The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-03-25
ITS DYING HOURS
Scenes During the Closing
Session Of the Legis-
lature.
WATCHINGSpEAKER WATKINS
Almost the Last Act Was
To Bow to the Cor
porations.

where it will attract very little attention
Whatever its sins of omission or COM
mission may have been, it certainly ac-
complished nothing which reflects any
credit upon the Republican party. There
was little out of the ordinary routine to
mark the closing hours. Bills were
rushed through without debate and
scarcely any explanation, and everything
which had any chance of passing appar-
emily got through. The first signs of final
adjournment were visible about three
o'clock when Wood Mckee and James
Murphy, the leaders of the two sides of
the House, advanced to in front of the
Speakers desk, and while the members
stood Mr.. Murphy addressed the Speaker.
He referred to Mr.. Watkins election as
Speaker, and said he had then the votes
of his party and the esteem and good
will of his opponents. He was not un-
known to the members of the House, be-
cause the able manner in which he had
administered the affairs of the State
while Governor had made him known to
the people of New Jersey, and the speech
he made when he relinqushed that office
showed them that he was man of judg-
ment The fair, able and impartial man
ner in which he had discharged the duties
of Speaker and the uniform courtesy and
kindness with which he had treated the
members of the minority had endeared
him to each of them, and he could assure
Mr.. Watkins that he was loved by every
member of the House Mr.. Murphy then
presented the Speaker with magnificent
watch and diamond pendant chain, say
ing that whenever he looked at the face
of the watch. the Speaker could know
that without reservation, every member
was a friend of David o. Watkins. Mr..
Murphy's speech was, by all Odds the
best that had been delivered on the floor
during the session. 1t was sincere and
impressive, and when he spoke of the
love that every member-Democrat and
Republican alike-bore for the Speaker,
there was a mist in the eyes of more
than one who heard him.
The speaker was visably affected, but
replied fittingly.
The watch. which has chime attach
ment, cost $500. Mr.. Jones, on behalf of
the commissioners appointed to erect a
monument to the Jersey. soldiers who died
in Andersonville prison, presented the
Speaker with a cane made from wood
taken from the stockade surrounding that
famous prison. Mr.. Wakelee, on behalf
of the doorkeepers and pages, presented
Sergeant-at-Arms Flavel with a diamond
stick pin and gold links set with dia-
monds
The closing hours of the House was
characterized by shameful surrender of
the Republican majority to the corpora
tions by an innocent looking little bill that
| TO mn oar
in the House. The Democratic members in
the House discovered that the bill was in
tended to legalize the merging of the gas
and electric interests in the State. The
merging has already taken place, but
there is some doubt as to its legality, and
Senator johnson of Camden put in the
following measure:
81. Any corporation of this State, ex-
cept railroad and canal corporations, may
hereafter, with the assent of two-thlrds
in interest of its stockholders, either 11
person or by proxy, lease its property and
franchises to any corporation, and every
corporation of this State is hereby author
lied to take the lease or any assignment
thereof. for such terms and upon such
conditions as may be agreed upon, and
that any such lease or assignment, or
both heretofore made, are hereby validat-
ed. provfded however that nothing here
in contained shall be construed to au-
thorze any corporation which is now
sneeifically prohibited by law or by its
certificate of incorporation from leasing
IFS property or franchise to do so, nor 10
authorize the leasing by any corporation
without the consent of the Legislature,
when such consent is now specifically re-
ouired by any law of this State"
At the morning session of the House
the bill was lost, but during the nj IN re-
cess a force of lobbyists, headed by
Young "Tom'' McCarter and Major Carl
Lentz, it being the first appearance of
T,entz in the Legislature since his late
detbronement from the Essex county
leadership got to work on the members.
T.entz had previously whipped a majority
of the Essex members in line for the bill.
At the afternoon session the bill was re-
considered. Mr.. Benny of Hudson, sail
ed into the scheme and told of the lobby
ing during the recess. IT had no effect.
THE champion of the bill had influenced
enough votes to carry it through.
II being in the interests of corporations
Mereer's delegation of course, supported
it.
By six o'clock both Houses had cleared
their calendars and took "a five minutes"
recess. The clocks in the chambers then
pointed to five minutes of three, as the
time for adjournment fixed by resolution
was three o'clock the clocks had been
stopped. AS there were only five minutes
left of the official time of the session,
the recess could not be taken for any
longer time, but the Speaker remarked
I that any member who wanted supper had
better take it during the recess. At eight
o'clock the chambers reassembled and
passed the usual resolutions praising and
thanking everyone who was connected in
any way with the session and the another
recess was taken until the Governor
could consider the bills on his desk This
recess was taken up by good natured
horse play.
Mock sessions We're held, speeches were
made and songs were sung, an excellent
ouartette from the Newark delegation
| furnishing some delightful music. Books
were flung about and showers of bills and