, 1899-03-31
LOOKING BACKWARD.
What the Legislature Did and
Did Not Do.
WERE FEW PARTISAN MEASURES

Five Hundred and Forty-nine Bills
Were Introduced, and Two Hun
dred and T~hfrsy-one Became Laws.
some of the Important New Laws.
Especial Cerrsspondence.l
Trenton. March 2S.-The legislatures
work Is now before the public, and the
public nave been busy discussing it
hncs Anal adjournment on Friday night
last. There is comparatively little even
for a Democrat to find fault with in the
actual accomplishments OF the session,
the Republicans having taken pains to
pursue a conservative course. but the
failure to enact certain laws, especially
OF an anticorporation character. Is made
the occasion for censure in some quar-
tiers. As an evidence OF the nonpRrtisan
nature of the legislation 1t may be re-
marked that the lawmakers persistent
ly refused to lend their assistance to
the efforts made to give Republicans
control Of various lucrative Offices in
Jersey City and Newark and also sat
down on the projected measure to GUST
OLA IA 0thioSLatiS AcPAhS hSSRSAS q
the state prison and to turn the institu-
ton over to Republican control. The
backs OF the lawmakers were doubtless
stiffened considerably by Governor
voorhees, firm attitude on the subject
OF partisan legislation. The only par
tisan bills that passed were two ena-
bling the Republicans to strengthen
themselves by ward line changes at
New Brunswick and Trenton. 1t was
noticeable that politics played but a
small part In the work of the session.
On some of the most important bills
presented during the winter Democrats
n Republicans worked side by side
for and against final passage.
Corporation Matters.
The Democratic members, it is true.
made 1t disasreeable at times for the
Republicans by urging all kinds of anti
corporation legislation. Bills for equal
taxation of corporations and of individ-
uals, bills aimed at the formation of
trusts, bills intended for the purpose of
preventing further sales outright of
riparian lands. were introduced by the
Hudson county Democrats, and when
the Republican committees were not
disposed to report the Democrats made
LllC "Cthit III TN CIV
quence. In the closing days of the ses-
sion an antitrust bill was sent in by the
attorney general at the request OF the
house OF assembly. but it was too i'm
portanta measure to be hurried through.
The sensation of the closing days was
the passage of a bill favorable to the
amaleamation of the lighting compa-
MES of the state and under which. as
alIaual aanhiuofiou of variaI1S SORTS
may be formed in restraint of trade.
1rhe bill came from Senator Johnson Of
Camden county and was understood to
be In the interest of some small compa-
ny down in that section of the state.
Following is it's text:
/. Any corporation of this state, except
railroad and canal corporations. may
hereafter, with the assent OF two-thlrdS
IN interest OF its stockholders. either in
person or by proxy. lease Its property and
franchises to any corporation. and every
corp OF this state is hereby Au-
thorixed to take the lease or any assign
ment thereof for such terms and upon
such conditions as may be agreed upon,
and thax any such lease or assignment. or
both, heretofore made are hereby validate
ed; provided. however. that nothing here
In contained shall be construed to author
lie any corporation which is now spe-
tlIltAllN ~ u 49, -
tiicate of incorporation from leasing its
property or franchise to do so, nor to au-
thorize the leasing by any corporation
without the consent of the Legislature
when such consent is now specifically re-
quired by any law of this state.
Powers Of Committees
| A rather interesting feature of the
session was the insistence by President
Reed of the senate that there is no
power TO compel the chairman of a COM
mittee tor report a bill. The committee
on revision 6 laws, OF which Senator
Pitney was chairman, refused to report
Senator McDesmott's bills to prevent
the sale OF riparian lands and to give
the right of condemnation of lands to
Contractor Flynn of New York. who
has undertaken to supply Jersey City
with water. Senator McDermott made
a hard fight for his bills. and WHEN he
failed to influence Chairman Pitney he
moved to have the committee d~ischarg-
ed from further consideration of the
measures. 1t was here that President
Reed made his ruling. holding that such
a motion was never in order. and when
Senate McDermott challenged the pro-
duction of a precedent he was reminded
that Senator Adrain of Middlesex, when
president of the senate. made a similar
ruling. President Reed remarked that
this being a Democratic precedent. 1t
| ought to satisfy Senator McDermott.
President Adrain used to say that 1t
was the only logical disposition of the
matter. as the rules of the senate pro-
( vide that bills shall be committed to a
/ committee. but say nothing of taking
! them from the committee. President
Reed held also that 1t has been the or
binary practice in the senate to let
committees hold bills.
In the assembly there is a rule pro-
yiding that a committee may be dis
charged from further consideration Of
a Measure II 1t falls to report. The ma
FORTY sustained President Reed in his
ruling. but there was some feeling that
the rule is hardly a UNSUITABLE one and
| that the president would have made an