Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1899-03-23
LIVELY At THE CLOSE.
Stirring Scenes During Last
Legislative Days.
CROWDS OF yIsITORs on HAND.
Formidable Delegations swoopDown
Upon the Poor Lawmakers - Five
Per Cent Interest Bill Defeated
After Spirited Contest - Soldiers
WIN Not Get a "CIothing Allow
tsnecial correspondence.l

Especial Correspondence
Trenton. March 22.-The house OF as
ssmhlv Yesterday adopted concurrent
resolution for adjournment of the legis-
lature sine die on Friday of this week.
The senate referred the resolution 10
the judiciary committee, which VIII
hold it till important pending legisla-
tion is disposed of, when the date VIII
be coneurred in or later one nXeo- -
"a generally understood that final ad-
tournment will take place some uine
this week. but whether on FRIDAY OF
Saturday has not yet been determined.
There is the usual evidence OF ap-
preaching dissolution. Crowds OF visit
ors are here, each interested III some
measure, and the pressure exerteo up
on the members of both houses 10 hurry
bills through is difficult to resist FER
haps the most formidable Delegation
+his week consisted of schoolteachers
who want the teachers retirement funo
hill passed. They crowded the corridors
Monday evening and buttonholed the
members in the most approved rasnloh.
Subsequently they occupied positions IN
the senate gallery, and when Senator
McDermott presented petition OF I'M
mense size in favor of the Dill the
schoolmarms applauded vigorously. But
the teachers are not a unit in the mat
ter. Quite few through the state have
been heard from who do not wish the
enactment of a law that will compel
them to Join the association.
Another conspicuous delegation con-
sisted of some 40 citizens of the town OF
Stockton, Camden county, who oppose
the bill to annex that town to the city
of Camden. The delegates all wore
badges and had hearing in the senate
chamber yesterday. Senator Johnson OF
Camden county is rather puzzled to
know what to do with the bill, as his
constituents are divided in sentiment.
No Five Per Cent Interest.
The advocates of reduction of the
legal rate of interest in this state from
6 to : per cent came near carrying the
day. Two bills had been presented with
the same purpose. one in the senate and
one in the house. The latter passed the
assembly without opposition, but pref
ty much everybody thought that was
only sop thrown to the agricultural
sections and that no more would be
heard of the matter, but last week.
when President Reed of the senate sue
ceeded in getting the bill reported from
the committee on revision of laws and
Senator Martin of Sussex called 1t up
for action. there were unexpected de-
velopments. Senator Stokes offered an
amendment making the rate per cent,
with a view to killing off the measure
at once but this was defeated after a
sharp debate, and the bill went to third
reading. The banking interests of the
state at once became alarmed and be-
gan to deluge the senators with petit
lions and letters against the enactment
of a 5 per cent rate. They represented
that it would drive many small banks
out of existence and that 1t would not
help the borrower, as capital would take
flight to New York and Pennsylvania,
where a s per cent rate prevails SEN
ator Ketcham alone received so tele-
grams Yesterday against the passage of
the bill, so when it came up on final
passage yesterday afternoon he moved
to recommit in order to give the inter
ested parties a hearing. Senator Mar
tin made a spirited defense of the bill
and assailed the money kings for wait
ing till the closing hours of the session
to ask a hearing. The purpose was
transparent It was meant simply to
smother the bill in committee. Presi-
dent Reed also took the floor to urge
that the demands of the farmers and
small borrowers be acceded to and that
the banks be compelled to bear fairer
share of the burdens of taxation. Sem
ator Pitney, Senator McDermott and
Senator W. NJ Johnson opposed the
measure as inimical to the best inter-
ests of the state Senator McDermott
insisted that the small borrower would
be injured instead of benefited by such
a reduction in the rate. He said the
poor man would have a better chance
If the rate were not regulated by any
law and money was offered in the pub
lie market subject to supply and de-
mand He did not believe in defeating
the measure by indirection and moved
to Indefinitely postpone. This was lost
- to TO- The motion to recommit was
also lost-10 to 10-and it began to look
as if there was a chance for final pas
sage The bill on the final vote was de-
feated however-8 to II. Those in the
affirmative were Messrs. Barber. Braun,
Foster, Martin, Miller. Reed, Stanger
and Van Cleef Mr. Francis was alb
sent. All the other senator's voted in
the negative
The Appropriations.
The hardest working committee Just
now is the committee on appropriations.
Many sessions have been held, and no
end of difficulty has been encountered
in trying to keep the states expenses
within reasonable limits. One of the
problems is the Railway reformatory,
which it viii take s230OOO to get into
operation, according to the opinion of
the expert architect employed The
committee decided last night to allow
the amount stated so as to finish up
two wings. This work will doubtless
occupy the present year, and a further
appropriation may be sought next win
ter. The committee viii allow the Nor
ris Plains hospital a special appropria-
ton of s14s,5O0. The public roads will
get $15O,000. The regular appropriation
for state hospitals has been increased
from 1858, $50 to 1868, $50, an addition of
$500. For county lunatic asylums addi-
tional appropriations aggregating &c.,
400 are allowed to be appropriated as
follows: Essex county asylum, $1,000;
Hudson county, $1,000; Cumberland
county, $500; Atlantic county, $500. A
decrease of 5000 is made for Gloucester
county asylum. An increase of 81. 500 is
allowed for printing and circulating the
laws. The appropriation last year was
$500. The appropriation for the sup
port of the blind has been reduced
1880, making the amount $13, 900 The
national guard is allowed a net increase
If $1,000 over last year, total for next
year of $141,250. The battalion of the
east, naval reserves, is to have an in
crease of $500. This will give the APP
portionment of the battalion of the
east $500, while the battalion of the
west only gets $1,000,
The epileptic village commission is to
be allowed $4,000. The Newark armory
is to have 100000 provided the bill be-
fore the senate is passed, and the Sol
diers' home at Vineland $21 900.
Soldiers Compensation.
The senate made short work Of the
assemblys philanthropic scheme to give
each New Jersey volunteer in the Span
ism war $40 for clothing. This had been
tackled on to the senate bill allowing "a
month to single men and Sc a month
to married men during the term of their
engagement. When the assembly
amendment came up, Senator W. NJ.