The Penn's Grove record., 1921-05-06
A LEGISLATIVE REVIEW
A First Year Senator Learned Much
About Legislation

Last November William H. Parry
was elected Senator from Essex
County as an Independent thinker.
After one winters services at law
making he gives his experience which
runs as follows:
Advent of the m vote and the
dying out of the liquor question as a
political issue will elevate the tone of
politics in New Jersey.
Senator Parry referred to the ac-
Invites of the various groups of lobby
lists representing special interests
swarming about the State House cor
ridors during the session, and his in
ability to find n lobbyist represent
ing the peoples interests
Corridors Filled With Lobbyists
every time you walked thru the
corridors of the State House." Sena-
tor Parry says, "The pension hunters
and the seekers after salary raises
swarmed around you like mosquitoes
in u walk thru a South Jersey swamp.
There is a group of legislators whose
long suit is the thought that the pub
lie is forgetful, while the special in
terests have long memories. The
moral of the group is Spend your
time looking after the special in
ests.'
81 have often heard judges in court,
in constituting statutes, refer to the
intention of the legislature. The
House of Assembly passed laws
galore which few had apparently read
and less understood. The only inten-
ton which many legislators have in
voting for many bills is to get the
votes of the sponsors for some bills of
their own
1.-THE more | have seen of party gov
eminent as it works out in the New
Jersey Legislature, the less | think Of
it. Most of the s~o-called party leaders
who dominate certain members of the
Legislature are in politics for their
private gain, and not the public good.
While at times the party rule was
invoked to carry out platform pledges,
there were other times when it was
resorted to because the measures were
so odoriferous that some of the more
independent members began to sniff.
making them party measures,
these members were enabled to hold
their noses while they voted for the
Objectionable measures.
No One Lobbied For The Public
"The State House was filled with
people looking for legislation which
would favor this group or that group,
this special interest or that. | failed
to discover any one around who was
lobbying for the public.
"When | asked for a square deal for
the public in the trolley valuation
fight | was called a radical; when |
asked that New Jersey follow the lead
Of other progressive States and adopt
a permissive city manager law with
a referendum clause | was styled an
when l demanded that New
Jersey release the grip of the patented
ring and adopt an open speci-
ications law | was classed as impos-
''The leaven of independence is
working for New Jersey. The days of
he old-time lobbyists with their
corrupt methods are numbered. New
Jersey has always been a conservative
State. Its transitions are made grad
Tally, but with the advent of the
vomen's vote, and the dying out of
he liquor question as a political issue,
look for the gradual ~elevating of the
one of politics in this State"
Senator Parry says no one lobbied
or the public. Each Senator and As
.emblyman was elected to represent
he public, and not special interests.