Gloucester County Democrat., 1897-04-08

Political Measures Passed-During It All
Governor Griggs Did Not Let His Veto
AK Fall Once.
Especial Correspondence
Trenton, April THE legislative ses-
sion is a thing of the past. and its his
| tory is now before the public. Politi-
clans of either party will try to read the
record to the legislatures advantage or
detriment, each according to his own BIZ
ased views. While the Democrats claim
that the work of the session Is open to
attack in various directions, the Repub-
| lican leaders profess to be well satisfied
with the popularity of the results. The
Democrats ground their claims on the
| alleged subserviency of the legislature
| TO corporate influence as exemplified in
| the failure to pass the more radical of
the equal taxation bills as well as the
antitrust measures, but to this the Re-
publicans reply by pointing to the enact
ment of a moderate equal taxation law,
of the bicycle baggage bill. two trolley
car vestibule bills and the biennial ses-
sions constitutional amendment in the
face of corporation opposition 1t is not
| the purpose here to discuss the argu-
ments on either side, but only to state
the general situation as above, and then
to proceed to present some details of
the sessions results.
Constitutional Amendments.
There will be three proposed amend
ments to the state constitution to be
considered by the voters next fall These
are as follows:
The perpetual prohibition of gambling
within the state, being particularly
aimed against pool selling in connection
with horse racing.
| The extension of the right of suffrage
to women at school elections.
The prevention of appointments by the
governor in the case of any persons al
ready rejected by the senate.
The legislature passed a bill fixing on
Sept 2S for special election, at which
these amendments will be passed upon
by the people, and $4,000 has been ap-
propriated to defray the expenses. 1t is
likely that all three amendments will be
adopted, and further amendment to the
constitution for five years will be inn
possible. This is regretted by many
who believe a reconstruction of our ju-
dicial system is more important than
any of the pending amendments. But
the diversity of views among the law
yers prevented agreement this winter,
and probably the subject can be dis
cussed to better results during the in
terval which must now expire before ac-
tion Is taken. The demand for change
in our courts came originally from the
people, who desired Simplification of
methods and reduction of expenses,
but gradually the lawyers absorbed the
question, with the result that they pro-
posed changes which neither simplified
taxation nor cut off dollar of cost. No
reduction whatever was proposed in the
salaries of judges who now enjoy prince
ly incomes, nor was there apparent any
diminution in the amount of legal red
tape. Under the circumstances, the gen.
eral public has really nothing to regret
in the defeat of either the voorhees, or
Johnson amendment. 1t is charged that
railroad influence was at the bottom of
the matter, however, in retaliation for
Senator Voorhees, attack on corpora
tions when he opposed and defeated the
biennial sessions amendment.
Railroad Measures.
The final passage of the bicycle bag
gage bill during the closing days of the
session was distinct triumph and some
thing of surprise for Jerseys big army
of wheelmen. 1t had been feared by
many of them that the bill was effectu-
ally hung up in the senate, but the Re-
publican senators, after conference,
finally decided that Senator Herbert of
the committee on railroads must give it
up and he did this with the declaration
that he personally was reluctant to
do SO, believing the measure unconstitu
tional. The bill then passed, and the
friends of the railroads are advising
them to accept it without contest.
Senator Herbert also did his best to
hold back the trolley car vestibule bill,
but within an hour or two of final ad-
journment he found his purpose de-
feated by the presentation of another
bill to the same purport from the COM
mittee on engrossed bills. This latter
was a senate bill and had been lying in
the committees hands for weeks. Sen
ator Herbert Immediately moved to re-
commit to his (railroad) committee,
from which the bill had originally es-
capped in some way. He said it was his
purpose to compare this measure with
the house bill already in his possession
and to report the latter. Senator Voor-
hees, who, by the way developed into
quite an anticorpofation man during
the session, tried to obtain from Sena-
tor Herbert a definite statement that
he would report the house bill in time
to have it acted on by the senate, and
failing to get an unequivocal reply he
fy17F1 obi To
bill The latter then passed, after
which Senator Herbert, with show of
Indignation, reported the house bill.
which also passed. The assembly sub
sequently passed the senate bill, so
that both then went to the governor.
The equal taxation bill that passed is
another railroad measure, but was not
antagonized by those corporations for
the reason that it does not wiring a dol
lar more cut of them. 1t simply pro-
vides for the return to the several mu-
inequalities where railroad property is
located of a certain percentage of the
railroad tax received by the state The
gross sum thus diverted will amount to
something over $200,00O, and Hudson
county will get the lions share, or
about sf15000. If this would put an end
to the agitation from Hudson. the rest
of the state would rejoice. but 1t is
predicted that the stalwarts from that
county will be down here again. next
winter with fresh demands.
Political Legislation.
The most prominent political legisla-
ton of the session was the passage of
the bill changing the charter election
from the spring in Jersey City and
Newark to the fall and consolidating
It with the national and state election.
This measure passed the house readily,
but met stubborn opposition In the
senate from several of the more con-
servative Republicans. Under political
pressure, however. it managed to get
through and under the same pressure
was signed by Governor Griggs. only
to be taken up to- the supreme court
and knocked out as unconstitutional.
The bill was based on the probably COR
rect supposition that a heavier Repub-
lican vote can always be gotten out
where state and national issues are at
stake than where the issue is simply
local.
The sunset election act also miscar-
ried in an unexpected way. 1t has al
ways been favorite idea with the Re-
publicans to close the polls at sunset
to avoid alleged greater possibilities OF
bribery and fraud after dark. while
the Democrats have been equally tena-
cious of the late closing SO as to give
workingmen an opportunity to vote
after their days labor. The Repub-