The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-02-23
Atlantic County, in the contest instituted
against him by William Riddle, Demo-
crat.
PASSING THE BILLS.
How the Senate of New Jersey
Celebrated Washington's
Birthday.
Special to The Jersey citv Meas.

firing q National salute yesterday in
honor of George Washington in Barney
Ford's new park at the rear of the State
House, the Senate OF New Jersey
was In the Senate Chamber passing bills
which legalize horse racing, booK-making
and pool selling. 1t was generally under
stood that the Senate would take up the
bills and pass them, and the expectation
that some of the orators or the Senate
would denounce the race track men and
their methods unsparinglv brought q
larger crowd than usual to the Senate
Chamber.
1t was after eleven o'clock when the
Senate finally got TO work. 1t was said
the same agencies were at work which
delayed the Senate session in the last
Legislature which passed the famous
Reading Coal Combine bill. The race
track reople, it was said, could only Sc
cure enough votes for their measure, and
as il takes eleven votes to carry bill
through, the usual still but earnest hunt
was in progress for the missing vote.
The first skirmish In the battle was
opened by Mr.. Stokes and was short and
decisive. Mr.. Stokes offered resoln-
zion providing that public hearing be
given on the bill next Tuesday.
1.-The resolution is out of Order" de-
clared President Adrain with prompt.
ness and decision that took Mr.. Stokes
breath away.
After several bills had been passed the
President took uD 299, the first OF the race
track bills. Mr.. Stokes again offered his
resolution providing for hearing upon
the bills. Again the President declared
him out Of order, this time with the .ex-
PLANTATION that there was no precedent
for the proposition that the Senate should
give hearing before the whole body. Ii
hearing was wanted, the proper course
would be to move that the bills be recon-
mitted to the Committee, and hearing
be given by the Committee. The motion
to recommit was made. Mr.. Barrett
said that he would vote against the bill.
but il the business had to be done. 1t was
just as well to do 1t at once, as every body
knew what the bills were for.
II don't propose to discuss the merits
or demerits of this case" said Senator
Marsh, "but there are many persons who
want to be heard on these bills. and / am
in favor of such resolution as the only
method Of getting them here"
Mr.. Marsh then presented long petit
tion from the Citizens League, an anti
lace course organization militant, pray
ing for hearing on the case. Senator
Rogers OF Camden made speech in
favor of the hearing, in which he said
the matter. and that right had always been
accorded before. He could not understand
why on that day of all days the people
should not be granted hearing on the
bills in which they are so deeply inter-
ested. New Jersey had always stoutly
maintained that right and she surely
would not take q backward step now.
Senator Skirm said that he was not
prepared to vote on the bills then. They
had been railroaded through the House,
andlbe did not want to see them rallroaded
through the Senate without giving the
people hearing.
The vote on the motion to recommit
was then taken with the RESULT
Ayes-Marsh, Democrat. Rogers, Skirm,
Smith and Stokes. Republicans, five.
Nays-Adrain, Barker, Barrett. Butcher,
Cornish, Daily Drake, Hinchcliffe. Keys.
Martin, McMickle, Miller, Perkins.
Terhune. Winton, Democrats; and Hoff-
man, Republican, sixteen.
The motion was then made to suspend
the rules and place the bills on final pas
sage. It required two-thirds vote to do
that, and the ballot was eagerly followed. i.
The motion was carried by this vote:-
Ayes-Adrain, Barker. Butcher, Cornish,
DAILY, Drake, Hlnchliffe, Keys, Martin,
McMickle, Miller, Perkins. Terhune and
Wintop, Democrats. and Hoffman, Re-
publican. .Noes-Barrett and Marsh. Demo-
Gratis; Rogers, Skirm. Smith and Stokes,
Republicans.
THE FINAL VOTE.
Senator Barrett voted at first with the
majority, but subsequently changed his
vote. The three bills were then placed
on final passage in rapid succession, no
one speaking for or against them, and
each rushed through by the following
DAILY, Drake, Htnchliffe, Martin. Nc
MIckie, Miller, Perkins and Terhune.
Democrats, and Hoffman, Republican.
Noes-Barker, Barrett, Keys. Marsh and
Winton, Democrats. aud Rogers, Skirm.
Smith and Stokes, Republicans.
One of the most surprising features of
the vote was the fact that Mr.. Hoffman.
from that highly virtuous, politically
speaking, baiiiwick, Atlantic county, was
the only republican to vote for the bills.
His fellow Republicans were exceedingly
disgusted with him and took no pains to
notice who was around when they ex-
pressed their contempt for their col
leagues course.
THE FIGHT IN THE HOUSE.
The fight on the bills continued In the
House Tuesday afternoon until after
three O'Clock. Motion after motion was
made to adjourn and each one was de-
clared by the Speaker to have been voted
down The House was kept strictly
under call and 1t is many wears since 1t
has haQ Sucn long cOnIluuouS SESSION..
There was not much argument on
the measures. the time being occu-
pied mostly in fighting for delay with
dilatory motions and amendments. The
opponents of the bill soon saw that the
race track people had the necessary votes
to pass the bill and intended to keep tie
members there until they succeeded.
They finally abandoned their obstruc-
ZIONIST tactics and the bills we're put on
final passage Then Mr.. Hutchinson,
the Republican leader. made speech
against the measures. which was a
mastery effort Mr.. Lane, who had SO
valiantly fought the bills from their
introduction made one last heroic effort.
and then they went through. This is the
vote by which all three passed.
e. Yeas-Messrs. Byrne. Carroll, Chamber
lain, Clarke, Coyle, Daily, Dittmar, Du-
puy. Flynn, Hsrrigan, Henry, Honce,
Kearns, Kelly, H. A.. Kelly, I. NJ; Ian
ming, Lawless, Olvaney. Packer. Parker,
Peal, Sheppard. Smith, Stout. Strahan,
Swartwour, Tahen, Thompson, Tine, Utter,
Warne, Wright and Zeller-33.
Nays-Messrs. Barrett, Baxter, Berry.
Bueton, Cramer, Diver, Glaspell, Holmes;
Holt, Hutchinson. Kyle. Lane, MatIack,
Murphey, O'Brien. Roebling. Ross,
Salinger. Stafford. Stanger, Studer and
Wilson-22.
Absent-Messrs Armitage. Bake.