Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1897-02-18


the bills He contended that the railroad
representative, Mr.. Allen. had admitted
that there was no opposition to the carry
ing by commuters of such packages as his
bill contemplated. Tt is believed the bill
will be reported with some amendment.
The principal objection against the sena-
tors other bill-for cheap ferriage-is that
it violates interstate commerce laws, but
he argued at length to show that this state
has right over it's own waters and that
in prescribing the ferriage to be charged
from ferries on the Jersey side it did not
necessarily Invade the jurisdiction of any
sister state The committee withheld de-
cision.
The Election Bill.
The hearing before the committee on
elections on the Newark and Jersey City
election bill developed warm arguments
for and against. 1t is understood that the
bill is intended largely for the purpose of
deferring the election for mayor in Jersey
City till next fall. Advocates of the bill
say that it will save great deal of money
to the two cities named if both elections
are held on the one day-namely, the mu-
nicipal and the general election-and, fur
ther, that it will insure fuller expression
of popular sentiment since the vote is got
out better at general election than at a
local election.
DIR. J. N. Quinby of Jersey City, repre-
senting the Jersey City Good Government
club, made strong protest against the
bill as political scheme and held that the
legislature had no right to extend the
terms of those now in office. If the legis-
lature could do this for six months, why
not for six years? Alderman Benjamin
of Newark, Republican, argued against
the bill as blow aimed at purity of cleo
tions and insisted on the necessity for sep
arating national and local issues. William
Fighter, also of Newark, a Democratic al
derman, advocated referendum clause so
that the people could pass on the law be-
fore it became operative.
Congressman McEwan, in opposing the
was digging it's own grave by the enact
ment of such laws.
The chief advocates of the bill were As
semblyman Leonard, ex-Judge Hoffman
and Carl LEM. They insisted on the an
nual saving of $4,000 to Newark and Jer-
sey City as strong consideration and con-
tended that great advantage was to be
gained by getting out a full VOTE
Senator DAILY opposed the bill at length,
and then the committee arose.
The senate committee ON railroads and
canals will it is said, report the bill pro-
viding for inclosed fronts on trolley cars.
IA similar bill was the,subject of a sharp
discussion in the assembly yesterday, when
Mr.. Roll wanted it recommitted. Mr..
Scovell introducer of the bill, bitterly op-
posed the suggestion on the ground that it
was movement toward the smothering of
the measure. He declared that the bill
was humane one, and that the trolley
road employees themselves dared not make
themselves heard lest they be discharged.
The motion to recommit was defeated,
only Mr.. Roll voting in the affirmative.
The bicycle baggage bill and the mar
riage license act are still in the hands of
the committees, and much interest is
evinced regarding their final fate.
Fishermen's Complaint.
The fishermen had their innings yester-
day before the assembly committee having
in charge the bill to abolish pound fishing.
The fishermen, who come chiefly from the
neighborhood of Seabright, put up good,
stiff argument to show that fishing with
hook and line was being destroyed by the
big pound fisheries There was a differ
ence of statement as to the total number
of pounds along the Jersey coast, the
pound men claiming that there were 40,
while the fishermen asserted that the Unit
ed States census gave list of over 100.
The pounds are skillfully contrived SO as
to lead the fish into immense nets of two
inch mesh and, while the pound men say
they are only after big fish, the advocates
of the pending bill claim that tons of small
fish are taken daily, destroying more Of
the latter in "a hours, as one speaker put
1t, than man with hook and line would
destroy in "a years. A piece of net was ex-
hibited such as the pound men use, and
the committee seemed impressed with the
fact that it would take a small fish indeed
to crawl through. 1t was pointed out that,
whereas over 700 men earned livelihood
at fishing near Seabright some years ago,
constituting a fiourishing village, now
not more than $50 are engaged in the bust
ness and they have hard time to make
living. Each fisherman's capital in nets,
boats, etc, was represented at an average
of 500, all of which investment for 500 or
800 men has been destroyed. The adyo-
Gates of the bill claim also that the pound
combination employs chiefly Swedes who
go back to Europe each fall, spending no
money in this country.
The pound fishermen, ON their side, rep
resent that fish consumers are benefited by
the pounds, being enabled TO buy fish fresh
from the sea for from to cents pound.
The fishermen claim that even If fish is
thus sold little lower now, fearful price
will be paid in the long run by the de-
struction Of so many millions of unused
fish,
The speakers for the bill were W. H.
Brem, W. O. Rogers, Edmund Kline, S.
F. Elmer, Peter White Frank Wilson and
James Miller, almost all from Seabright.
Senator Francis spoke against the bill.
The committee intimated an intention to
report the measure, possibly with amend
ments.
Dllatory Tactics.
The dllatoriness of the legislature in the
final disposition of It's business is SO marked
as to leave little room for doubt that there Is
a deliberate purpose on the part of the lead
ers to delay legislation. Not in the mem
ory of the oldest habitue of the statehouse
has there been SO apparent an effort to do
nothing. Adjournment occurs from day
to day on the slightest pretext, and be-
tween sessions very little is accomplished
in the preparation of business. The con-
clusion reached by those on the outside ID
that the leaders desire to have the legisla-
ture worry along for two or three weeks
more In the same listless fashion and then
toward the middle of March make great
pretense of industry for about a fortnight
and adjourn finally in the midst of the
hurly burly. By this means it will be
easy to escape full discussion Of mum
Der of vexatious problems of legislation.