DOCTOR COOK AS A CITIZEN. 



BY HON. ABRAM S. HEWITT. 



HP HE State of New Jersey is fortunate in being a small 

 State. It has been more fortunate, up to a recent 

 period, in being largely an agricultural State. There has 

 been a certain family and social feeling pervading this 

 State which is unique. I have known the Legislature and 

 its citizens pretty well for about fifty years, and I have 

 found that it is the most Democratic community in the 

 world. This is my judgment. The Legislature represents 

 more closely and more nearly the opinions and interests of 

 its inhabitants than any other political organization which 

 has ever come under my personal observation. 



It is true that in ancient Greece, particularly in Athens, 

 where the people come together in mass-meeting and there 

 were no representatives, we have an example of a pure 

 Democracy, which always suggested to me what I have 

 during my life observed to be the fact in New Jersey. 

 Hence, in this State, there is a very close supervision of 

 the expenditure of money, and, forty years ago, there was 

 a great indisposition to expend any public money, for any 

 purpose except the ordinary conduct of government. The 

 State, occupying its peculiar position, between the two 

 great States of New York and Pennsylvania, was to a 

 large extent influenced in its development by the overflow 

 of population, wealth and industry from the neighboring 

 States. Of its own resources it knew but little, and it is a 



