet these conditions by doctoring with
the laws Of taxation. We try TO do in
the West what can only be done in the
East. We try to do at the top what
can only be done at the bottom. Hence
much of our tax legislation Is natural
ly inconsistent, and we labor with it
in legislation year in and year out, un-
til the codices Of the law look like the
shifting canals of Mars, with every
new season and session. This. too, Is
an Inconsistency which is not local and
therefore cannot well be helped locally
Another inconsistency grows out OF
the laws which we have devised for the
game we call election. So far as l can
see. we have doubled up on our diff
culties in that quarter. and those of us
who continue interested in this par
ticular form of sport will find ample
exercise for all the ingenuity we may
possess. This, too, grows out Of ma
tional conditions, rather than State
conditions, and the State Legislature
cannot well be held responsible for all
the rather glaring Inconsistencies which
have grown up in that field of legisla-
tive work. They cannot very we'll be
helped.
Hence there are several departments
OF legislative activity inconsistent, be-
cause of forces over which any one
locality can have but slight. il any.
control. but there are a number of in
consistencies which could be avoided.
There are certain points of municipal
activity, OF course. which are legiti-
mately subject of general legislation,
but they are not more than ten Or
twelve in number. All this legislation
about how cities shall pave their
streets. curb their cutters. drain their
surface water. pension their firemen,
rent their market houses, sell their
public lands is too ~palpable an interior
ence with local conditions and ordi-
lllllt W iitN1 pAAS - NiCi WIN ~
oomment. Hero the Legislature could
be entirely consistent by simply leaving
hands off, and this could be done b.
taking up oil such bins and referring
them to h local governing bodies.
A citizen OF body of citizens certainly
has a right to hand in to the Legisla-
ture any form of legislation he or it
may want &c hand in and may think
necessary in his community. But the
Legislature has an equal right to refer
that bill. not to a committee of its
body. but back to the common council
of the town tina sent it in. Not, of
course. by name. but by number. That
is to. say: If East Orange hands in a
measure which is distinctly local in it's
nature let that measure be respect
fully referred back to all cities of this
State having 81, GOO inhabitants or get
the exact number OF East Oranges in
| habitants, if YOU please. 1t is here
| where our Legislature is ~avoidably in
consistent. And some remedy could be
readily devised for al such forms OF in
consistency.
Here is another. which 1 will quote
in the words of an entirely competent
authority in this State. 1t refers TO
the public utilities bill. Here it is:
my view is this. There is no con-
trolling reason why New Jersey should
not have the best law upon a subject
which has been thoroughly discussed
and passed upon by a score of legfsla-
lures. The best public utility law is the
I New York law. and this fact coupled
with the fact tina New Jersey rail-
roads are included in the same group
as those of New York and that the
New York statute has now been sew
oral times construed by the courts,
ought to he sufficient reason for the
adoption Of the New York law by our
own state.
~ will couple this view with the fur.
Their view, that political conditions are
such iii New Jersey that I am in favor
of securing any public utility law what
ever, SO long as a beginning is made
toward the solution of the problem OF
regulation. Unless the New York Law
is adopted, l nave no particular prefer
ence for the various proposed acts.
Each has it's strong and its weak points.
How discouraging it is that a law which
is acknowledged to be excellent and
fitted to our case and one which for q
dozen of reasons should be passed by
orr Legislature, should he pushed aside
for something grossly inferior"
The inconslstency here % "pushfna
LE. . AL"