The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-03-02
A DAY ON WHEELS.
Bicycle Baggage Bill Dis
eussed and Progressed -
Constitutional Amend
ments.
Special 10 the lerseu Cstu Ne,oa.

TRENTON, March 2. 1S97.-At n:30
o'clock this morning the House went into
Committee of the Whole to consider the
bicycle Baggage BILL The friends of
the measure, emboldened and encouraged
by the victory of the Equal Taxation peo-
pie last night. attacked the railroads with
renewed vigor. Mr.. Watkins of Gloucester
was called to the chair.
The first speaker was Isaac Potter,
President of the L. A W He spoke
briefly. He said that the wheelmen want
ed to be fair with the railroads and had
therefore decided to amend the bill by
striking out the clause which compels the
railroads to carry the wheel on the same
train with the passengers. If a wheel
man does not take his wheel to station
within reasonable time before the train
starts he can not expect the wheel to go
on that train. The Wheelmen were also
willing to strike out the clause which
compels the railroad to carry the lamp
ana bell with the wheel The bicyclists
We're willing to remove those adjuncts to
their wheel
MT. WHdes, as usual, came to the front
Tor the poor railroads. He wanted to
know Why if the wheelmen, small class,
can come forward and ask statute COM
peillng the railroads to carry. their wheels
Tree. why wouldn't the farmers, a much
larger class, ask that their milk and
produce should be carried as the passen-
gers baggage. Then Mr.. Wildes started
on to air his grievances. He told how
ne undertook to ship bull calf dis
lance OF twenty miles in straight line
ana the best rate he could get was So. 20.
IL dad not take Mr.. Potter long to ex-
pose the foolIshness of the farmers, cham
pion Mr.. Potter said that the bill was
not class legislation, but was to prevent
determination by the railroads against a
class.
The members then began to lombard
Mr.. Potter with questions, but me an
swered them all.
Mr.. Jones, a railroad man in what he
thinks complete diguise tried a new way
OF defeating the measure He said that
ne was Wheelman and often rode to the
coast in summer. He had to take the
iraln from Mattawan to South Alnboy.
NOW, II the amendment to strike out the
clause compelling the roads Ito carry the
wheel on the same train with the passen-
gers We're carried. he might sit in sta
tion and wait all day for his wheel if the
the amendment be not adopted, and ON a
yea and nay vote the amendment was
lost.
Much to the surprise of the friends of
the bill, neither the railroads nor the
Committee on Railroads and Canals made
any effort to prolong the discussion or
oppose the bill. Mr. Gledhfll offered the
resolution that the committee arise and
report the bill favorably to the House,
and It was almost unanimously carried,
even Mr.. Roll voting loud sonorous aye.
The Senate took up the constitutional
amendments this morning At the sug-
gestion of Mr.. Johnson of Bergen the
one affecting the judiciary was taken up
first Mr.. Daily moved that it be made
special order for next Tuesday at 10: 80
o'clock. Mr. Voorhees, objected, but Mr.
DAILY persisted and succeeded In having
his motion adopted.
Mr.. Voorhees, moved that the anti
gambling amendment be taken up next
Mr.. Johnson moved that his judiciary
amendment be considered instead and
Mr.. Daily asked that it go over to keep
Mr.. voorhees, amendment company. This
time he was not successful Senator
Voorhees, spoke of the unfairness of con-
sidering Mr., J0hnson's amendment today
while his. which was No. /, and affected
the same interests, went over. There was
some further talk in this line by Messrs.
Parry and Skirm and then on motion of
Mr.. Skirm the amendment also went over
Finally all the amendments were laid
over until next Wednesday in spite of
Senator Voorhees, appeals to consider
them now.