New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-03-22
NWjRS'h NFN\
w. -, ~

Az last the end Of the legislative year is IN
sight Next wednesday will probably see 'he
curtain rung down and the CXXth Legislature
will mas into history after an existence OF eieVeh
weeks.
Some Of the most important OF Governor
Criggs's appointments are yet TO De mace w"
the exception OF the Chancery clerKsnip' ior
which Foster NJ VOORHEES, is booked. none OF the
offices have been promised to anybody a i"'-
tory INSPECTOR State Prison keeper ana '"iee
commissioners to investigate the Passaic river
pollution are to be named. Inc LesiS'"'
win probably authorize the Governor 10 appo'"'
an EQUAL Taxation Commission, and places Oh
that Commission are likely to be eagerly sous"'
for.
Tn some quarters considerable sympathy TOT
Abram Lower was manifested because INC H
semby found 1t necessary last Weohesua! q"
te.noon to administer a singing repuKe u MINI
Lowers conduct in locking up Dill Una. "''
committee had promised to report may nav
been the result of sickness or aoseht-nh'iuou
noss-at any rate. that Is charitapie wa! ~
look at it-but the other members OF the "a"-
roads and Canals Committee. and the Rouse 90
a body, could do nothing less than they oio LUZ
their own vindication. 1t was mistake IN 'he
first place to make Lower CHai -
important committee In the House.
Even LAWYERS don't agree about law any
v,ors than nhvsici,ns do about medicine. Last
Monday Samuel II. Grey. one OF the aoies'
LAWYERS in the State gave a positive OPIUM"
20 the effect that Bullock's Fortnightly wages
bill was unconstitutional Three days iae'
Acknowledgement Stockton came out WIN
qualified declaration on the other siue' w.
STOCKTON said that lit is largely committed 10
Tho discretion of the Legislature to determine
whether an act controlling the ordinary rlsn''
of an Individual Is a legitimate exercise Vi '
no,ce mower or otherwise. II the co"iioi' OH"
h.nn,rass NJ the great body Of wage-earners
are sufficiently involved in TINS measure ~
rant the LEGISLATURE in exercising the ponce
mower in their behalf there Will De- as '"eie
has been grave hesitation before denying 10
49, oo,s,oture discretion which the Constitu-
ton commits to II In the oro""e'' "
Commemorative terms"
The emnloyes of the glass factories In sou'h
Jsrsev have been camoring for this measure
az the only means of releasing them iro"
condition of serfdom while numper OF manu-
facturers have opposed 1t on the grouno 'ha' !"
would be annoying vexatous ana hur'iu' ~
their interests
The volume and variety OF bills 1or anu
against the trolley companies before the present
LEGISLATURE has somewhat befogged the aver
o.e newsnaper reader and the debates on them
have not served to eucidate the puzzle. Inc
management of the trolley lines in Essex and
,1rdson counties has created hostile senti-
mont IN those districts, but the desire Is more
for better accommodations than for reductioh
in the fare. In Newark and its suburbs LOT
axampe the fare Is regarded as reasonable
and the transfer privileges are liberal, out the
company does not apparently attempt 10 run
cars enough on proper schedule time 10 carry
Its patrons comfortably. What the people nave
obtained. however is a result OF the energy Vi
municipal authorities rather than Of generous
Impulses on the part Of the company.
1t is asserted by the trolley managers that the
net profit on each passenger Is less than haii
cent and that a compulsory three-cent rare wouio
mean bankruptcy. Al any rate. it would give the
companies fair excuse to curtail expenses even
more than they do now, 20 that every car would
he TANNED full and seats might as we'll be left
ont What should have been done was 10 look
into the question Of municipal control. to ascer-
tain lust what power Councils or Boards OF
Works have to compel the running OF enough
cars and to make necessary regulations Oh All
kinds in the public interest. and then 10 supply
anv legislative authority that might be lacking.
Newark NAV want one thing. Jersey City an
other, Elizabeth another. and so forth. Local.
governing bodies should have the requisite power
to make the companies do what Is right and fair
But the trolley companies were not SATISFIED
with fighting measures that they had some ex-
cuse for describing as unreasonable. They tried
70 PASS a bill taking from the people and the
local authorities all voice In the giving OF IRAN
chises on the county roads. This brazen invasion
OF the home rule principle might have succeeded
but for the prompt outburst Of popular opinion
as ventilated through the newspapers
As 10 the anti-freight bill, there Is good deal
10 be said on both sides The steam railroad
employees declare that freight traffic on the troll
Ieys will injure them especially. because OF the
poor wages paid by the trolley companies There
is no room on the principal thoroughares Oh
Newark or Jersey City for freight cars. but In
many Of the outlying sections. and especially IN
the rural districts. trolley freight and express
cars might be a great convenience
No doubt the Democratic newspapers are pre-
paring TO make lot OF campaign material out OF
the Appropriation bill This years bill shows
an estimated increased expenditure OF about
100000 and that increase will be used as text
10 show low extravagant the Republicans are
An examination OF the items and study OF the
circumstances will not sustain any such allega-
ton Camden gets $4,000 for an armory. the
RAILWAY Reformatory 100000. Morris Plains
state Hospital $4,000 for new wing. both
NJ the hospitals get increased sums for main
terance. the National Guard and Naval Re-
.erve get more and the court expenses are larger.
In each case the State will have something Tor
the money spent and 1t Is not hKeiy ina, .ne'e
LII, he anv exorbitant price, or 10 per cent "div-
,,.." Among the economies going into effect
90. tho saving OF $4,000 b. aboshing the lay
e'o w 49, ~aIx. "a tho State OF al