Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-06-16
Progressive Leader Criticises
Governors Silence on COnsti-
tutiOnaI Convention Issue.
SAYS STATES ORGANIC
LAW IS SUPERANNUATED
.'Dictated by Aristocrats, II
Gives Ocean Sixteen Votes
for Every One in Essex
fRy HERMAN 3. WALKER

OF Governor leluti ~"
issues on which he asks nomination
and election is his failure to mention
the matter of revising the constitu-
ton.
While the ignoring Of this issue
may readily and probably fairly be
ascribed to fear that declaration
from him in favor Of a constitutional
convention would lose him votes IN
the smaller counties, the issue itself
is not one that can be gotten rid OF
bv merely ignoring II. The governor
IS likely to find that the question VIII
not be ignored or sidetracked.
New Jersey is one Of the few re-
NAMING States where ancient consn-
sutions, written by landed proprietors
and aristocrats. who hated deInoc-
rsey, still leave the balance of poiiti-
cal power and the control OF legis-
lation In the hands Of small
minority of the people.
The great cities of Newark. Tren-
ton and Jersey city. together with all
the other municipalities of the state,
are today governed by the voters of
Warren and Cape May counties. Our
cities must have the kind of govern
rnent and the kind of laws dictated by
men from the country districts-non-
residents, hopelessly out of touch
with the needs of the cities and their
requirements.
Proportion In 10 to 1.
Probably few people realize that the
-
counts as much in making laws for
the State as the votes of four men in
Mercer county or sixteen in Essex.
VIII anyone. regardless of where he
lives, argue that the voters of Ocean
county are four times as intelligent
and wise as the voters of Mercer or
sixteen times as wise as those of
Essex?
The relative value Of the voice of
each voter in the different counties,
Ia the state Senate. under the pres
ent system of representation, is as
follows:
Essex, /; Hudson /; Passaic, 22-S;
Camden, 22-S: Union. 3 1-5; Bergen.
S1-5. Mercer. 31z; Monmouth. 4;
Middlesex, s; Morris. 2-S; Burling-
ton, 52-S; Gloucester s; Atlantic, |
81; Cumberland, 8; Warren, al; |
Hunterdon, 1o1a; Somerset, Ii; salem. |
IL Id; Sussex, Is; Cape May, IS; |
Ocean, IS
1t is generally supposed by pohti- |
clans that there is violent opposition
among the voters in the smaller |
counties TO change in the sena-
torial representation. The probable |
ity is that about the only people |
who oppose the change are the poll |
tieians themselves, and the special |
interests many Of them represent.
This system was established to |
give the aristocratlc landed proprie- |
tors control of State legislation. It |
Is maintained by tho small county |
politicians merely that they may be
able to serve the special interests
of the present day. whose beneficiar-
les fear equal representation and
democracy as much as did ever any |
ruling class.
There will be general agreement |
with Governor Fielder's declaration |
that we need fewer laws. Until the |
present constitution is revised, how
ever. there can be little diminution |
OF the annual legislative grist. |
Three fourths of more of the laws !
passed by the Legislature each year |
have to do with the government OF |
the cities and municipalities; with |
matters that should be left wholly |
to the municipalities themselves. |
Outside of making laws for the |
municipalities, the Legislature now |
does little but correct the mistakes |
and plumbers of former legislatures. |
And most of these mistakes are due |
To the fact that the Legislature is
kept busy juggling with the affairs |
Of municipal government and has no |
time to give to the. proper study and |
consideration of measures OF State |
Importance.
But to be able to stem the food of |
legislation, and bring about the de-
sirabie conditions for which Governor
Fielder yearns. the constitution must |
be revised by a constitutional con-
yention The political and financial |
interests which oppose constitu-
tionai revision, in a convention, for |
their own selfish purposes. are the |
self-same interests and influences |
which now control the Senate and |
which want to continue indefinitely |
the annual chaos of legislative. check |
er<player to which the Governor OBJ |
jeets.
Other Candidates. Attitude.
SO far as gubernatorial candidates.
have been announced all the candi-
dates, like Governor Fielder, seem |
to be more anxious to cater to the
small county politicians than TO take
kn III
issne in the State Former Congress-
man Fowler is for a constitutional
convention with equal and unequal |
that Is, a convention |
controlled by the influences and man
who are opposed to constitutional re-
vision. Mayor Wittpenn Is as dis
creetly silent on the subject as Gov
ernor Fielder. Frank s. Katzenbach
is openly opposed 10 a convention or
to any revision except by the system
provided in the constitution itself,
which makes any revision impossi-
bic
The Fielder attitude raises the
question OF when q party pledge be-
comes invalid. Last fall the Demo
cratic party declared for a constitu-
tional convention. A Democratic
Legislature refused to redeem the
pledge. The party's note has gone to
protect Is 1t the Governors opinion
that 1t should be repudiated, or that
the pledge was given for a single
campaign, and that the Legislatures
failure to keep the pledge last win
ter absolves him and the entire party
from further responsibility for the
pledge?
rtAarH Anr rAn AITEnIAIH