Middletown transcript., 1891-04-16
LEGISLATIVE HAPPENINGS.
WHAT OUR LAWMAKERS ARE DOING
IN THE WAY OF BUSINESS AT
THE STATE CAPITAL.

time arrived Tor the assembling VI OAis
Legislature, there were only eight
members present, five in the Senate
J and three in the House. On Tuesday
the real work of the week began with
the consideration of the House Bill
, to provide for a settlement OF the
railroad mortgages. :. This bill came
up in the House as the special order
for the day, this agreement having
been reached last Friday. After the
routine business was finished the bill
was called up by Mr.. Chapman. Mr..
Morris and Mr.. Higgins stated that
i that they had decided, after mature
deliberation, that the principle was
wrong and that they did not believe
the State would get what properly
belonged to her under the provisions
of the bill. Mr.. Morris moved that
| further consideration be postponed
until next Tuesday, and the motion
prevailed without a dissenting vote.
This demoralized the railroad men
who had expected better results from
their apparently well-laid plans.
Those who were opposing the bill
thought they had achieved some
measure of success in their unselfish
work for the best interests of the
State. There was brought to bear
upon the members very strong
pressure in the shape of plea for
| justice to the widows and orphans of
Sussex county who owned stock in
the roads. Those opposing the bill
could not see how the widows and
orphans were to be benefited by the
change of the States interest from a
first mortgage to 1886, 200 worth of
three per cent. bonds to run forty
years. Another plea set up was that
the proposed settlement would re-
lease the gentlemen who were respon-
sible for the loan from the odium of
having gotten the State into
trouble through this loan; this
plea will not do any good because the
State should now be allowed to make
the best of what is generally eonsid-
cred bad bargain.
This bill has come to its present
position in a very roundabout way.
1t was sent to Dover by the directors
of the D. M. & v. Company, who are
merely officers, to certain degree, of
the Pennsylvania Railroad Company.
That they were directed in their
efforts by the higher power is scarcely
doubted. If this settlement can be
effected in the way proposed railroad
competition in this State will be
almost impossible for forty years, the
time the bonds are to run. Whenever
new charter is asked for the Com
pany giving these bonds will say that
any competing line will render them
unable to pay the interest by taking
away their business. The longer this
bill is held up the better it is for the
people. Many disinterested persons
say that the State had better lose
one-half of the 5000, 900 than to fasten
the grip of the Pennsylvania railroad
on the people of the State. The idea
that the mortgage bill is to be forced
to passage by the foreclosure suit
which is now pending, is losing ground
because the members believe the suit
to be part of a scheme to rid the
railroad of the burdensome mortgage;
they believe that, it was intended to
frighten the legislature into playing
losing game.
The charter for the Delaware Ter
minal Railroad Company passed the
House last Friday, was read in the
Senate Tuesday, and read second time
and referred Wednesday. 1t will
probably stay in committee some time
as it is said by interested parties to
be scheme to extort money from the
old company, but this cannot be true
because in the first place the gentle
men who are making the fight are
above reproach, and in the second
place the committee will SO amend
the bill as to revoke the charter if it is
ever sold to competing line. This
charter would be valuable to at least
two great railroad companies who
wish to get down the Peninsula for
the purpose of carrying their great
o,,&ry7f IF ooo1 fo Tho caohoord To1uoe
is the objective point. With this
charter operative there would be no
necessity for the passage of the mort
gage bill, because the D. NJ. & v.
system would then be valuable to two
bidders instead of one 1t is predict
ed by some very shrewd business men
that the mortgages would be paid off
dollar for dollar by the Pennsylvania
company rather than allow the roads
to get into the possession of a COM
peting line. The registration act
was read first time in the Senate
Tuesday, read second time Wednes-
day and referred to the enlarged
committee on cities and towns. This
is very long and tedious bill and
can not be published even in part at
this time. The bill is being printed
for the benefit of the public. It is
regarded by many as unconstitution-
al j; nevertheless, it was drawn by
John R. Nicholson, Esq, who is one of
the best lawyers in the State.
James L. Walcott, ESQ.,, is engaged
in drawing a new secret ballot bill
which will be presented for consider
alton at an early date. The prospect
for ballot reform is brighter.
The House passed on Tuesday Mr..
Eisenbrey's bill to abolish military
encampments in this State. This is
a severe blow to the militia and will
do much to break down the organiza-
tion.
The peach yellows bill has been SO
amended as to allow trees apparently
benefited by treatment to stand for
H..