The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1888-02-29
The Local option Bill.

The Local Option and High License
bill, passed by the Assembly of New
Jersey, last Tuesday, came up in the
Senate on Thursday of last week and
was passed. As it is the most import
ant bill of the session, we give the pro.
ceedings upon it entire:
Mr.. Mcbride moved that the vote by
which Assembly bill No. SO was passed
to third reading be reconsidered. He
said he had some amendments to make,
and if they were adopted he would take
great pleasure in voting for the bill.
President Large said the bill would
come up in few moments, and asked
Mr.. McBridg to temporarily withdraw his
motion. The Sussex Senator did so, and
when the bill came up his motion was
lost, IL to 8. Mr.. Mcbride said he want
ed to strike out sections 4, B, 9, THE
locaboption part OF the bill.
On roll call, Mr.. Edwards said he was
not prepared to vote on the bill, and de-
sired to make an individual protest
against il. The bill had some excellent
provisions and had some very bad ones,
and il should not pass before the Senators
were allowed an opportunity to consult
with their constituents and ascertain the
provisions of the bill, so that the BAD parts
might be stricken out.
The roll call then proceeded, aud when
Senator WyckoH name was reached, the
gentleman said he desired to enter his
protest, as Senator Edwards had, against
this species of legislation. Is was not so
much the character of the bill that he ob.
Jectsd to, but he must protest against the
manner in which it was being railroaded
through. The bill, in some respects, was
good one, and Mr., Wyekoff would have
voted for it If he had been allowed to
amend 1t in proper manner
Mr.. Wyckoff called attention to numer.
GUS bad points in the bill. The first was
the provision that lincenses shall be re.
voked when persons are convicted OF sell
ing to minors. 1t simply showed on the
face OF It, be said, how huge humbug
was being forced on the people. The
next bad provision was that saying mo
license to sell spirituous, or malt, Or
brewed liquors, at retail, to be drunk on
or about the premises, either directly or
indirectly, shall be granted Mr.. Wye.
koff failed to understand how man can
drink indirectly on the premises "Does
he hold his head on one side ?" he asked.
In such case 1t would be very difficult
for court to act.
Mr. Wyckotf also objected to the pro-
vision that violators of the law be tried
without jury. He thought this was very
unjust aud should be changed. Violators
of the milk law are entitled to trial by
jury, and violatefs Of the local option law
should be entitled to the same privilege.
First and last, the Senator from Warren
nnpOeQA n tho lar A
moral questions in the unseemly manner
in which the Republicans were doing It.
EVERYBODY should have ample time to
look the bill over as its provisions might
be such as to throw doubt and uncertain
~ upoTt the administration of Justice.
The bill then passed by the following
vote:
Yeas-Messrs. Carter Cranmer, Gard
ner, Griggs, Haines, Large, Martin, Mil
Ter, Nevius, Roe, Rue. Thompson-12.
Nays-Messrs. Edwards Mcbride,
Newell, Pfeitfer, Werts, Wyokoff &c.
Absent-Messrs. Baker, Bogert and
Chase--3
Immediately after the passage Of the
bill MIR. CraDmer moved a reconsideration
OF the vote by which t passed. This
brought Mr.. Edwards to his feet again
lie spoke in very scathing and sarcastic
tones of the Republicans saying that the
motion to reconsider was simply another
scheme to railroad the bill beyond reach.
lie thought that it looked very much as
II the Republicans were unable to hold
their men over night. The Republicans
are afraid they will change their minds
very speedily, no said after they have
seen their constituents. Mr.. Edwards
was opposed to placing the bill beyond
the control of the Legislature forever
after.
Mr.. Griggs replied that tie motion was
not made with the view of ralroading the
bill beyond all possible reach, but was
simply a movement to give the Demo
cratic Senators chance TO change their
views and come over and vote on the right
side. The Senators from Hudson and
Warren, said Mr.. Griggs, seem very
much troubled over the bill, and have
been making strenuous efforts to elimi.
nate some evils that do not exist
Mr. Wyckoh said there was chance to
make the measure good temperance bill,
but the chance was not given. He was
not bound by any caucus, and be was,
therefore, more free in his actions, and
knew that the bill was bad one. MIR.
Wyckotf said that If the bill could have
pPeh amended, as others have been
amended, it would have received solid
vote, Democrats and Republicans alike
voting for il.
The motion to reconsider was finally
lost-12 to 6-thus being placed beyond
any further consideration.
On Monday of this week, Senator
Baker, of Cumberland, who was absent
wnen the Local Option bill passed the
Senate last week, asked unanimous CON
sent to have bis vote recorded in the
affirmative on that measure. The request
was granted.
Senator Bogert, of Bergen county, who
was also absent at that time, desired to be
recorded 10 the negative on the same BILL
His vote was ordered to be SO recorded.
The Postmaster,
Wioahaafar Mace eo.c. n.