The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-03-21
DOUBLE BAR Bill.
Assembly Passed Last Night
the Duke Of Gloucester's
Relief Measure.
BENNY'S VAIN FIGHT
His Railway Employees Bill
Strangled in Committee in
Spite of His Eloquence.
ESPECIAL to "rhe Jersey city News."l

1ESNt1A
| TRENTON. March q, 1S99.-Some how
or other the rumor got abroad in Trenton
yesterday that something of an unusual
character would take place in the Legis-
lature last night, with the result that
whe the session opened the lobbies and
| galleries of both chambers were crowded
to OVERLOOKING. The greater part OF the
ladies' gallery of the Hous was occupied
by the lady pupils of the State Normal
and Model Schools under the chaperonage
of a gray haired professor who looked
as though he wished he was somewhere
else. The pupils took up so much room
that many OF the lady visitors were
obliged to seek seats in the mems gai-
lery. The Hobbies also were packed TO
Overlooking by a throng that looked as
if they expected something to happen
and they were not disappointed. Mr..
Albeit made another attempt to get his
anti-trust bills out of committee and
again his resolutions We're defeated.
Mr.. Benny then renewed the attack
with a motion that his resolution TO re-
lieye the Committee on Railroads
Canals of his bill providing for adequate
crews on locomotives and that only per-
sons of age and experience should nave
charge of the telegraph offices along a
railroad be taken from the table, mace
a long speech during which he read an
affidavit by Lee j. Fritz, representative
of Railroad Employees Association, set
ting forth that Mr.. Benny had introduced
the bill at the request of Mr.. Wood Nc
Kee. leader of the Republican majority.
- .4o%o5 - tho TINA the 9ffi-
davit said that he could not introduce the
bill ~becausewhe as leader of the House
was supposed to have votes enough TO
pass a bill, but as he could not get enough
votes to pass the bill he could not IN
troduce it. He suggested that Mr.. Benny
introduce the measure and said that ne
would do all in his power to help its
passage. Mr.. Benny then described tne
measure, which he declared was IN the
interest of $4,000 railroad employees. me
members of the committee, he said, denied
TO the members of the House the right
TO vote on the bill which he declared was
,,s,,rning the right of the A~ssemblymen.
Mr.. Mckee. who was i'll and in evident
suffering, denied that the bill had peeh IN
troduce at his request. A vote peins
taken the resolution was defeated. MI
BENNY then attempted to have the COM
mittee relieved of his bills providing Tor
municipal ownership of street raliroaos
and electric lighting plants. These biils,
he said. were being strangled by the
famous or infamous Committee on KAN
roads and Canals, and he made a long
speech, but to no avail, as his resolution
tn relieve the committee was lost by the
usual strict party vote.
A petition was submitted from a number
of glassblowers of Glassboro in favor of
the massage of the Washington Park
license bill. Later this bill was reported
with an amendment striking out the
clause permitting applicants to apply Tor
license at any time during the sitting OF
the court.
A communication was received from the
State Board of Education stating that II
was the Judgment of the Board That the
law establishing a teachers retirement
fund should not be a part OF the STATE
school law, but that such fund should De
managed by a board of trustees appointed
solely among the teachers contributing
to such fund. The communication further
stated that in the judgment of the board
membership in said fund should be en-
tirely voluntary.
Mr.. Marks presented a resolution, which
was defeated by a vote of 20 to So, pro-
viding for the appointment, by the
Speaker, of a special committee of five, to
investigate the earnings. rates, charges,
expenses, cost of maintenance and other
matters concerning the public welfare IN
connection with all individual corpora
tions and associations owning, leasing or
operating telephones in this State; the
said committee to have full power ana
authority to investigate said telephone
companies and to report to the Governor
the result of the said investigation, to-
gether with any proposed legislation and
such recommendation as in its judgment
the public interests require in the
premises. and that said report be trans
mitted by the Governor to the next Legis-
lature. to the end that proper legislation
be enacted to safeguard the interests
of all concerned.
A communication was received from the
Acknowledgement in relation to the Alb
bett resolution aimed at the rumored coal
combine. The Acknowledgement ays;-
Upon receipt of these (the Abbett) reso-
lutions. I communicated with the Attor-
ney Generals of different States, sending
to each a circular letter. I received eight
different w from which it appears
that there has been legislation upon the
subject of contracts and combinations
and trade agreements in eleven out of the
States. + do not find that there
has been any judicial construction of any
of the acts of the different States upon
this subject. This subject of regulating
by statute trade combinations is one of
considerable difficulty, and I am not aware
of any legislation of this character which
has successfully passed judicial criticism.
If the House proposes to take up this
subject I think a wise course would be
to appoint a committee to draft such
legislation as nay be agreeable to the
House. II compliance with the request
of the House and in the absence of any
legislation upon the subject in New Jer-
sey, / beg to submit a draft Of a BILL
The bill submitted by the Attorney
General provides that if any person or
persons, body polite or corporate, created
under the laws Of this State, shall form
or enter into any combination, agreement,
or other arrangement, the object
or effect Of which is to restrain or prevent
L. ZEL ELLZE