The Penn's Grove record., 1917-04-06
STATE CAPITOL NEWS
What The State Officials Are
Doing. What The Political
Leaders Are Talking
About

Trenton. April talking account If
stock" describes the State political Sit
uation this week. Following the siren
uous days Of the close of the Legisla-
ture, the political leaders of both par
ues are now inventorying the work Of
the session to ascertain it's effect upon
them and their parties, preparatory 10
making ready for the 1917 campaign.
Although no bills were enacted making
radical changes in the election laws or
political methods, some legislation along
this line went through The most i'm
portant was the bill revising and codi-
tying the laws of the municipalities and
giving them home rule as to certain
powers and as to acquire water. gas
and electric light plants. This was pre-
pared by the so-caled Home Rule Com
mission named by Governor Fielder. was
passed and has been signed by Governor
Edge. Accompanying it are nine bills
repeating about 1000 municipal acts
claimed to be useless since the enact
ment Of the new law. 1t will take con-
siderable study to ascertain the full eff
feet of this law and the repealers. The
effect, however, will be largely munich
pal rather than political. Cities and
towns will not be enabled to do many
things themselves without running to the
Legislature for authority every time.
Some of the home rule powers given
are: Annex territory under action IF
the governing bodies of both munich
~palities affected: consolidation of two or
more municipalities under a referendum
clause: fix all local salaries; acquire
lands for public buildings and other pub
dc purposes: make necessary public i'm
provements and assess the benefits on
real estate: establish public markets.
docks. wharveS. etc: establish munich
pal coal and wood depots and establish
and operate municipal ice plants: ae-
quire a public water supply. as well as
light. heat or power plants: also engage
in the business of transportation of
freight and passengers upon the public
streets by the establishment of trolley
ines. These public plants are to be es-
tablished only after a majority of the
voters so decide. These powers are in
addition to the usual police. health IL
censing and other ordinary privileges
which are all continued in this law.
BY failing to appropriate the money
to the Civil Service Commission for the
examination Of candidates for election
officer. as provided in the Geran act. the
selection of election officers has prob
ably been thrown back into the hands of
the county leaders of the counties from
which the Geran law removed it. One
Of the most important provisions of the
Geran law is the one putting the cleo
tion officers under Civil Service ~regula-
tons. and if this be impaired the friends
Of election reform all over the State viii
be up in arms.
Some of the Republicans on the Ap-
preparations Committee of the Legisla-
ture. backed by certain of their party
leaders. are responsible for the failure
to put the appropriation in the approp-
ration bill. although it is said some of
the Democratic leaders who dictate
things in their counties are well pleased
at the prospect of again getting control
of the selection of the election officers.
The bills were introduced into the Leg
~islature without this appropriation and
the Legislature passed them in that
form. The item was Also cut from the
appropriations last year. but the Civil
Service Commission continued the work
and paid for it out of its general APP
preparation. The new Civil Service Com
mission. which has just organized. has
referred to the Attorney General the
question of how it should proceed under
the circumstances. The Geran act is
mandatory on this point. providing that
the examinations for the candidates for
election officers shall be held annually.
$
The Commission to revise the NUM-
cipal laws continued by the Legislature
and empowered to make a similar re-
vision and codification of the laws Of the
counties and report to the Legislature
of 1918. This viii mean the submis-
sion to the next Legislature of an act
bringing the laws of the counties to-
gether and giving the counties home
rule on some matters. If such a law
should he passed. together with the mum
icipal home rule act. it would reduce the
annual bulk of legislation at least fifty
per cent. because cities and counties
could perform needed functions under
these conferred powers without having
a bin introduced for every step they de-
sired to take.
The joint resolution continuing the
two Judiciary Committees as an inves-
tigation commission became a law. 1t
is Committee Substitute for Senate Joint
Resolution No. Q AMI gives the Commits
sion broad powers to go anywhere In the
State and probe alleged violations of the
law. BY the power conferred it may GO
into any county or municipality and in
vestigate conditions. This law has the
political leaders guessing. as no one
knows where fhe proberS NAV strike
first. although it is said they win prob