Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1897-03-18
OUR TRENTON LETTER
Members Working For Adj
journment Next Week.
NO SHOW FOR RACE TRACKS.
The Republicans Again Put Themselves
L on Record as UnAlterabIy Opposed to
Racing-Pouud Fisheries win-Local
Elections In the Fall.

The Republicans Again Put Themselves
L ON Record as UnalterabIy Opposed to
Racing-Pound Fisheries Win-Local
Elections In the Fall.
Especial Correspondence
TRENTON, March 1.-THE legislators
are bending their energies to bring about
final adjournment next week. Both houses
have dispatched a large volume of business
this week, and unless a snag is struck over
some vexatious measure such as the gen.
eral borough bill, the calendars will be
cleared in time to carry out the present
programme. A resolution fixing on Thurs
day of next week for final adjournment
has been laid over till Monday night in the
house.
To show what the legislature can do to-
ward expediting business when in the hui
NOR to do so. one need only refer to the
speedy disposition of the Ambruster race
track bill This measure was introduced
last week 1t was modelled after the race
track law in New York state, and, al
loophoe in its provisions which, 1t was
believed, would permit the practice to
again come into vogue. 1t was said, how
ever, that sentiment against the race tracks
had been considerably modified of late and
that the time was ripe for the passage of a
moderate law But when the assembly
met yesterday morning the situation of af-
fairs was found to be quite different. The
committee on revision of laws reported the
bill adversely, and the house, by an almost
unanimous vote, sustained the report, aft
er Mr.. Scovel had made a vigorous speech
denouncing the attempt to betray the Re-
publican party into seeming support of
legislation against which they had gone on
record with great emphasis.
No show For Race Tracks.
The temper of the house, as indicated by
its vote yesterday, destroys the last linger-
ing hope of the race track advocates. Never
while the Republicans are in control will
race track bill be passed, because that
party feels that it is under pledge to the
antiraeing people by whom it was lifted
into power after many years of Democratic
rule at the capital There are many, of
course, who would like to see old Mon
mouth park restored, where in days gone
by there was great racing and higher
standard of race track ethics than has since
prevailed but it is conceded that Mon
mouth must suffer for the sins of Gutten-
burg and Gloucester, whose infamy brought
shame upon the state. There is still a
vestige of hope in years to come that pub
lie opinion may change unless, indeed, the
pending constitutional amendments pre-
vail The anti race track amendment was
among those passed by the senate last
week, and if it goes through the house this
week and is approved by the people next
fall then the constitutional inhibition
will for all time be bar against poolsell-
ing in New Jersey.
1t is Just possible that the assembly may
get in snarl over the amendments and
the whole matter fall through, but this is
very unlikely The Judiciary reforms are
the chief bone of contention, for, while
the Voorhees, plan of reconstructing the
courts prevailed in the senate last week,
there is to be another attempt in the house
to get the johnson plan substituted. 1t
is likely to provoke lively debate.
The senate before adjournment this
week will probably take up and discuss
the legislative biennial sessions amend
ment, together with the referendum
scheme and the assembly redistricting
plan.
Some Pending Measures.
The Derousse bill for the abolition of all
| toll roads, which has passed the house, is
attracting some attention. 1t provides for
commissioners to appraise the value of any
road desired to be taken, and the county
is authorized to purchase, the state paying
one-third of the cost The movement to
abolish toll roads is popular, but some ap.
prehend in this bill an attempt to pay big
prices for run down roads,
Mr.. Ketcham has a new bill relative
| to state appropriations for industrial
schools providing that they must be in
cluded in the state appropriation bill and
never exceed in the aggregate SO, 600 year
Mr.. VOORHEES, has introduced q bill provid-
| ing that no private or officer in the United
States navy shall, when assigned to duty
in any battalion of the naval reserve, wear
a uniform except that which his rating in
the navy entities him to. Other new bills
follow:
Prohibiting tax deductions for indebted
ness to national or state banks unless in
CURED 60 days before the tax levy begins.
Giving the states consent to Delaware
river bridge at Burlington.
Prescribing sanitary regulations for all
kinds of bakeries
Requiring the state prison keeper to give
week notice to the police authorities in
first class cities concerning conviots to be
released.
Providing for a county board of tax adj
justers, to be composed of four members,
and to be appointed by the governor. They
will serve as board of appeal
Providing that connecting street rail
ways in first class counties shall issue
transfer tickets over all their lines when
operated by one company
The governor has nominated Albert
Clark Martin as presiding judge of Ocean
sounty and Theodore ]. R. Brown as pros
scutor of the pleas in the same county.
Pound Fisheries Win.
House Sc, Scovel S bill restricting pound
net fishing came up for final passage, when
1t was ably championed by Mr. Scovel,
who explained the features of the bill and
Insisted that the state should derive rev.
snue from the monopoly now enjoyed by
the pound men. The bill, he said. pro-
tected the fish because it required the
meshes of the nets to be three inches, thus
allowing the small fish to escape
Mr.. Brown, in opposition, said the bill
would destroy the fishing industry and
would ruin the poor fishermen who have
their money invested now in pounds The
| industry, he said, represented about $780,
600. These pounds, he commended, are not
located near inlets, and consequently do not
interfere with fishing in the bays and in
let's along the coast. Mr.. Brown also OBJ
jected to the provision of the bill forbid
ding the setting out of pounds before June
] on the ground that such restriction
would prevent the fishermen from catching
shad and bass. Mr. EbiI favored the bill
because it gave the state additional revenue
and would prevent the determination of