Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-12-01
VOL. LXXXu-NO. 2S4.
TUESDAY EVENING, DECEMBER /, 1914.
rRospEcrIyE coNsmrur1oNA1 AMENpMENTs

The five constitutional amendments to be consid-
cred by the Legislature of 1915 all of special i'm
portance They will require careful study and intei
gent decision These amendments are those equal
suffrage home rule for municipalities excess condem-
nation, redistricting of Assembly districts and pro-
vision for easier way amending the constitution
All these efforts to express the expanding ideas
of political and social order. The trainers of
the national and early State constitutions did not
vide for the growth of ideas and for their outward
expression in the form of institutions of life.
They would have to possess more than human pre-
vision to have done so.
Therefore amendments in order to satisfy the
growing demands of social life. These proposed
amendments are of a new type of legislation. Equal
suffrage is the political affairs of twelve
States and the general public is becoming daily more
familiar with its arguments, claims and successes or
failures 1t is of the live subjects In this State
and intelligence and civic interest required of the
citizenship in order to decide the question. Home
rule for municipalities appears to be growing in favor
and the merit of being thoroughly democratic in
character. 1t has been for time serious ques-
tion how far the State go in controlling through
legislation the affairs that exclusively belong to city
In the view of some citizens of cities and towns
the growth of their respective centres does not follow
natural lines rapidly otherwise might, be-
handicapped and INSTRUCTED by distant legtsa-
ton, less arbitrary and instigated by those
who have no such immediate interest in city, or
knowledge of it's needs those who live within the
city and have at heart it's requirements.
1t is believed that initiative should be
granted to cities and towns in shaping their own af-
fairs, without long waiting for special legislation by
the State mourning, 1t frequently does, consider
able expense authorize the satisfaction of need
that already is only too obvious Complications that
result the administrative and fiscal affairs of many
a town as result of embarrassing State centralized
legislation well known to those officials who have
these matters in charge. Home rule, in it's simplest
meaning and without special strings attached, is
proposed by which the citizens of any town
may have direct legislation in their civic affairs.
The proposed amendment for excess condemnation
is novel economic idea 1t has been for some time
discussed by city planners advocates of good housing
economists and others, but it is doubtful that many
of the average voters understand it. Already in a
few States as Connecticut and Pennsylvania it is in
operation. In New York State has been before the
people as proposed amendment and was defeated. 1t
is a measure by which any city town, in making
public improvements building boulevard, may by
condemnation proceedings take land in excess Of that
actually needed for improvement. This measure it is
said will prevent unloading land city at specua
rive values the capitalization of the public improve
for private profit and will enable the city grad
uay get back the unearned increment in land for
the payment of the proposed improvement, without
doing injustice to making the Improvement
q burden on taxation This intricate matter the aver
age think through If he is to keep up the
reputation that the campaign spellonders usually I'M
pute to him the Intelligent voter
The amendment for redistrcting the Assembly dis
tricts is said be in the direction of political eff
cheney 1t is hardly likely that this will be
regarded avorably by all parties especially if there
shall appear any point of the plan and any
indication of unfarness to the prospects of party
But it is unquestionably home rule proposition.
The proposed amendment facilitating the work of
amending the State constitution meets ong-felt
want The delay and intricate method which prevail
in securing amendments have been necessary and
appropriate earlier period, but for the present s
not sufficiently responsive to the public will and re-