Perth Amboy evening news., 1921-04-07
DROP SCHOOL
ELECTION BILL
%AssembIyman Peterson Says
He Will Not Garry Through
His Original Intention.

In a statement made today, As
semblyman Edward J. Peterson, of
this city, announces that he will not
| carry out his original intention of
having passed a law which will bring
many much needed reforms in places
where school elections are held. The
irregularities reported al the Roose-
welt and Woodbridge school elections
this year were responsible for the
assemblyman working up a bill
which remedied many of these
wrongs. He explains his action in
deciding not to push the measure in
the following statement:
After having conferred with a
number of residents of-the school
districts that would have been af-
fected by the passage of the school
election bill which l recently intro
duced in the lower branch of the
legislature and having been assured
that steps will be taken to avoid a
repetition of the practices resorted
to at the last school election, it Is
unlikely that | shall request the list
ing of the bill for third reading to-
day. Although forced from the
hands of the house committee on
education the bill was reported fav-
orably by this body which is I'M
usual in such cases and for this rea-
son l had no doubt as to the passage
of the bill through the assembly.
Although l spent a great deal of
time in preparing this measure, to
say nothing of the work that is
necessary among other members to
secure the passage of a measure in
which one is interested. it is not my
desire to compel the voters of any
school district of this state to adopt
the provisions of any act which may
not be applicable in its entirety to
the community if it is likely that the
required reforms will be put into
effect voluntarily. l have, in con-
nection with this matter, given full
consideration to the facts that the
unusual heavy registration at the
last general election and the accept
ance of the right of franchise by the
women as well as their natural in
clination to take part in school
matters resulted in a condition
which the persons in charge of the
recent school elections had not an
ticipated in view of the fact that the
average voter manifests very little,
if any, interest in the town school
elections.
THE matter of school elections is
a very serious m and unless some
reforms are adopted voluntarily or
rules formulated by the state COM
missioner of education to ex-
listing defects it is natural to expect
that the matter will be the subject
to legislation to cover the weak spots.
The items hat should be given spe-
cial attention include a greater num-
Der of polling places, more secrecy
while marking ballots, some form of
official ballot TO be given to the voter
after he reaches the polling place
as well as extended hours of voting
in order that the wage earne and
the commuter may participate in
stead of limiting the right of suffrage
to merchants and politicians.
ut is impossible for me to state
whether l shall aspire to sit in the
lower house of the legislature again.
Should this be my fortune, / would
favor holding a conference with a
representative from the township,
incorporated town and borough
school districts of this state having
a population In excess of five thou
sand, the commissioner of education,
the education committees of the up
per and lower houses of the legis-
lature to draft an act to provide such
features which would tend to elm
mate the violations and unjust prac
tees that have been complained of
in connection with the recent school
elections in this state"