The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-03-29
1850
NEARING The End
Important Legislation to
Be Considered at Tren-
ton This Week.
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS
Much Doubt of Their Passage
Ninety or More Communi-
ties Interested in the
Borough Bill.

spsetal 10 be ys,sep ostp Ns.ps.

Special TO the Jerscu Citp Wears
TRENTON. March 20. 1s97.-There is
little doubt about fnal adjournment of
the Legislature Wednesday afternoon.
The calendar is pretty well cleared of the
smaller bills. The Senate has still 10
pass the Gledhill bicycle baggage BILL It
was settled in Senate conference Thurs
day evening that owing to the pressure
that had been brought to bear upon the
legislators of both branches by the wheel
men in their organized effort to secure
the passage of this bill, the bill had bet
ter be passed.
The constitutional amendments are
pending in the House. The prospects are
thai they will not be passed, because OF
the difference of opinion and the indis-
position of the House to solve the prob
lem that has so long divided the lawyers
of the State.
The borough bill is perhaps the most
important of all the bills pending, be-
cause it concerns ninety or more small
communities throughout the State.
The marriage license bill Is in the
Senate n has been amended so as to
take in the better features of the Ohio
law, and in this respect there is a com
promise with the Methodist brethren who
SO persistently fought the original Lloyd
marriage bill.
just what will be the fate of the In
sane asylum bills is not known. It is
quite likely that the whole batch of
them will fall together, leaving the
insane asylums and the treatment of
the insane very much as they are now,
Notwithstanding the very startling adj
missions of the Board of Hospital Mana
gers. The bill dividing the State into
asylum districts is to come up on Tues
day in the Senate, and will bring out
probably the longest and bitterest debate
of the session. Whether it can pass
the House by Wednesday afternoon is
the question. The other bills which are
to remedy the defects and meet the
recommendation of the Governors mes
sage have not started on their way, and
four of them are pending in the Senate.
The concurrent resolution introduced
in the House by Assemblyman Wildes
requiring action by the law officers of
the State to compel Henry C. Kelsey to
pay sums of money to the State has not
been a continuous sensation.
= AT LII lA1
duced it looked as if there was going to
be trouble for the retiring Secretary of
State, but the sensation died out an hour
after the resolution was introduced. 1t
would have heen forgotten by this time
had not Mr.. Wildes on Thursday served
notice on the special committee to which
it had been referred that he would move
to nave the committee relieved. Leader
Derousse, chairman of the committee,
stated that the committee was consider
ing the matter whenever the other du-
ties of the members in the House al
lowed them to come together.
This committee has been furnished with
all the necessary books, papers and
vouchers by Secretary of State Kelsey.
These they are now examining, but just
when the committee will report is moi
known. In connection with this matter
the question has arisen whether It would
not be discourteous to the special COM
mittee of the Senate known as the Voor-
hees Investigation Committee to take
action. The affairs of the Secretary OF
States Office were considered by the
voorhees, committee two years ago and
It found the law controlling the care OF
the affairs of the Secretary of States
office full of big holes and susceptible to
several interpretations. It was the opin
ion of the best lawyers who were inter
SoLCo ~ LIN L4kAlS tA1at tlC ONiSra4 u
State could not be found guilty of any
illegal act if the matter was reviewed by
the courts.
Committee is still in existence, having
been given, power for continuation Of its
WORTHY work BY the Present Senate; t Is
the act of creating a special committee
to take action, based upon the discoveries
spectful.s By taking such action. they
would declare that the Senate commit
tee has not done its whole duty. This
special Committee assigned to the stat STATE
Comptroller and the Attorney General
and they conferred on the matter a
it was likely to involve the State in q
suit that would be both disastrous and
expensive. There is much speculation
Mr.. Wildes to AXE this action he did
1t came late in the session, after he
was greatly chagrined by the defeat Of
his bill to reduce the salaries of all ii
State officials. 1t Is generally believed
that the action did not originate with Mr.
WIldes., but he stands sponsor for it be
cause it is in the line of the severe re
form which he advocates.
He has ambition to be the next Sena
tor from Burlington. He is one Of til,
ablest men ON the floor of the House. H,
Is popular among the members, and hat
he entered the S~peakeTshfp fight early n,
would have been the presiding officer O
the House. During the three years tina
he has been in the House me has aIway,
been active on the floor.
h bill to erect a home for old sailor
and soldiers and their wives has beel
withdrawn from the file by Department
Commander Ernest G. Stahl, and a Join
resolution has been introduced providiny
for the creation Of another commission
reason for the withdrawal Of the hdi
was because there was no chance of pass
Ing it, and even If 1T had passed the.
Nould not receive an appropriation +