The Monitor-register., 1896-03-13
NEW JERSEY LEGISLATURE.
TRENTON, Mar. 10, 1896


The ninth, and 1 had almost said the
last, week Of the Legislative session open
ed on Monday night. II not the last
week, 1t is no doubt the one preceding the
closing week, for it is pretty generally
recognized o that sine die adjournment
will take place next week.
Senator Stokes made a sti rring speech
on his West Jersey Game Protective
Society repeater on Monday night, which
he termed q corporation with q Jersey
name and q foreign membership. but in
control of the game in the six lower
counties of the State.
The committee of lawyers appointed by
the Senate to recommend constitutional
amendments made its report to that body
on Monday might. The committee re-
commends the establishment Of a Court
OF Errors and Appeals. consisting of a
president Judge and four other Judges;
also a Supreme Court, consisting of a
Chief Justice and six Associate Justices.
It is also recommended that the Governor,
Chief Justice, Chancellor and Attorney
General shall constitute the Board of
Pardons. The committee further recon-
mends that the Governor shall not ap-
point ad interim any person whose NOM
nation has been rejected by the Senate.
The fifth recommendation provides that
the LIE legislature shall after every Federal
census divide the State into Assembly dis.
tricts.
1t is also recommended that writs of
error to the Circuit Courts and Courts of
Common Pleas shall go direct to the
Court of Errors and Appeals. and not to
the Supreme Court. The recommends
tions further provide that the Judges of
the Court of Errors aud Appeals, Justices
of the Supreme Court, Chancellor and
Vice Chancellors shall be appointed by
the Governor and confirmed by the Senate
for terms of seven years at salaries to be
fixed by the Legislature.
No recommendation is made as to the
Court of Chaucery. 1t Is provided that
the reduction in the number of Justices
of the Supreme Court shall not affect the
present :ncumbents, and it is also provi-
ded that the present Circuit Court Judges
shall serve u their terms unless other
wise ordered by the Legislature. The par
agraph in the constitution providing for
the appointment by the Governor Of the
Judges of the Courts Of Common Pleas is
stricken out; as is also the provision max.
ing compulsory the ~eleetion of Justices of
the Peace on a basis of the population of
wards and townships, the idea being to
make these officials under legislative
control.
Frank Bergen, secretary of the commit
tee, presented a minority report, favoring
the amendment submitted some time ago,
providing for a Supreme Court of fifteen
members, of three divisions, Appellate,
Equity and Law, and doing away with
the Court of Errors and the Court of
Chancery.
The session of the House on Monday
night was given up almost entirely to a
discussion of railroad taxation. The Com
mittes on Railroads and Canals had given
a hearing in the afternoon or Assembly
man Queens Equal Taxation bill, aud
Mr.. Queen made an effort to have the
committee relieved from further consid.
GRAFTON of the bill. A resolution by Mr..
Reed to have q committee appointed by the
Governor to investigate the question of
railroad taxation and report to the next
Legislature, knocked out his project.
The House passed the bill making it a
misdemeanor to solicit candidates for Of
foe to purchase picnic or ball tickets, and
the bill providing for the imprisonment
of those who refuse to pay fines for vio-
lating health codes. The House adjourn
ed until Wednesday morning.
The Senate's session was made interest
ing by Mr.. Voorhees, insisting on the en-
forcement of the rules against spectators
being allowed on the floor. He declared
that he had been insulted by an outsider.
Senator Johnson's bill authorizing the
leasing of the New York and Greenwood
Lake Railroad to the Erie Railroad was
up, and Mr.. Voorhees, wanted it laid over
until morning for purposes of amend
ment. James Allen, the Erie Railroad
lobbyist. was standing near him and re-
monstrated. This led to the motion.
1 D.oc;1o,k nNbavnnoo1 arlarnJ Ar a.
cleared, and the bill was laid over as re-
quested.
The House was not in session on Tues.
day, and the Senate only a few hours,
the time being occupied in a discussion
on the game bill. The game and fish
questions are about the biggest subjects
the Legislature has to handle, if the time
occupied every session in legislatipg for
these denizens of the deep and forests is
to be taken as a criterion.
The Senate Committee on Railroads
and Canals gave a hearing on Tuesday on
the bill which permits pipeline compan-
les to lay pipes for the transportation of
petroleum under the..lands of any State
corporation or under private property.
The bill was introduced by Mr.. Herbert,
chairman of the committee, the other
members of which are Messrs. Ward and
Engle. 1t is In the interest of the United
States Oil Company. and is vigorously
opposed by the Standard Oil Company.
Senators Emory and Lea, of Pennsyl-
vania. appeared before the Committee in
support of the measure.
The Joint Committee on Appropriations
has completed its labors on the Supple
mental Appropriation bill. The amour t
foots up $40. 627. 03. This is a pretty large
sum, and it is thought that many of the
items will be pared, especially as this was
to be an economical Legislature, and great
reductions were promised under the new
method of appropriations.
The bill, which provides that no person
signing an application for a liquor license
shall put his name on any other applica-
ton, was reported by the committee on
miscellaneous business on Wednesday
morning. and was Immediately recon-
mitted to the committee on judiciary.
This means the defeat of the bill. It
would greatly reduce the number of ga.
looms in cities If passed. A bill was intro.
duced by Senator Herbert, which allows
social clubs to have a license to sell spirit
uous liquors to its members upon the
payment of $3.50. A club has to be or
ganized two months in order to get the
Ilicanaa-