Perth Amboy evening news., 1911-03-15
COMMISSION COMMISSION
GOVERNMENT
80 municipalities Repre-
scented at Hearing.
Especial Correspondence. J

Trenton, March 15-Represent1ng
thirty-two municipalities, and COM
prising men from all walks of life,
more than two hundred men assem-
hled in the assembly chamber last
evening, after the House adjourned,
to demonstrate their interest In a
commission form Of government and
the bills introduced for that purpose,
to the men who make the laws of
New Jersey. These delegates gath
cred here late in the afternoon prior
TO the adjournment of the senate and
House of the Assembly.
Senator Leayitt, of Mercer. took
the delegation In charge, and an in
formal conference was opened In the
committee room on Judiciary until
the adjournment of the House, when
the meeting Was transferred to that
chamber.
Rev. Adolph Roeder Spoke.
Rev. Adolph Roeder. OF Orange,
president Of the New Jersey State
Civic Federation, one of the princa-
pal speakers at the hearing on the
bills already In the senate and House
OF the Assembly, providing for the
commission form Of government.
with the referendum. initiative and
recall features. gave a very concise
history Of the movemnt In favor Of
the commission form of government.
He stated that in December last the
Civic Federation was asked to inter
est itself In this movement, and at
that time u was found 4 that i've
cities-Nevark, Jersey City, Tren-
ton, New Brunswick, and Passatc-
were more or less Interested.
DIR. Roeder stated that a confer
once was held OF the city officials
and the boards Of trade at the New
Ark City Hall, on January 4 last,
and the ground was gone over in a
general way, and at a second confer
once the meeting had the assistance
of Senator Osborn, which vas very
much appreciated.
Trenton is Interested.
While this was going on the city
Of Trenton became actively interest
cd in the commission form of gov
eminent, and a meeting was held
during the "Knpw your city, week
In January last, at which there were
representatives from the boards Of
trade and civic associations of near
~ one dozen Cities The ~advisability
of including the initiative, referen-
dunn and recall features in the pro-
posed bills, was taken up at the
meeting held at Trenton, and finally
agreed upon by a reasonable major
ity OF the delegates represented.
H. G. Stoddard, of Trenton, made
a brief but comprehensive speech in
favor of the commission bill, and in
cidentally he narrated the story of
how that form of government start
al nd Gol.youfNn Hn1au an Aha ~oa,xI+
of an accident, after the city had
suffered from the effects of that aw-
full food and some plan had to be
devised that would give the city a
good form of government. Mr.. Sod
dard called the attention of the
members of the committee, and of
the members of the civic associa-
tions from the various municipalities
hundred cities had adopted this form
Of government since 1t had proved
30 successful at Galveston.
He said that 1t was the ~centraliza-
ton of power that enabled good men
TO give the city adopting the form of
government a good administration,
and that the sentiment In Trenton
was now strong In favor of a bill
hAoS HtA40 polulL lNp pCODlG w
make a trial of the plan. He also
said, In his opinion, that the recall
feature Of the plan gave a good man
nothing TO fear.
Faosaic Heard From.
H. p. Rust, OF Passaic, spoke
along the same lines, and showed
that there was q strong sentiment
In his city In favor of the bill. H.
G. Parker, Of New Brunswick, presi-
dent of the National Bank OF New
Jersey. was another speaker who de-
clared that his city was strongly In
favor OF the bill. Many other speak
ore, representing the different cities
-1t towns thai had sent delegations
20 the hearing, also spoke In favor of
the bill.
That the men from these various
municipalities were heartily In earn
est in their advocacy OF the commits
SIN form of government. was evil
Dent from their presence at the hear
gns, and the interest they manifested
In the conference. 1t is understood
that the members OF the committees
and some OF the state senators and
members Of the assembly as well.
realize that the presence Of more
than two hundred citizens. rerre-
senting diversified business interests.
= demonstration that viii demand