Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-03-31
CONF PROMISE JURY
MEASURE EXPECTED
Bill Expected to Pass Before
Thursday, the Governor
Probably Signing 1t.
IFrom a star Corrc.,opdcpt.1

IFrom n STAFF Correspondc
TRENTON, N. j.. March 31-With
the 1913 session of the Legislature
drawing to a close. being only three
days away according to present plans.
interest will centre this week in the
proposed changes in the method of
drawing juries 1t is believed that
before Thursday a bill will have pass
ed both houses and have been put up
to Acting Governor Fielder for his
signature, which, while in the ma
ture of a compromise, will provide
that sheriffs will retain the power to
draw juries, subject to the right of
the courts to strike names from tine
grand and petit lists at their discre-
ton. 1t is further believed that Gov
ernor Fielder, in spite of his present
opposition to such a measure. will
sign the Dill.
Much depends upon the action of
the conference committee, which
meets at o'clock this after
noon to decide what to recommend to
the House and Senate. This commit
tee is evenly split as to what its
recommendation should be and the
weight of power lies all with that half
Of the committee which stands for
permitting the sheriffs to keep jury
drawing in their hands. This part of
the committee Is backed up by the
House-at least by majority of that
body-and it would not be difficult to
get bill favorable to popular con-
troll of grand juries through that
pody
senate VIII Accept.
If this is the course decided upon
it is felt that the Senate will this
time accept what the House offers.
even though it has hitherto refused
to do so. Until now the Senate, I'M
der the leadership of Senator Davis,
who is discredited because he led the
opposition to the Constitutional con-
vention bill, has refused to accept a
bill for jury commissions appointed
by the Governor as long as there was
referendum attached. Davis favors
judge made Grand Jury. But the
situation is different now, with only
few days left to enact any sort of
law, and the impression has gained
ground that the Senate will snatch
at anything which promises effectual-
ly to remove politics from the sys-
tenn of jury drawing, thereby redeem
ing the party pledge made on that
subject.
1t has frequently been pointed out
that there is absolutely no excuse for
reading into the party pledge on jury
law changes anything like a provision
for jury commissions appointed either
by the Governor or by Supreme or
Circuit Court justices. So far from
offering any reform, it has been
shown that either of these changes
would only put more politics into jury
drawing than now is there, whereas,
to properly safeguard the methods by
which Jurors are chosen by sheriffs
by such means, for instance, as are
provided in the Bracken bill would be
positive method of insuring relief
from whatever unfavorable condi-
tons exist.
Newarks subway Bill.
One of the measures which Newark
representatives are anxious to have
the Senate take action on this week
is that city's subway bill, of which
nothing has been heard since it
reached the upper house, after being
passed by the lower body on Feb
ruary Is. 1t is expected that this
bill will be reported out of committee
| this week and passed. 1t is about
the only bin of large import to the
city of Newark which has not yet
received favorable action.
| There is also the bill, which former
Governor Wilson vetoed, which would
allow the city of Newark to use its
unexpended portion of an annual
million dollar appropriation for street
| Improvement in any year. This bill
may be brought out this week and
passed over the veto.
| 1t is pretty definitely accepted that
nothing will be done towards en-
acting a law for the abandonment
of the Morris Canal by the Legisla-
ture at this session.