The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1891-03-02
NECK And NECK.
Race Track Advocates and
Opponents Straining
Over That Local
Option Bill.
IMPORTANT HEARING TODAY.
Prospects Of the Week at Trenton
Taxation, Farmers Rights and
Railway Commission.

Special to the Jersey Ctr Nes0s.
TRENTON, March 2, 1591.-The legisla-
tive mill will resume its grinding at
eight o'clock this evening. This session
n remarkable for the number Of bills
passed at such an early period In the ses-
sion. There has been comparatively lit
tie talking on the floor to kill time like
there frequently is. The number oil bills
on the calendars of the two Houses is
large, though there are only six more
than there were on the same date of last
year. Then there were 1872 in the House
and 140 in the Senate, while this year
there are 322 in the House and IA in the
Senate. II the session is brought to a
close before the first OF April it looks as
though greater part of these measures
would come to naught.
RACE TRACK P0w-wow.
The Committee on Revision of Laws
of the House of Assembly will meet
O'Clock this afternoon, to give a
public hearing on the race track
bills introduced last week by Mr.. Camp
bell, of Monmouth county. All citizens
interested in the matter are requested to
be present. and the opponents or the bills
two o'clock. Notices were read in the
churches Throughout the State yesterday,
and large delegations are expected to
make argument before the committee
against the bills
1t Is said that the Monmouth Park peo-
pie have Withdrawn entirely from the
contest and do not care whether the
tracks are licensed or not. They have
leased Jerome Park and will run all their
events there in case the Legislature
should fail to pass the Campbell or some
other favorable measure. They are re-
ported as having said that jerome is as
good to them as Monmouth Park, II not
better, and that the result of the contest
is matter Of supreme indifference to
them.
The withdrawal of the Monmouth Park
people from the fight will be great blow
TO the industrious gentlemen who haunt
the lobbies ana who have relied upon the
racing people to bear their expenses here
and pay them for haunting the corridors
Clergymen from all parts Of the State
are pouring in town TO give testimony be-
fore the committee. The hearing will
begin at three O'CLOCK and continue to the
beginning of the evening session.
House bill No. 27s makes all racing and
betting, bookmaking and other forms of
gambling on the races, misdemeanor
punishable by 500 fine or six months i'm
prisonment, or both, unless such race
tracks nave been licensed by the Board of
Chosen Freeholders, Common Council,
body OF the municipality. No 279 author
ICES governing boards of municipalities
10 license racing for purse. stake, plate
or prize, the licenses to be granted for
five years No. 2S0 requires a resolution,
certified by three-fourths Of the members
OF the county that the race track is a
public necessity. before 1t can be licensed.
No. 2S1 prescribes that the racing as
soclations shall pay as license fee to the
tax collector, five per cent. of the moneys
received as admission fees.
FAT OFFICES
Great interest Is now centered in the
several fat offices which the Governor
must soon I'LL. 1t is almost a foregone
conclusion that Colonel John L. Van
Cleef will be the next Commissioner of
Insurance, though the Governor Irefuses
to say much about the matter. There
seems to be a hitchin the State Prison
supervisorshfp appointment. EXPORT
Collector Kelly of Perth Amboy was the
most favored man for time, but. he
seems to have been pushed TO the rear.
1t is said that the Governor Is in guam
dary upon whom to place the mantle OF
Supervisor Butler. The clerkship OF the
Prison will probably be decided by the
inspectors on Wednesday. Thomas Mad
den is now doing the work and is very
efficient. His chances seem to supersede
all Others at the present outlook. Mr..
Madden has host of friends who would
ike to see him get the position.
The Commissioner OF Agriculture will
undoubtedly be ex-Assemblyman Kiotz.
The new Board of Educ ltion and Board
of Managers of the State Lunatic Asy-
lum must be appointed and the Cover
nor has already had string of names
suggested for these places. A nice posi-
tion will be open for some person eff
he mis- m n rf IN
Wright at the Deaf Mute School.
GAME BILLS.
Tonight the Game Association bills of
South Jersey will cause a sharp debate in
the House. The Camden and Cape MAY
members are at great ioggerhesds on the
want to retire from his legislative seat
until he sees this society wiped out of ex-
istence, and ne must accomplish it this
year or not at all. Mr.. Nash and w. II.
Cole OF Camden, are both standing ont
for the society. Already Messrs- Nash
and E. Cole have exchanged words of a
not very pleasant nature over the bill
and this will be renewed with vigor to-
night. The idea of politics in the bill
seems to have died out, though the DEM
ocrats charged for two years that it was a
political measure
THE TAX cURIo
The tax bill, which Is going TO be the
great bore of contention during the
session. will bs given two public hearings
this week. All awful food or criticism
has been hurled at the bill, and IL will
never pass until amended out of all like
ness to itself
Mr. Tine. of Hunterdcn, is doing ex-
cellent work as Chairman of the Com
mfttee on Agriculture. He has watched
the interests OF the farmers very carefully
aud don't allow any bill TO get out of the
hands OF the committee until it is in
proper shape to be passed. Several agri-
cultural measures have already been
rushed through. The most important of
all the bills of the session for the farmers
Is that creating railroad commission,
which was Introduced last year, but
failed to pass. 1t WAS drawn at the re-
commendation of Governor Albeit to
relieve the farmers of their difficulties
as TO indiscriminate freight rates. Itp pro-
hibits any common carrier from charg ing
any more to one person than TO another
BY means of rebates or any other device
for transporting freight. No person shall
be given advantage over another No
carrier can charge more for shorter dis
tance over their lines than for longer,
unless the commission shall allow It after
Investigation. They are prohibited from
pooling with other companies to proven
the prompt delivery OF freights. A fne
not to exceed IS, 900 Is the penalty for the
Fiolation Of this act.
RAILWAY COMMISSION.
Railroad Commission Is created 70 De
composed of the members of the State
Board Of Assessors They shall have the