Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1897-03-11
LEGISLATORS AT WORK
Session at Trenton Speedily
Drawing to a Close.
wILDEs AND HIS SALARY BILL.
Despite an Adverse Report He Succeeded
In Getting 1t ON to the Calendar-Lloyd's
Marriage License Measure = Railroad
Commission Proposition.
Especial Correspondence

49,
early dissolution of the legislature. United
States Senator Sewell, who made hurried
trip to Trenton on Monday, is reported to
have advised final adjournment next week,
and his counsel goes long way in such
matters. Still, it is very doubtful If the
calendars can be disposed of in SO short an
interval, and, while rush will be the order
from this time forth, it is probable that
the members will have to come back TO
Trenton for at least day or two during
the week beginning March %.
Yesterday the senate held only one ses-
sion, and the assembly did not meet at all,
owing to the township elections through
out the state. Most of the members had
fences that need repairing at their
homes Today they returned to Trenton
and settled down to legislative business
again.
WiIdes' Salary Bill.
Mr.. Wildes scored quite victory in the
house Monday night in getting his salary
reduction bill on the calendar. This is
the measure which provides for the reduc-
ton of the salary of every state official
one-half provided no salary shall be re-
duced below So, 5OO and exempting the
present governor supreme court justices
and chancellor, but not their successors.
1t was reported adversely by majority of
the committee on Judiciary, but Mr.. Bar
ton of the committee put in minority re-
port favorable to the bill, and these two
reports gave rise to a lively discussion.
Mr. Wildes himself led in an attack on the
majority report, saying it was prepared
by the four lawyer members of the COM
mittee, who represented their own profess
sion, and that was all. They did not
speak for the great masses of the people,
who viewed with disfavor the extravaganza
in our salary list The bill was too i'm
portant to be thus hastily disposed of. 1t
deserved the decency of place on the cal
endar, where it's merits could be fully and
fairly discussed by the whole house.
Mr. Lloyd, chairman of the committee,
advocated the majority report on the
ground that the proposed reduction of sal
aries is unconstitutional and that compe-
tent officials cannot be secured for less
money than is now paid. He held that
the house ought to accept the Judgment of
its committee, which had given the bill a
full consideration.
Mr.. Reed of Monmouth, Mr. Watkins of
Gloucester and Mr.. Scovel of Camden
were among the others who spoke for the
minority report, which was finally adopt
ed, thus placing the bill on the calendar.
The vote was 81 to IA.
The fight on the bill will be renewed
when it comes up on final passage. 1t is
thought that it may pass the house, but if
it does the senate will defeat it either d.
rectly or through inaction.
Marriage License Bill.
Lloyd's marriage license law was passed
by the house Monday night, after good
deal of eloquence had been expended in its
favor by Mr.. Lloyd, Mr.. Derousse and Mr..
Scoyel Mr.. Wildes was the only one in
opposition. As an argument for the bill
Mr.. Lloyd set forth that New Jersey had
become regular Gretna Green for the
runaway couples of neighboring states who
could not get married at home without the
formality of license Out of 4, 900 mar
riages in Camden last year 1t was calou-
lated that there were fully 1000 which
properly belonged in Pennsylvania. This
bill was to prevent illicit marriages and
was opposed by nobody but few minis
ters who were benefciaries of the present
loose system. Mr.. Wildes' opposition was
on the ground that marriage ought to be
encouraged and not discouraged He was
the only negative voter on the bill The
new act, if it passes the senate also, will
require that license be obtained for every
marriage from the city clerk or registrar
Va FAoeA@ SVooAooAOo VI OouuUy Clork, as bn6
case may be, and the person performing a
marriage ceremony must make return of
the same within 80 days, under penalty of
500 fine. The license fee is to be 81,
and minors must have the consent of their
parents or guardians
1t looks as if the police pension bill,
which went through the house last week,
may have rougher sailing in the senate
When it came up on second reading yester-
day, Senator Voorhees, had it postponed
with view to having second class cities
exempted from it's provisions. If he sue
ceeds, the purpose of the bill will be de-
stroyed. He announced that he was op-
posed to the principle involved in the meas
ure and wanted Elizabeth at all events left
out That city was already sufficiently
burdened with taxes and did not want
fresh demands upon its exchequer, such as
this bill would necessitate The bill pro-
vides that where policeman has served
20 years and is so years old he may be re-
tired on half pay.
Railroad Commissioners Fate.
The brief debate in the senate last week
on Senator Johnston's railroad commits
sion bill has directed more general atten-
ton to the measure than it previously COM
manded, and the discussion, on the whole
seems to be unfavorable to 1t. II is now
back in committee and the prospects are
against It's enactment this session. Sem
ator Daily pointed out that it would seri-
ously infringe upon the rights of munich
palities, taking from them their present
control of local railroad matters, such as
the establishment of grades, the erection
of gates and similar precautions for the
safety of life and limb. Recent develop
ments make it seem as if the railroads also
are rather inifnical than otherwise to the
commission, which was originally sup
posed to be in their interest. There can
be no question of the sweeping character
of the proposed legislation, and the expert
enoe had with the subway electrical COM
mission of a few years ago has not preju-
diced Jersey people in favor of that form
of government.
Senator Johnston, who is one of the
most accomplished and most respected
men in the senate, no doubt prepared his
bill with the best intentions in the world
and with the hope of simplifying the reia-
tions between the railroads and the public