Perth Amboy evening news., 1912-01-09
LEGISLATURE PROMISES
TO SETTLE DOWN


fContinued from pare II
OF Camden: Col. Austen Colgate, oil
Essex; George w. r. Gaunt. OF
| Gloucester; William w. Smaliey, OF
Somerset: and Carlton b. Pierce, OF
Union, Republicans; and John w
Slocum, Of Monmouth; J. Warren
Davis. of Salem; and Thomas Bar
Der, of Warren, Democrats. OF these,
Senator Gaunt was reelected, and
! the others are new members. This
makes the Senate stand eleven Re-
publicans to ten Democrats.
Through the courtesy of the Re-
publican Senators, the Democrats
we're given the temporary presi-
dency, and Senator George 8. Silzer,
of Middlesex county. was given this
honor. After he had been escorted
to the presidents chair, the creden-
! tials of the new Senators we're pre-
sented, and the oath Of office was
administered to them. The organi-
| cation Of the Senate came next.
mated Senator John ID. Prince, OF
4 dbcdlbJ VI n~iCSiuEuls 0Ol. GQ6C
paid a high tribute to Senator
Princes ability, and referred to his
long legislative experience. Senator
Fielder, of Hudson county, the min
GRITTY leader, nominated Senator
James A. G. Johnson, of Bergen
county, as the Democratic candidate
for president. Senator Prince was
elected by a party vote. He accept
ed the honor with the following
speech:
Princes Address.
I"Fellow Senators:
MY deep appreciation of the very
high honor which you have confer
red upon he / shall endeavor to
show by an impartial and conscien-
tious conduct of the Senate through
out this session. To the Republican
members my gratitude shall be DEM
onstrated by ar answering loyalty
to the basic principles of those poll
icies in and by which Jul party has
lived and triumphed In tie nation
for more than forty years. | shall,
at the same time, as the presiding
officer of The whole Senate, deem 1t
my duty to give every opportunity to
the minority to present and discuss
their measures, and | shall constant
ly aid both sides of the house In
the carrying on of all fair parlia-
m~entary deliberation.
"In this connection, 1t seems
timely to mention with a word Of
warning the growing tendency
which has shown itself all over the
county of late years to Ignore the
original intention of the fathers of
the national and state constitutions
with respect to the character and
functions of legislative bodies. The
founders OF the American Republic
clearly meant such assemblies to be
representative and consequently de-
Lucrative. In these days, however,
WI hear advocated, often from
sources when we should least expect
1t, the heresy that the legislator
should be reduced from his noble
constitutional status as a real rep
r~esentative to that of a mere dele
gate. Such a man must enter his
law-making body SOLELY as a mouth
piece, pledged before election to
every gagary 0ffthes hour, hedged
In on every side and thus shorn OF
the. light to use his experience, his
mental power and even his consci-
ence with regard to many questions
of Importance. This system is sub
versiye of all true American ideas
OF representation and shows. In
those sections of the country where
III is ip use. q striking lack of con-
fdence on the part of the electorate
In the ability and Judgment of their
candidates. We have id New Jersey
at present an excellent law which
provides that the legislative repre-
sentatives OF a party shall meet af-
ter election and with due discussion
and elaboration formulate a policy.
This Is not only d proper method of
agreeing upon pledges but is con-
sistent with sense and In
perfect accord with the original
American theory of representation.
The best political service can surely
not be had by means OF the new doc
trine of legislation by the direct ac-
ton of the voters and equally surely
would be general acceptance OF this
theory of sociaiistic democracy kill
the deliberative character OF iegis-
iative assemblies.
Il say this to you not because !
think that our Senate Is In immin-
ent danger of being dominated in
this manner, but simply because this
kind OF doctrine Ia tn the air all
about us; because we feel 1t, II not
in the words. at least In the spirit of
too many political speeches. It has
never been more necessary than
now to emphasize Ia need of the
modern legislators maintaining his
individuality as a judge OF what is
best for his state and county and
not permitting his vioce to become
merely the echo OF what may be
only the war-cry OF the moment. A