The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-03-17
NO Gar FOR HIM.
Mr.. MoDermott Resents
President Reeds Imita-
ton of The Maine
Man.
EXCITING SCENES IN THE SENATE
Sergeant : at : Arms Ordered
to Muzzle the Senator
From Hudson.
EXCITING SCENES IN THE SENATE
Especial to Drhe Jersey city News

part OF Charles Reed, OF Somerset, Dy
the grace of the Republican majority
President of the Senate, to set himself
UP as a dictator and give New Jersey
what the nation hasa Gear Reed. This
occurred yesterday afternoon in the SEN
ate, and during the struggle excitement
in the chamber was at fever heat,
During the afternoon session Mr.. Nc
Dermott asked for the record on his RI
parian bill, providing f3r thel lease instead
of sale of riparian lands hereafter. The
calendar showed that thei bill was recon-
mitted on March 9.
Mr.. McDermott insisted that the calen-
dar was not the record. The minutes
were the record of the proceedings. After
some wrangling the President ordefed the
minutes of March 9 examined. They
showed only that the bill was reported on
that day. The President thereupon or
dered the bill to be delivered up by the
Committee on Revision of Laws and
placed in the hands of the Senate's Sec
rotary.
Mr.. Pitney then moved to recommit the
bill, in order to give a hearing to some
Jersey City people who are opposed to
the measure.
Mr.. McDermott objected, saying that at
this stage of the session such a course
meant the smothering of the bill. Any
how, he felt sure of the bills ultimate de-
feat, knowing the powerful interest OPP
posed to it, but he wanted to ave it con-
sidered in open Senate. He had an amend
mept TO offer.
Mr.. Pitney declared that he bad no per-
| sonal interest in the measure.
Mr., McDermott again took the floor
and was discussing with great yigor the
proposition that a halt should be- called
in the mistaken policy of voting away val
liable State rights.
Mr.. Cross suggested that the gentleman
was not talking to the motion to recon-
init and Mr.. Pitney further raised the
point Of order that a motion to recommit
was not debatabie.
President Rec ruled the point to be well
taken. Mr.. McDermott appealed. and fur
Their challenged the production of any au-
thority to sustain the chair. He started
in again to consider the bill generally and
said that he was trying to save to the
s5elEJeq pIpusIds sua 10 ausumsL e slels
which was slipping through it's fingers.
Millions of dollars of revenue might yet
be obtained.
Mr.. Pitney raised a point of order that
the gentleman was not discussing the APP
peal.
The President sustained the point of or
der. but Mr.. McDermott insisted that he
had a right to proceed as he was proceed
ing, And he proceeded.
He was again called to order with the
same result. This time President Reed
warned him to go ahead with the Chairs
caution in mind. :.
Mr.. McDermott declared with much We
hemence that the word caution" should
not be addressed to a Senator on the floor
in the discharge of his duties. AS he re-
newed his attack on the sale of the
States riparian rights, Mr. Pitney again
called him to order.
hi Chair sustained the point and Mr..
McDermott appealed.
Il think the appeal should be dismissed
as frivolous said Mr.. Pitney, there
being other appeals pending"
Mr.. McDermott was again warned and
the President directed the s~ergeant-at-
Arms to see that order was maintained.
| Sergeant Atchley moved in the direction
Of Mr.. McDermott's seat, but being a
| wise sergeant-at-arms he did not attempt
to coerce Mr.. McDermott, and the latter
proceeded to speak on the bill. When
he concluded the decision of the chair
was sustained by a party vote, and the
bill was then recommitted.
Mr.. Pitney asked unanimous consent to
nave Mr.. McDermott's proposed amend
ment also sent to the committee SO that
it might be considered at the same time.
He did this, he said, as an evidence of
good faith, and to expedite the bill
through the committee he offered to give
a public hearing on it, either Friday of
this week or Monday afternoon.
knowing what the fate of
the bill is to be, the senator from
of any special courtesy" said MI. Nc
Dermott and the episode was closed.
AS mentioned in these dispatches yes
terday, Messrs. Pitney and MeDermott
had another passage of arms yesterday
morning, which, as usual, resulted disas-
trously for the much vaunted champion
of the Republicans.
Mr.. McDermott moved that the Com
mittee on Revision of Laws be relieved of
further consideration of House Nc. 1852.
regulating the method of making con-
tracts in first class cities for work or
material, or the purchase of personal
property.
President Reed declared the motion out
of order, whereupon Mr.. McDermott APP
peaied from the Chairs ruling, and pro-
ceeded to discuss the bill and its treat
ment in committee. He said the bill was
a plain municipal proposition involving
payment for the cleaning of sidewalks
and rendered necessary by the extraor-
binary emergency of the recent blizzard.
He had asked the chairman Of the com
mittee a score of times to report the
measure and could get no satisfaction,
and this was now his only resource.
Mr.. Pitney. chairman of the Committee
on Revision of Laws, called the speaker
to order for not talking to the pending
motion.
Mr.. McDermott insisted that the merits
Of the bill were properly under considera-
ton, and went on to ask the President to
point out TO him under what rule Of the
Senate he decided his original motion out
Of order,
h President retorted by asking the
Senator from Hudson to point out any
rule which permitted the discharge of a
committee from consideration of any bill.
Mr.. MaDermoft reDlied that this course