Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1899-01-12
Lsnecial Correspondence.l

Especial Correspondence
Trenton. Jan. 1.-THE legislature or
ganized without any friction and is now
ready for business. President Reed Of
the senate. in accepting the office OF
presiding officer of the higher body
read the public little homily apropos
of the legislatures attitude. He refer
red to the fact that the newspapers of
ten criticised the lawmakers for letting
the time slip idly by and then rushing
new enactments through at terrific
rate in the last two or three weeks OF
the session.
This criticism" said he, grows
largely, | think, out of the fact that
during the first few weeks of the ses'
sion comparatively few bills are intro
duced, and time must elapse in which
the public may be apprised of their OBJ
iect and given an opportunity to be
heard in order that intelligent action
may be taken. Consequently it neces-
sarily follows that but little can be &C
complished in the way of completed
legislation until the session is about
half over.
Few bills originate with members OF
the legislature, and those few are usu-
ally introduced very early in the ses-
sion. so that criticism of the members
on that score is not deserved. If our
brethren of the press could prevail upon
- IL. :r+,,,5 opvl.rfpo tn the IeriM-
lature for the enactment of laws to pre-
sent their bills early in the session, II
would not only largely remove the
cause for criticism, but would add to
the heavy obligation we already owe
them"
President Reeds suggestion for shift
ing the responsibility on to the shout
ders of the newspaper editors is ingen-
ious, but probably the only way they
could effect the desired result would be
by inducing the legislature to make
rule prohibiting the reception of new
bills after a certain date-say March
and also requiring the bills to be con-
sidered disposed of more nearly in the
order in which they are introduced.
Senate Organization.
Senator Van CIeef (Dem.) of Middle
sex was honored by the Republican ma
jority by being called to the chair under
the temporary organization of the sem
ate. Senator Braun of Passaic received
the Democratic nomination for presi-
dent as against Senator Reed of Somer-
set (Rep.), who was elected. Senator
w. NJ johnson then made the other
Republican nominations to complete the
senate organization, while Senator Mar
tin of Sussex named the Democratic
caucus nominees. Following was Sena-
tor Johnson's list:
Secretary, Augustus S. Barber, GlQuces-
ter; assistant secretary, ]. Frank Linds-
ley, Morris; journal clerk, Walter E.
Edge, Atlantic; assistant journal clerk.
John w Cliff, Union; sergeant at-arms
William w. Binning, Bergen; engross-
ing clerk, Edgar Williams, Essex; as
sistant engrossing clerk, James Shoe
maker, Cape May; bill clerk, George w
Cooper, Somerset; calendar clerk, Will
liam c. Fischer, Ocean; doorkeepers-
George r. Hoyt, Monmouth; Lippincots
Coles, Salem; Samuel Kyle, Bergen;
Isaak F. Barnes, Cumberland; William
Penn Carson, Camden; cioakroom keep
ers-Victor Carlson, Essex; Joseph Leon.
ard, Morris.
Following were the Democratic nomi.
nees:
Secretary, George Durham, Hunter.
don; assistant secretary, Charles A
Ransom, Hudson; journal clerk, ]. L
Bunnell, Sussex; assistant journa
clerk, William E. Ross. Sussex; ser.
geant-at-arms Samuel Semple, Bur.
lington; engrossing clerk, James O'Bri.
en-, Passaic; assistant engrossing clerk
William Atkinson, Burlington; assist.
ant ergeant-at-arms, James L. Dewitt
Sussex; bill clerk. John Mcbride, Bur.
lington; calendar clerk, John Keegar
Passaic; doorkeepers, George H. Heits,
man, Warren; Edward Durrell. Bur.
lington; Josiah V. Cole, Hunterdon,
James B. Ritter. Sussex, and Joshus
Hill. Burlington.
The Republican list was of course Sc.
Iected.
other Senate Matters.
Charles H. Bateman. editor of thu
Somerville Unionist- Gazette, was made
private secretary to President Reed.
Senators Ketcham, Hand and Foster
constituted the committee to wait or
the governor and announce the organi.
cation of the senate.
The new senators were all present Il
take the oath of office, including Mr.
Pitney of Morris. who resigned fron
congress to take his seat in the state
senate.
Only one bill was introduced in the
senate. being an act by Senator Evan.
4
to the amount of $4,000 for the erection
of county asylum buildings.
Senate Committees.
Following are the standing commit
tees of the senate as announced By
President Reed:
Judiciary.-w. NJ johnson, Pitney, Mar.
tin
Revision of Lsws.-Pitney, Cross, Nc
Dermott.
Apprapriations.-W M johnson, Stokes.
Hutchinson, Braun.
Finance.-H. w Johnson Evans, Braun
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES, Hutchinson, Pack.
er.
Municipal Corpora lions -Ketcham, H.
w. Johnson. Van Cleef.
Railroads and Canals.-Miller, Francis.
Barber.
Banks and Insurance.-Francis, Hand,
Packer.
Observation-Disclosures. Evans, Van Cleef.
Militia.-Ketcham. H. w. Johnson. Fos-
ter
Game and Fishsries.-stanger. Francis,
Foster.
Riparian Rights. = Hand. Smith. Nc
Dermott.
Observation-Disclosures Stranger, Fos-
Ter.
Miscellaneous Business-H w John.
son. Evans, McDermott
Unfinished Business.-Stokes. Ketcham,
Van Cleef
Engrosasd BiIls.-stanger. Hutchinson.
Barber.
Labor and Industries Smith, Miller.
Van Cleef.
Boroughs and Townships.-Croes. w M.
Johnson. Martin.
Elections.-Mnler, Cross, Braun.
Public Health.-Hand, Ketcham. Martin.
JOINT COMMITTEES.
Treasurer's Accounts-Hand. Ketcham,
foster
State Prison.-Ketcham. Stokes, Braun.
State Hospitals.-Francis. w. NJ John
SON Van CIeef
State Library.-w. NJ johnson. H. W.
Johnson, Barber.
Public Grounds and Buildings.-Hutch-
inson, Stanger. Braun.
Printing!. w. Johnson Hand, Martin.
Passed Bills.-Smith. Cross. Foster.
Commerce and Navigation. = Evans,
Hand, Braun.
Federal Relations.-Mfler. Evans. Pack
er.
Soldiers Home.-stokes, Ketcham, Bar
Der
Reform School For Boys.-cross, Miller
Van Cleef