Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1898-03-24

Trenton, March 23.-It looks like al
!ournment for the winter on Friday
next
Interesting Measures.
The senate yesterday passed the bill
providing that hereafter the county
clerks, registers of deeds and surro-
gates in Hudson and Essex counties
shall receive a salary Of $500 each in
lieu of fees. This is the first step in the
direction Of abolishing the fee system,
under which sheriffs as well as the off,
Gals named have grown wealthy after
one term of office in many counties.
The original intention was to attack
sheriffs also this winter and to make
the new legislation applicable to all the
counties, but so much opposition was
encountered that the friends of the
measure decided that half loaf was
better than no bread and that they had
better accept the bill as it stands than
to make no Roadway at all this year.
The present act, IL it finally reaches
the statute book, will be the entering
wedge, and the reform will quickly
spread when it's good effects are OBJ
served. IN the larger counties some of
the fee officials have drawn from $15,-
900 to $40. 900 a year. Under the new act
all the fees go into the county treasury.
Among other measures of interest
passed this week by the senate were the
following:
The Passaic valley pollution bill, pro-
viding for commission to perfect the
plans outlined by a previous commits
sion and to secure an expression of
opinion from the different interests in
volved. The plan on file calls for an
expenditure of several million dollars,
and it is thought wise to have the sub
ject more thoroughly canvassed before
action is taken.
Requiring that seats be provided in
workshops, etc., where women are en-
ployed<
the assembly also passed a large
number Of bills, the more important of
which follow:
To prevent the adulteration of lin
seed or fiaxseed oil unless labeled as an
adulteration.
Making it misdemeanor for any per-
son to deliver any libelous statement to
newspaper. and also providing that
plaintiff must prove malice or that re-
traction was asked and refused.
teachers Institutes.
Authorizing the state superintendent
Of public instruction to procure archi-
tects' plans for a series Of public school
buildings to be models for schools
throughout the state.
Murphy's county boulevard commits
sioners' bill.
Providing for the appointment Of
meat inspectors in cities.
Providing for the construction of pub
lie watering places along public roads.
Making the open season for reedbirds
and marsh hens from Sept rs to Nov. L
Farmers and Rabbits.
The matter of allowing farmers to
trap rabbits on their own lands is a
bone of contention, especially in the
senate. When the farmers side of the
case is presented by Senator Foster or
some other representative of an agri-
cultural section, 1t seems as If the farm
ers should enjoy the right, but when
somebody else presents the sportsmen's
views the situation is not so clear. The
sportsmen hold that rabbits are now
VIGOROUSLY scarce in most parts Of the
state, and IL farmers are allowed to set
traps for them none will be left and
cunning will become a lost art. To this
the farmer retorts, Then let the gtate
compensate us for injury done to our
fruit trees and crops" With this in
view bill was introduced, and it pass
ed the senate, whereupon Senator En-
gle had the clause allowing trapping
stricken from his game bill. But sub
sequently, in the house, the compensa-
ton bill was defeated, so that the farm
ers were left out at both ends. But
Senator Martin, in the senate, then had
the Engle bill reconsidered and rein
serted the section allowing farmers to-
trap. He was supported by Senator
Reed and others.
Game matters occupied q good deal
of the senate's attention yesterday.
When the Engie bill was disposed Of,
another bill bobbed up, which has for
its purpose to permit fine OF 500 to-
be recovered from gunners who tres
pass on land without permission of the
owner or caretaker. Senators Stokes
and Hoffman contended for a proviso
exempting wooded land, so that the bill
might not apply to the big forests of
south Jersey, but this was defeated
After further discussion Senator Reed
accepted an amendment exempting
'unoccupied land.
sherifs' Sales.
A bill of considerable interest to New
Jersey newspaper publishers is the one
introduced by Senator Hand Of Cape
May providing for the publication of
advertisements of sheriffs' sales outside
of the county seat. Senator Reed was
the principal champion OF the bill. and
he produced figures to show that in va
rious county seats there are only one or
two papers published, while from a doz-
en- to a score may be published in other
parts of the county. He argued that
this was unfair discrimination, and be-
sides it did not give that circulation toll
a notice which would be secured If the
advertisement appeared elsewhere as well
as In the county seat. He further made
the point that it was not to the interest
of the owners of properly located at some
distance from the county seat to have III
sdvartisad in that town. purcbasersi