Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1897-02-04
TARDY LEGISLATORS.
The Lawmakers at Trenton Be-
hind In Their Work.
THE BICYCLE BAGGAGE BILL.

THE BICYCLE BAGGAGE BILL.
One of the Few Measures which Are Wig.
orousIy Pushed-The General borough
Act - No Gubernatorial Appointments
Yet Made-BiiIs introduced.
Especial Correspondence
TRENTON, Feb. 3.-Unless matters mend
very soon, the present legislature will be
apt to go into history as the do nothing
legislature " Four weeks of the session
have now passed, and there is next tic
nothing to show in the way Of results A
couple of hundred bills have been intro
duced, but not single one has yet become
law. 1t seems to be difficult to get the
committees in either the senate or the as
sembly to take hold seriously of the meas
ures that are pending, and till the commit
tees supply the material the calendars
must remain empty. 1t is not unusual tc
find this condition of affairs early in each
winters session, but it is unusual to have
the period of inactivity linger so long.
Both President Williams of the senate and
Speaker Macpherson of the house urged
the members this week to get down tc
business, but again adjournment took
place Tuesday afternoon. The secret Of
the situation doubtless Is that there is lit.
tie real pressure for new legislation.
About the only bill that is being vigor-
ously pushed so far is the bicycle baggage
bill, and the wheelmen were here in force
this week to be heard before the committee.
1t is likely that they will get an act passed,
but it may be amended in certain respects
at the request Of the railroads Aside from
this bill, there has been no public NANTES
tation Of interest about the legislative
halls SO far, at all events. This does not
mean that there are no measures of impor-
tance pending, for there are several, in
Guiding the constitutional amendments.
But no special interests are urging them,
and therefore the wheels of legislation
move slowly. Next week ought to develop
more interesting results
The General Borough Act.
A bill embodying the results of numer-
atives throughout. the state was intro
duced in the senate Monday night by Sen
ator Ross. For some years past legislation
affecting boroughs has been in a rather
chaotic condition, and number of these
little places have had their legal standing
shattered through supreme court decisions.
That the new bill will cure all existing de-
fects is very much questioned, however,
and it is likely that it will be cut to pieces
before it gets through the legislature. The
assembly has bill of its own in prepare
ton, too, which may secure first consider
alton. Two of the features of the Ross bill
which are likely to evoke opposition are
those giving the power over liquor licenses
to the borough common council and allow
ing freeholder for every borough. Many
of the boroughs prefer that the licensing
power should be lodged in the courts, and
the freeholder arrangement would be OBJ
jectionable because the large number OF
boroughs in some counties -as, for in
stance, Bergen-would give ridiculously
large board of freeholders.
eve were conscious of these defects in
drafting the bill, . remarked one of the
borough representatives to your CORE
spondent, but twas aquestion of suiting
one class of boroughs or another And
that suggests the difficulty about the whole
arrangement There are too many Dor
oughs with varying interests and varying
populations to expect that they can all be
covered by one blanket. What we need is
classification of boroughs and law for
each class, the same as for cities"
The Ross bill provides for the annual
election on the second Tuesday in March,
when a mayor, six councilmen, freehold
er, borough treasurer, three commission
ers of appeal, ETC., shall be elected; also
two additional councilmen for each ward
where a borough contains over three wards.
Provision is also made for certain appoint
i've officers. The mayor and councilmen
hold office for two years, the freebooter,
assessor, constables and commissioners of
assessment for three years, and most of
the other officials for one year. The may
oT's salary must not exceed $500, and the
councilmen are unpaid. The treasurer and
collector are to be paid a percentage on the
business they do. Every borough is to con-
stitute separate school district and shall
be separate government for all purposes
Bonds may be issued, under certain re-
strictions, up to 90 per cent of the rata
bles The licensing power, as stated, is
to lodge in the comomn council.
A Blue Oficial Envelope.
A few bills were passed in either house
this week, but about the only one of any
interest is one providing that hereafter
the official envelope used at elections shall
on Senator Reeds explanation that, if of
different color from the ballots, the en-
velope would be less likely to be mislaid
and lost by the voter.
A hearing is announced by the Judiciary
committee of the assembly next Saturday
afternoon on house bill Al, providing for
general reduction in official salaries. Mr.
Wildes yesterday presented petition in
favor of the bill.
The senate committee on railroads and
canals gave hearing Monday on Senator
Days two bills providing for the carry
ing of packages and bundles on trains and
providing for reduction Of ferriage rates
James Allen, attorney for the Erie rail
road, argued against both measures. He
said the former was unnecessary If the de-
sign was simply to allow passengers to
carry ordinary packages such as would in
convenience nobody else as this was al
ready permitted, but if it was intended to
allow individuals to operate a carrier bust
ness it would cause violation of the rail
roads contracts with the regular express
companies. AS to the latter bill, he said
the ferriage was as low now as the compa-
MES could make it, and, anyhow, no leg
islature had the right to fix the fare be-
tween two states A further hearing will
be granted later to the friends Of the bills.
One of the most important bills of the
session is that introduced Monday night
by Senator johnson of Bergen providing
for the establishment of state railroad
commission, with extensive powers. The
commission is to consist of three members
appointed by the governor (only two of one
political party, and they shall receive
salary of SO, 500 each. Their clerk shall re.
ceive 81, 800 year. They are given full
control over the railroad business of the
state, with power to investigate all matters
and to send for persons and papers. They
may compel changes of grade, the abolition
of grade CROSSINGS and varioIIs kinds nj