davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-01-14
Pleads for Home Rule in
municipalities and for
Uniformity in Accounting

THE Legislature of 1911 went a
long way towards recognizing the
right of full self-government on the
part of the municipalities Of the
State when it passed the excellent
bin permitting the towns and cities
of the State to adopt the commits
sion form of government at their
pleasure. That was great step In
advance It has. been distinctly to
the disadvantage OF the cities and
towns Of New Jersey that the Legis-
lature has undertaken to regulate
their affairs and their powers so
infinitely from Trenton. Only the
fullest and freest rights of, self-goy-
eminent will stimulate them to serve
their citizens as they should be
served. The path OF reform in that
field is unquestionably the path Of
greater freedom. The question of
municipal government Is perhaps the
most serious question concerning the
organization of methods of govern
ment that now confronts us as ma
ton. covet for New Jersey the
honor of showing the way of liberty
and self-resDecting Reorganization.
We should set our municipalities free
to organize their lives and exercise
the functions of self government with
less dependence upon the Legislature
of the State,
AT the same time, there are mat
ters in which uniform State regula-
ton can be made. of immense as
sistance to the municipalities For
example, it seems to me imperative
that a uniform system and method Of
accounting and of public financial
reports should be prescribed by sta
tute for the financial authorities Of
our towns and cities. ! hope that
this Legislature viii be able to for
..s,,.-.iiate and pass ouch "a measure.
The information and materials are
at hand, In this matter, more per-
haps that in any other. students Of
municipal affairs have come to sub
stantial agreement, both as to meth
eds. and as to the practical adyan-
tages to be gained.
Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-01-14
Urges Adoption Of Grand
Jury Reform Laws and
Change In Taxing System

aThere is another matter that cries
out for REFORM and has long cried out
for it.. why has no legislature ever
seriously and earnestly set itself to
correct il? The drawing Of grand
iiries, and even upon occasion the
drawing of petit jnries. is notoriousiy
subject to political influence and con-
troll In this state, OF whose processes
Of Justice we are so proud and whose
honor we are in most cases SO quick
to defend against question or slander.
This can and should be remedied. You
cannot neglect it without seeming in
different to justice and fair play IN
matters which are matters OF lie
ana death and reputation. and honor
and which cut to the very quick Oh
human rights. The free, prompt, I'M
biased administration of criminal JUS
ttce has been time out of mind at the
very centre Of the Tight for individual
right and liberty. tt is to be hoped
that the commission now investigat-
ing the various methods of governing
this all-important matter will pres
emily submit a thorough and con-
elusive report. :,
aAnother matter no less central,
no less vital to the rights and OPP
portunities Of individuals and COM
munities, Is the method by which
taxes are assessed and collected.
New Jersey has, suffered herself 70
drift into practices in this funda-
mental matter which might lead a
critical outsider who knew nothing
or the history and accidents OF her
legal development in this case 70
question both her fairness and her
public sense. Her arrangements IN
respect to this, as Of so many othes
interests and functions, are the re-
suit Of mere patchwork and lack sys-
tenn and coherehce altogether. ~ y
not necessary to have both a board
of assessors and board of taxation.
and 1t is Intellectual to have either II
they are to have no administrative
control over local assessors and coli
lectors. The most extraordinary
variety alike of rule and Of practice
obtains in the different counties and
communities of the State, with this
result among many others, that In
many localities small property owners
pay much heavier taxes in propor-
tion to their holdings than large. prop
erty owners pay and are practically
without redress. Fortunately, this
Legislature will have the benefit Of
\ report from a commission specially
appointed to make thorough investi-
zntion OF these inequalities and this
iaplk Of system. J hope that its rec
Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-01-14

party stands pledged should be ac-|
complished without friction.
Most Of the important laws VI
hope to pass have received Tie "a
prova1 OF our friends who arc herd
in the minority. and in their enact
ment we expect and shall uzleofne
their cooperation, although the re
sponsibillty for the desired rasui1
will be ours. The matters 70 u,ic;1
our attention shall be parfieulsr5>|
directed are important and fairly nt1
merous. and must be treated wikl1
careful consideration and delihera
ton, and with a desire TO enact onlS
such legislation as VIII be fair and
equitable to AL interests affected
thereby
From my predecessors in this Of
/ fee / have learned many things q
value which shall be glad to cal
/ 70 my aid in the performances Of M
duties. Two stand out with m>xcI
prominence. The first is uaI<ormt.
fair and impartial treatment. whtre
lby every senator Is AFFORDED anrt
opportunity to be heard on All m&f
ters IN which he is inteEt sss6. IN
the second is punctnaiitg, where's.
sessions win be called 20 orde|
promptly on the designated hour ami
the transaction of our business faci1
| itated-
Senators, / acknowledge mF dcef
appreciation Of the honor I have i
act SIS your president, and ! hope 4
so conduct myself as to merit SONS
portion of the cornmendaffon 30 just
lly bestowed upon my imlnediefa
predecessors
Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-01-14
Corporation Laws License :
for Trust MonOpolies and
Undesirable Combinations

THE corporation laws Of the State
notoriously stand in need of altera-
ton. They are manifestly inconsist-
emit with the policy Of the Federal
government and with the>interests OF
the people in the all-important mat
ter of monopoly, to which the atten-
ton of the whole nation is now so
earnestly directed. The laws of New
Jersey as they stand, so far from
checking monopoly, actually encour-
age 1t. They explicitly permit every
corporation formed in New Jersey,
for example, to purchase, hold, assign.
and dispose of as it pleases the Sc
curities of any and all other corpora
tons of this or any other state ana
to exercise at pleasure the full rights
of ownership in them, including the
right to vote as stockholders. This
is nothing less than an explicit license
of holding companies. This is the
very method Of forming vast combi-
nations and creating monopoly,
against which the whole country has
set it's face; and am sure that the
people of New Jersey do not dissent
from the common judgment that our
law must prevent these things and
prevent them very effectually.
iTtcas our dsfts audtqlir present Cpl
portunitx, to, amend the statutes Or
the State in. tIiis matter not only. bur
also In sHeh. a way as 20 p5TloVioe
some responsible official SUPERVISION
IF the whole process. Of incorporation
and provide, IN addition, salutary
checks upon unwarranted and metz
t,o,,a increases OF capitaf and tine
issuance Of securities not based upon
actual bona fidea VALUATION hho
honesty and soundness OF business
alike depend upon such safeguards:
No legitimate bushes will be injured
an harmfully restricted by them.
rrhese are matters which affect the
honor and good faith Of the stare.
We should act upon them at onss
and with clear purpose.
"The people of the state are e.
present, moreover. at the mercy OF
Investment companies Of every KIND.
Securities Of any and every sort can
he sold in New Jersey by irrespon-
s,hie persons and the purchasers must
dapend t,pon their own investigations
~ ascertain whether they are bogus
or based upon good business. They
,hs,riI5 have the protection Of thetiaW.
Investment companies should be put
under inspection and regulation by
80 state. and no one. should De
s1 LII 10 sell securities In New Jer-
sew without public license issued rom
the department exercising the rights
of inspection and regulation. new
Jersey is very late indeed in aHoroang
her people this protection
Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-01-14
Says State Constitution
Should Provide Better
Representative System

There are other things we have
outgrown. The Constitution of the
State needs reconsideration in q
score of parts, some of them Of the
first consequence. No doubt it's pro-
visions were considered wise and
suitable at the time Of its adoption.
but that was quite two generations
ago and the circumstances of our life
have altered fundamentally within
that time. politically, socially,
economically. I urge upon you very
earnestly indeed the need and de-
mand for a constitutional conven-
ton. The powers of corrupt control
have an enormous and abiding adj
vantage under our constitutional ar
rangements as they stand. We shall
not be free from them until we get
different system of representation
and a different system of official re-
sponsibility. I hope that this ques-
ton will be taken up by the Legisla-
ture at once and constitutional con-
vention arranged for without delay.
in which the new forces of our day
may speak and may have chance to
establish their ascendancy over the
rule of machines and bosses.
Two great amendments to the Con-
stitution of the United States await
ratification by New Jersey. the
amendment comforting upon the Con-
gress of the United States in unmis-
taxable terms the power to levy taxes
on incomes and the amendment pro-
viding for the election Of Senators of
the United States by the dirnet vote
Of the people. cannot too str meiy
urge upon the Legislature the ratifi-
cation of both these amendments. We
cannot keep our place among tho pro-
gressive States of the Union and ie-
ject them. Indeed. we shall he in a
very small minority If we do reject
them.
Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-01-14
Depl0res Multiplicity of
Commissions, Boards and
Miscellaneous Offices

THE pressure Of intelligent opinion
will soon be upon us in irresistible
fashion concerning the business meth
DDS of the State also. / suggest that
we do not wait for the pressure. The
business Of the State Il mean its add
ministrative buslness) is conducted
with a wastefulness, a duplication Of
effort, confusion and conflict OF
function. which no business enter
prise could survive for six months.
There is an extraordinary multiplicity
of boards. departments, commissions,
and miscellaneous Offices, overlapping,
connected without being coordinated,
Independent of one another and yet
naturally belonging to single sys-
tenlatic whole, which ought to be
drawn together, simplified, brought
into their proper relations, pruned
and put upon a footing of efficiency
which will also be q footing of econ
omy and quick responsibility. A COM
mission is now inquiring into this
very matter by direction of the last
Legislature. It has taken its duties
seriously. 1t will no doubt show the
way to many immediate reforms. II
its work is not finished 1t should be
continued and given funds sufficient
to prosecute its work to a. thorough
completion.
I'VE have Jagged far behind other
States in these matters. We are
wasting the public moneys and are
not getting the results good BUSH
ness methods would get. This has
not been by elaboration. Our adj
illustrative methods have been de-
yeioped piecemeal and at haphazard:
but they are none the less worthy OF
condemnation and reform on that ac-
count. and we shall not have proved
ourselves faithful and disinterested
public servants until We correct
them.
Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-01-14
concentrations will point out wise
and practicable way of reform
Would Vest Utility Board
With Power to Eliminate
States Grade Crossings

There is an additional. grant of
power to the Board of Public Utility
Commissioners which seems to me of
capital Importance and of dressing
necessity The many. almost innu-
merable, railway crossings at grade.
which make travel on most of our
country roads so hazardous and the
movement of traffic In SO many of our
town and city streets so dangerous
and difficult, ought, of course. to be
done away with as rapidly as possible,
beginning with the most dangerous
and proceeding without interruption
from the more to the less dangerous
until absolutely none is left. This
cannot be done by the hard and fast
precise terms of such bill as passed
the houses during the last session and
was prevented from becoming law
by my veto. No invariable rule can
be laid down which will not lead to all
sorts of impossible situations and the
eventual interference of the courts.
The proper solution OF this very diff1-
cult matter is to empower the Board
OF Public Utility commissioners to or
der the abolition of such grade cross
L ngs In such ways and at such a rate
as win adjust their orders to each par
tictalar aeases and set of circumstances.
The act-conferring the power can and
should make Of that power a legal
duty imposed upon the commission.
the discretion of the commissioners to
exist only in respect of their right to
I'guide. direct and adjust the processes
OF elimination in a thoroughly practi-
cal fashion. cannot too, strongly
urge this matter upon your attention.
And while lam speaking OF rail-
ways, permit me. to urge another
piece Of Legislation upon you which
seems to me essential both to the
safety of travel on the railways and
| to the fair protection of certain
classes OF railway employees. refer
tie the so-cailedi Full Crew bill, whose
failure to pass the last Legislature
was SO much deplored by all who had
noted its introduction and its sig
nif1cance. 1t is of the highest con-
sequence that railway trains which
pass through the State should be
manned by adequate crews; and to
me. for one, it is a matter of chagrin
that they should now carry smaller
crews through New Jersey than
through Pennsylvania. with whom we
are linked by so many important lines
of railway This is q matter which
we cannot afford to neglect If it
cannot be satisfactorily handled in
an act it might also very well be
put in the hands of the Public Utili-
ties Commissioners by addition to
their powers. -
Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-01-14
Declares State Should
Develop and Encourage
Agricultural Resources

while the Legislature should give
over its attempt to govern the cities
from Trenton. there are other things
to which 1t can turn its attention
in which we are beginning TO see a
new and immensely beneficial func-
ton for the State. The farmer has
not been served as he might be and
Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-01-14
KANSAS GOVERNOR FAvORS
DIRECT VOTE ON JUDGES

Topeka. kan. Jan. 14-Urgins
the members to prevail upon the
Kansas delegation in Congress to in
troduce a resolution favoring an
amendment to the Federal constitu-
ton providing for the election q
Federal judges By direct vote Of
the people Governor Hodges. peno-
crst. SAINT bis nfst message 70 tie
1.sslsieEare tedaz. The scfernsz
The Socialist and labor star. [volume] (Huntington, W. Va.) 1911-1915, 1913-12-05
] TeSST0eTo
Held Meeting
Wednesday

The Printing Pressmen and Assist
ants Union, a recently organized group
of union men who are trying to and
getting their employers to play fair
held a very interesting meeting last
Wednesday night. Every member
but two were present. and many
questions of Importance were voted
and carried. The new officers car
ried off their duties very creditably.
Assessment of 10c per week fol
four weeks for a certain use, was car
ried unanimously. Two members re-
inStated after paying fines and back
dues.
II was announced that all delegates
to the Trades & Labor Assembly
would get their credentials before the
next meeting night of the Assembly
including the delegate froH the Labor
Star.
Many documents. including votes
for the National Officers, were tabled
until the next meeting night which is
the first Wednesday in January 1914
Just before the call for adjourn
ment. the retiring Secy-TreaS., Mr.
J. F. Gentry invited the local to come
down to the Wonderland Theatre
which was accepted by nearly all
present. Buttons and labels were
ordered.
The Socialist and labor star. [volume] (Huntington, W. Va.) 1911-1915, 1913-12-05

To very courteous discussion OF
the Carnegie Library controversy ap-
pearine in Tuesday mornings Herald
Dispatch. the local knights OF Column
bus replied in a spoiled child manner
as would Indicate that they we're a
little Bit peeved.
We are charged with being ieno-
ramuses and calumlnators If We DO
not believe that the Catholic church
is an enthusiastic supporter Of Amerl-
can public schools. This is indeed
humor of rare sort.
OF course We do not know that
the Catholic church maintains sys-
TEN Of private sectarian schools. OF
course We do not know that the
Catholic priesthood forblds catholic
children from attendance at Amerl-
can public schools, upon penalty OF
accommodation, whatever that is
OF course we do not know that the
Catholic objects TO paying public
school taxes.
Another bit of humor of rare vim
taee: Mr.. Goldstein, in his Carnegie
The Socialist and labor star. [volume] (Huntington, W. Va.) 1911-1915, 1913-12-05
Circulation Notes.

The latest proposition of The Star
that Of giving Il copy of War-What
For and years subscription to The
Star is meeting with a very pleasing
response. Orders are rapidly coming
in by mail and through the numerous
comrades who are enthusiastically
taking orders and subscriptions.
This is really an excellent book
and will make an ideal Christmas
present. This very exhaustive work
reveals the war game in a thoroughly
truthful way and will clearly demon,
strate Just what is meant by capital
iStic patriotism.
The Star sub SQUAD should easily
sell 500 copies of War-What For dur
ing the holidays and incidentally Sc
cure 500 new subscribers for the Star
Great things are in store for Star
supporters and readers if we can but
steer the paper through the rocks Of
opposition but little while longer
The various local unions and the
Huntington Trades Assembly have
Loyalty supported the Socialist and
Labor Star anu as the paper has
proven to be Il faithful and powerful
friend to the workers in time Of need
there has sprung up mutual feeling
of comradShip that BODIES no good foE
the enemies OF the West Virginia
workin6claSs.
By March lst 1914 we can be
completely out of debt and laying
plans for Il daily. Get in, the water
fine.
The Socialist and labor star. [volume] (Huntington, W. Va.) 1911-1915, 1913-12-05
Knight OF Columbo Gets Riled

Library address, neither directly or
indirectly referred to poIilics---l, Geo.
Bender, Jr. We respectfully refer
Georee to a careful scrutiny Of the
definition Of politics. IT is. briefly.
the science Of government. We believe.
And was Mr.. Goldstein's hour and a
half Of coarse invective anything but
a lurid picture Of what We would
come to when Socialists we're making
the laws? When Gods throne would
be toppIed over. when women would
be running around chasing each others
husbands and society as whole,
turned inside out. Verify, we must
draw the curtain; the scene is getting
on our nerves.
But to the really excellent fellows
in the local Knights Of Columbus, we
have but this to say: If you would
know lust what the Huntington people
think of David Goldstein, get him
back. We have sneaking susplc-
ion that a barrel Of smallpox germs
placed upon the Carnegie platform
would prove better drawing card.
The Socialist and labor star. [volume] (Huntington, W. Va.) 1911-1915, 1913-12-05
WEST VIRGINIA, FRIDAY DECEMBER S. 1913.
The. Situation In Colorado.

Socialist Party Press Service.
(Nieht Letter. Walsenburg, Col,
General Chase has finally succeed
ed in putting his pet idea, the court
martial into operation. He says it
is only for the purpose OF lnvestisat-
IND offenses. How do we know? We
have been lied to right along, He
has ordered the wholesale arrest Of
strikers, especially the Greeks. The
militia is operating with the same
evident hostility against the strikers
as under Peabody. The soldiers are
now performing the same duties at
the expense of the state that were
formerly performed by the mine
guards at the expense OF the coal
companies. General Chase is also
irving to put a muzZle on those in
charge of the strike. He fears that
if they tell the truth about barbarouS
southern Colorado and his military
reign, the people might rise in revolt.
In spite of all the threats Of General
Chase, the strikers stand unfalteringly
and will fight until their just demands
are granted. Soldiers and jailS will
not crush the spirit Of these men and
women who are fighting for their legal
and moral rights.
Adolph Germer.
The Socialist and labor star. [volume] (Huntington, W. Va.) 1911-1915, 1913-12-05
How To Make War At The Mines
Small Amount Of Voting OutWeishs Much otriKlns

That sentence. repeated often
enough, and backed up with a good
Socialist vote at the polls---not a ma
jority, mind you, but good healthy
vote---will do more to bring the mine
owners to terms their workers than
all the strikes ever imagined.
1t is different in Michigan. The
miners are digging copper, and copper
is not a family necessity. The aver
aee man neither knows nor cares
whether copper is plentiful at ! | cents
o pound, or scarce at 20 cents. There
is no outcry for public ownership of
the copper mines.
For these reasons we may look for
an early adjuttment of the Colorado
coal strike. but long war in the
copper strike.
Denver is planning demonstration
by thirty thousand union men. led
by Gompers, MITCHELL Debs, Darrow,
Mother Jones" and other labor lead
ers. They are going to talk Gov
ERNMENT OWNERSHIP OF THE
MINES. and the state Of Colorado
will applaud them. The mine owners
will listen. and will hasten 10 patch
up peace with their working men as
HIRED MEN, least these same work
ers, vino can be THE GOVERNMENT
when they use votes instead OF plchs,
should grow tried Of working for wages
and decide to OWN THE MINES.