The Penn's Grove record., 1915-04-16
The new SPIRIT
AT The CAPITOL
Non-partisan Feeling Eyinced
on All important Matters
BETTER POLITICS TO ENsUE
Legislators Cast Party Ties Aside and
Work for General WeIfare-No Al
tempt to Make Campaign Am
munition from Recent osteo-
path Bill Scandal,
Especial Trenton Correspondence

| NOPOOAdl 4I0uUu
Trenton.-Even the suspicion of
crookedness has been so very unfash-
ionable in the halls of legislation in
recent years that the sudden outbreak
in connection with the osteopath bill
has caused all the more Juror. 1t
seemed a great pity that the mild,
even tempered and rather harmless
session could not have reached its
conclusion without this breath of scan
dal. 1t Is to be sifted, however, and
all Of the members of the House will
be glad to have it thoroughly dug out.
While the present session has been
scarcely up to the ideals of construc-
tive craftsmanship no one can deny
that the personnel of the Assembly
has been one of the highest in charac-
ter and sincerity of purpose in a con-
siderable number of years. 1t has
brought out or both sides some of the
very best blood among the young and
independent men who are to take
charge of the parties when the old
timers shall have passed ON, and they
49, RpONoAiA6 4 Z AlAd1 hOu ldp1Nll1. H
deed, it has been on numerous occa-
sions remarked that the two political
parties in the present session have
gotten on admirably, with less parts
an spirit and acrimony than has been
In evidence in recent times.
This, naturally, is due in large mea-
sure to the bent of the men entrusted
to the leadership and they have in this
instance been men who had larger
and broader views of public duty than
mere partisan advantage. Early in
the session former Judge Runyon
chosen as the majority leader and Ed
ftor Martin, picked for the minority,
came to an understanding of this sit
uation and at no time in the, delibera-
tions of the body were they in any
manner at odds, politically or person
ally. They were, Of course, opposed
and very strongly opposed to each
other upon some measures, but always
with the clear purpose of standing for
what they believed to be right.
One of the distinct and most notable
features of this unusual situation was
the contest over the Morris Canal
abandonment bills, which Speaker
Godfrey sponsored as the head of the
special commission which gave nearly
three years to the investigation of
that intricate problem. In the hot
discussion of these bills, involving
grave and far-reaching questions OF
finance and policy, Mr.. Martin was
strenuously opposed to the Speaker
and yet took great pains to explain
that it was only upon the question OF
policy and that he at all times had
held the presiding officer in the high.
est esteem as a man seeking to per
form his public duties co-nscientiously
and with highest purpose. Mr.. Martin
has become Secretary of State through
the twist of fate, but there can be nc
doubt that his influence for good in
the Legislature will go on for years
while he will be one of the foremost
of the men in the party councils.
Likewise Speaker Godfrey and Lead
err Runyon, on their side, will have to
be regarded now as men whose ad.
vice and suggestion will have to be
regarded as of value. There are mum
erous others who have developed out
of this session as new factors in the
two big parties and the future, wheth.
er of success or failure, will show to
cognizance of this new and healthy
growth.
The situation is but another eyi
dence of that great movement, oil
which President Wilson has spoken
and which observers have noted all
over the country-the evident purpose
of the people OF the nation to cut loose
from the partisan political yoke. Not
so long ago a scandal such as broke
out in the House recently would have
seized with avidity for the greatest
possible partisan advantage. No mat
ter which party had the majority the
other side would suffer. The men who
might be involved would be protected
by their partisan allies, while in peril
of the heartless and un-compromising
spirit of that time.
What a happy and wholesome
change has occurred, then, in the past
few years. 1t Is a little too early, oil
course, to predict a political millen.
ium, but it is not unsafe to say that
a great change has come over the
State. The complete metamorphosis
cannot come to stay until many of the
men who ruled under the old dispen
sation have passed of and, az hal
been said, they are passing.
Three Economy Bills Signed.