The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-03-03
AMENDMENTS PERIL
More Delay EndangeTs the
Passage of the Constitu-
tional Changes.
RAILROAD COMMISSION BILL
Senators Whose Suspicious Are
Aroused Have the Measure
Laid Over-Senate's
Doings.
snec1oY to the Jersev Cfty Ne,cs.

something wrong with the constitutional
amendments and their fate this season
is doubtful. Whether they pass or MOI
is q question which is agitating many
a good soul who wants to see them pass,
| especially the anti-gambling one, which
means the abolition of horse racing in
this State. AT yesterday afternoons SEES
sion of the Senate Senator VOORHEES,
called up the proposed constitutional
amendments passed at the last legislative
session. and moved to first consider the
anti-gambling amendment.
Senator w. NJ. Johnson suggested that
it would be wiser to take up the judiciary
amendment first, as that would be apt to
cause all the discussion; there was prac-
teal unanimity on the anti-gamblng
| amendment.
Senator Voorhees, consented, and No !,
! the judiciary amendment, coming up,
Senator DAILY moved to amend by MAX
ing the matter a special order for next
Tuesday at 1890 A. NJ. Senator voorhees,
objected, but Senator DAILY represented
that he and other Senators desired fur
Their time to decide as between the two
pending amendments relative to reor-
ganization of the judiciary. The amend
ment prevailed by Mr.. Days vote, no.
body opposing. Mr.. Voorhees,, who had
been taken by surprise, wanted the ayes
and noes called, but was too late.
Senator Voorhees, moved then to take
up the a~nti-gambling amendment. Sen
ator Johnson moved as a substitute to
take up his own judiciary amendment
No. 6. No. / is the one which went over
till next week, being Senator VOORHEES,
judiciary amendment. Senator Daily
moved now tha No. 6 also go over. The
motion failed. 8 to u.
senator Voorhees, spoke of the unfair
ness of considering No. 6 today, while
No. i. which affected the same subject
was going over till next week. After re-
marks by Senator Parry and others, No
6, on motion of Mr.. Skirm, went over till
next Tuesday at eleven A. M.
Later. on the discovery that the town.
ship elections occur next Tuesday, Sen
ator Skirm had his previous motion re-
considered, and the amendments went
iover to Wednesday.
Mr.. 6ehnson of Bergen suffered a set
back yesterday afternoon which soreiy
tried his patience. His pet measure, the
Railroad Commission bill, was on second
reading when his namesake from Camden
county moved to postpone further con-
sideration, as certain of his constituents
wished to study the bill more closely.
Mr.. johnson opposed any further delay.
He said that he had not urged the pas
a g OF the bill, but had allowed it to re-
main in the committee a long time SC
that all could examine it and those who
wished to could be heard for or against
it. No bill, he continued, had been more
fully discussed in the press. It had been
open for amendment, and in fact had been
amended by him SO as to meet various
suggested objections. He did not think
its passage to third reading at this time
would prevent still further amendment in
the other House, If necessary.
Senator Daily moved to recommit the
bill to the Committee on Railroads and
Canals. and he expressed a desire that
the local authorities of the different
cities be notified to appear and be heard.
He declared the bill to be an invasion of
the rights of municipalities and of muni-
cipal authorities.
that the municipalities had had ample
opportunity to be heard, and the bill was
! well understood to be a fair measure~for
all.
Ubiquitous bill far more dangerous thar
the infamous subway commission act OF
a few years ago, which wrested from loca
| authorities the control of their streets.
The motion to recommit was carried, II
to g..
The opinions upon this measure arc
many and widely divergent. The general
opinion seems to be of late that 1t is g
,;I~Ao Hill and in thu fnf0rncf nf rail-
road companies as against the welfare
| of the people. Those who entertain this
belief declare that it is a most iniquitous
| measure and destroys all principles Of
| home rule, as it completely k from
the hands of the local authorities control
| of the streets of their municipalities and
| places 1T In the n of these commits
sioners.
THE railroad men and Mr.. Johnson on
the other hand declare that the bill does
not favor the railroads to the detriment OF
the people, but really works just the
other way. In proof of this they point
opposing the measure but to what extent
it is hard to see. Those who have
WATCHED MT. Johnson ,sas career eest w w n ?
railroad man, G-onscientiously a railroad
man. He comes from a rural county where
a railroad is looked upon as a blessing,
and he naturally sides with them against
such cities as Jersey City, whose sole
am. he considers, Is to prey upon the big
corporations. 1t is therefore, falr TO as
sumo that any railroad measure coming
from Mr.. Johnson is not apt to be hostile
to the companies. The Senate passed
the joint resolution authorizing the State
Treasurer. to cancel two 81, 900 bonds In
hts possession.
During the early days. of the Civil War
people In New Jersey made contributions
to help the State place volunteers in the
field. Among them were the officers Of
the Candle and Amboy Railroad Com
pany, O a part of the Pennsylvania
system, who contributed two 4 1000 bonds.
The State did not use them for that pur-
pose. and they grew IN the vaults of the
State treasury until they amounted to
quite a sum. Some years 8 this was
| used to establish a home for soldiers
orphans. This home was finally closed
and the bonds went on accommodating.
They will soon become due, and as the
State does not need the money the Joint
resolution directing the State treasury
to deliver them up for cancellation was
passed. The House ~coacurred in the
Senator francis introduced a bill to
continue In otice the o~ffic.als Of Agbury
Park WHO wal be elected next Tuesday.
Asbury Park has a bill now before the
legislature which will make that place q
City instead of a seaside borough, a
provision in the bill provides that II
shall not q into effect until four weeks
after ITS passage. As soon as it become
af1aW the preSenf officials ara Ia0fc1a+oJ