The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-05-25
VOORHEES,
AMENDMENTS.
The House in Caucus Re-
solves to Take Them up
and Pass Them.
QUEER WORK OF THE LOBBY.
Suspicious Of a Railway Scheme
in the Background = Per-
haps Biennial Sessions.
Senate Bows Its Neck to Silver
and slaps Governor Griggs
in the Face.

Especial to 1.-THE Jersey City News.'l
TRENTON, May 25 1S97.-The action Of
the Senate last night in resolving to do
nothing but pass the bill correcting the
error in the act providing for the special
election to consider the constitutional
amendments, took all the ginger out of
most of the Assemblymen and the con-
ference or whatever you choose to call
1t, did not come off this morning The
demeanor of the majority was one of in
difference, and they lounged about the
Assembly Chamber swapping stories and
jokes and waiting patiently for the hour
of noon to arrive so that they could get
the thing over and go home.
This was by no means the attitude of
all the AssembIymen. Some of them,
particularly Martin Roll, who ran about
in new brown suit, whispering to and
button-holing Assemblymen and Sena-
tors. 1t soon became known that not
withstanding that Senator voorhees, vot-
ed for the Senate resolution last night to
consider nothing but the correction of
the error, an effort was to be made in the
House to pass Mr.. Voorhees, judiciary
amendments, whether the Senator from
Union was willing or not. A very sus-
picious element of this activity was the
fact that associated with Mr.. Roll were
those Assemblymen who are always
found upon the side of the railroads
when the time comes. The gentlemen
who are employed by the roads to per
suade'' members of the Legislature to
vote for corporation measures were also
hard at work in their usual quiet, un-
ostentatious manner, and it was noticed
that they were often engaged in earnest
conversation with Mr.. Roll and his asso-
ciates.
Mr. Roll talked about the voorhees, ju-
dietary amendment and declared that they
ought TO be passed by the House, the
Senate, to the contrary Notwithstanding
All this gave rise rumor that the cor
rorations would make some efforts to
pass the biennial session amendments un-
der cover of the Voorhees, judiciary
amendments Mr.. voorhees, also hustled
about and worked among the members as
hard as Mr. Roll. He opposed all ef-
forts to take up either set of amend
mepts and advocated strict adherence to
the plan adopted by the Senate. Contrary
to what had been said Mr.. Voorhees, has
not lessened his opposition to the bien-
nial session, and at the conference last
night he plainly told his colleagues that
If it was decided to take up the biennial
sessions amendments he would bolt the
conference. He had not receded from
that position this morning.
1t was ten minutes after twelve o'clock
this morning that Speaker Mcpherson
called the House to order. The roll call
Showed that all the members were pres
ent except three. Among them was Mr..
Evans of Hudson. The Secretary then
read this proclamation of the Governor
calling for the special session.
State of New Jersey,
Executive Department.
Trenton, May 25, 1897.
Gentlemen of the Senate and General
Assembly Among the bills passed at the
last session and submitted to me after
She adjournment of the Legislature for
approval was one providing for special
election at which the proposed amend
ments to the constitution, agreed to by
the Legislature in two consecutive years,
should be submitted to vote of the
people in accordance with the require
ments of the constitution in such case. ]
discovered from an examination of this
bill that an error had occurred in reciting
one of the proposed amendmentS-the
word provided having. been used for
prohibited in the amendment commonly
known as the "anti-g gambling amend
ment." The bill directed the Secretary of
State to prepare ballots with the pro-
posed amendments, in this erroneous
H.
The right of this officer to disregard the
plain mandate of the bill and print the
amendment in its correct language was
SO doubtful and it was deemed by me So
important that no cloud of legal doubt
should rest over such serious act OF
popular legislation, that withheld my
in special session in order that proper
act may be passed to provide for submit
ting the amendment so agreed to to the
vote of the people.
recommend, therefore, that such a bill
be passed.
am not aware of any other matter OF
public Importance requiring action on
your part to which need call your at
tentiOn-
Respectfully,
Governor.
The routine resolutions were adopted
and then came the sensation, Mr.
Demarest introduced the voorhees, judici
ary amendments. The clerk then started
4 to read them He was about half way
through them when Mr.. Derousse wht
had been absent from the chamber, as
tne of the committee to notify the
Governor that the House was ready fol
business, arose to a point of order. HI
said that business was out of order unit
the committee to the Governor had re
turned. He was declared out of order
Mr.. GiedhilI made the same point ant
was sustained.
Then ON motion of Mr.. Derousse thu
House took a recess of twenty minute:
and the Republicans went into caucus
The Senate organized promptly on time
and the bill correcting the error in th'
constitutional amendments bill was intro
duced and 1t was ordered engrossed. The
nominations for Managers of the Board
of Managers of the Insane Asylums were
received.
Governor Griggs sent to the Senate thu
names of the new members of the sepa'
rate Boards of Managers OF the Trenton
and Morris Plains Asylum. During ths
recent session bill was passed dividing
the State into two Asylum Districts and
providing that the single Board then II
existence should continue as members Of
ne new Boards. The new members q