The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1898-03-18
BIG appropriations.
Legislature Pushing Business for
Adjournment Next Week.

No Action Yet Taken ON Asylum Appro-
priation-Rahway Reformatory Commiss-
lou PIans-Road Commissioner Budd
"Called Down. : vreeland VS.. Daily
Legislative News.
Special Correspondence of the CHRONICLE
TRENTON, N. j., March 17.-Although
there is joint resolution pending in the
Legislature, naming Thursday next as
the date for final adjournment, it is yet
an open question as to whether the law
makers will be ready to go home by that
time. Business is being rushed through
with great activity. but there are the
codi6cation of the several kinds of laws
yet to be considered. These matters are
of too great Importance to be slightly
considered, but only few days remain,
it the legislators are serious about getting
through by the Gath. There are those
who predict that the 31st would be closer
to the date of adjournment sine die.
The Joint Committee on appropria-
lions gave hearing on Monday to the
representatives of State institutions and
others, who asked for large sums of
money. which they said were needed to,
carry on the work which had begun.
No one was present in the interests of the
Morris Plains Insane Hospital, but a
communication was received from the
officials of that institution asking for
$250,00O to complete the building now
partly erected. The communication was
filed. 1t is thought that no action will
be taken on this item until early next
week. Representatives from the Rah-
way Reformatory Commission were
present at the hearing and requested
that $58O,OOO be appropriated for the
completion of wing and outbuildings
OF the Reformatory. The administra-
ton building has been erected but is not
available without wing. When the
project of Reformatory was first
brought up four years ago, the Governor
and the Legislature were assured that it
would not cost over $500, 900 to carry out
the plans proposed. The plans have
been since elaborated, however, and now
1926, 900 or nothing is demanded, as that
sum is required before anything material
was accomplished. The Naval Reserve
too want over S25, 1000.
Acting Governor Voorhees, on Monday
affixed his signature to Mr.. PooIe's bill
No. 80, authorizing Chatham to apply
surplus money from the proceeds of water
bonds to the purchase of fire suppressing
apparatus. Chatham may now establish
fire department without delay.
The Dependent Children's bill will
likely create a little excitement before
anything definite is done with it. Assem-
blyman Yard of Mercer, succeeded in
having his bill passed in the House on
Tuesday. 1t provides for the care of de-
pendent children in Orphans Homes and
other such regularly incorporated insti-
buttons, and is understood to be a substi-
tute for the bill suggested by Mrs. E. E.
Williamson and others. The latter pro-
vided for the creation of State Board of
Management and also for branches in the
various counties. While the Yard bill
does not placate all the parties interest
ed, yet it has the approval of those OPP
posed to the original scheme as set forth
in the bill introduced by Senator Vree-
land. That gentleman, as chairman of
the Committee on Revision of Laws, on
Wednesday reported substitute for the
original bill. The substitute has been
carefully pruned by Mrs. Williamson
and her co-workers, SO as to strike out
any Objectionable feature. This action
evidently is direct intimation that the
Yard bill does not suit them. The latter
is now before the Senate, as is also the
committee substitute for the Vreeland
bill. One of these will have to be with
drawn, as it is not possible to pass two
bills on the same subject. The outcome
will be watched with interest.
Road Commissioner Henry I. Budd
got himself into peck of trouble this
week by his active lobbying. He is in
terested in bill increasing the State
road appropriation from 100000 to
100000. Senator w. M. johnson
thought this was too great an increase
and opposed the bill in committee, with
the result that it was not reported. Mr..
Budd became afraid that the bill would
be lost in the confusion of the last days
and adopted peculiar methods to relieve
the committee of its consideration. He
issued an official circular from his Office
stating that the bill was being s'held up
by Mr.. johnson and urging the friends
of the good roads movement to write to
that gentleman in their most effective
language. One of these letters fell into
the hands of the Senator from Bergen,
and Wednesday morning, on the floor of
the Senate, he administered a reprimand
to the over Jealous official. Senator
DAILY moved to have the matter referred
to the judiciary Committee so that
denunciatory resolution might be pre-
pared. Before the committee had a
chance to meet, Mr.. Budd offered most
sincere apologies to Mr.. johnson. which
were accepted, and the incident was