Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-03-20
.HENNESSY BILL
PASSED BY HOUSE
Constitutional Revision Meas
ure Goes Through by Vote
of 40 to II.
-
SENATE, HOWEVER, MAY
TAKE DIFFERENT ACTION
Both Wilson and Fielder Ex-
pected TO Fight for
Act.
IFrom a star correspondent.1

{ II rum ~ Sthh correspondents
/ TRENTON. y. j.. March 20-The
House last night passed the bill pro-
viding for a constitutional convention
| next September by a vote of 40 to H.
While the members of the House
thus lived up TO their partys pledge
it is problem whether the Senate
will or not. Extreme pressure viii Lt
! brought TO bear on the members OF
the upper House in the endeavor to
secure enough votes TO insure the
Bills passage in its present form. the
essential feature of which is popular
representation in the convention.
President Wilson is expected to in
iect his personality into the fight and
Governor Fielder will do all he can
to have the Senate adopt the meas
ure The weight of these forces may
be enough to win over the necessary
votes from the southern counties.
eleven votes being necessary.
Illegal" He Says
little will come of Senator Daviss
proposed constitutional amendment.
now in the Senate providing for an
nual amendment to the Constitution
if desired. For the House to approve
that would only be TO nullify its ac-,
ton of today. The attempt win prob
ably be made to change the bill in
the Senate so that it will provide that
each county shall have the same
number of delegates in the conven-
ton
Minority Leader Richards, in OPP
posing the bill today, went 50 far as
to declare that it was illegal and
would make the members of the
House liable TO indictment by a
Grand Jury in Mercer County. Mr..
Hennessy answered him by. replying
that twenty-seven constitutional con-
ventions had been held in States
where there was no warrant for them
in the respective constitutions.
The Democrats who voted against
the bill were: Acllley, of Cumber-
LAND; Beekman. of Somerset; Car
terdon: Marshall, of Mercer; Mount
and Taylor OF Monmouth; and
Smiell of Salem. The remaining eight
negative votes were cast by Repub-
leans.
In moving for the passage of the
bill Mr.. Hennessy made first only
a brief argument for it. reminding
the members of their party pledge
to provide for the election of a con-
vention by popular vote.
THE arguments for a constitutional
convention have persisted for many
years" he said. "In 1885 bill of
this precise character was introduced
in this House and was opposed by
the same interests and arguments
used in opposition to this one. but
Notwithstanding it was passed in
the House, though defeated in the
Senate.
Fate in Senate No Bar.
1--WE are told that this bill also will
be defeated in the Senate. / do not
know if that is the fate that awaits
it or not, but it does not relieve us
of our responsibility and opportunity
to redeem our pledge"
Mr.. Beekman then asked Mr.. Hen
messy in What respects the Constitu-
ton ought to be amended. To this
Mr. Hennessy replied:
"The question is irrelevant, imma-
terial and incompetent, but | will
answer II, nevertheless. Lawyers,
through the State Bar Association,
have agitated for years n reform
in the judiciary system. 1t is con-
cecled that our system of criminal
and civil procedure is sadly in need
of reformation.
1.-THE convention is needed for the
r. - al; tall IL
More than so per cent. of the bills
brought into this Legislature are for
county and municipal legislation, and
under an enlightened system Of gov
ernment this would not be true. We
want home rule in counties and
municipalities such as has been grant
ed to the people of Ohio by the con-
stitutional convention which recently
adjourned in that State, and il We
set that what difference will the ques-
tons of Senatorial representation
make?
Prosecutors N New York State can
be removed by the Governor il they
are crooked. but this cannot be done
under our Constitution How, under
our Constitution. could the State
spend any money at all for the cree
ton of bridge over the Hudson?
'rhen there is the question of equal
suffrage. We could get that through
a convention and more quickly than
we will get it under the amendment
that is pending now. The people who
drafted the Constitution in 1914 could
not understand or know of the great
problems that have come before US