The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1900-02-16
lspeoial Correspondencel.


Trenton. Feb 15. 5.-The sixth week
of the amiable New Jersey
Legislature closed yesterday with
a record of fair ordinary business.
No act of the week was important be-
cause there is nothing very important
on the calendar. This sluggish con-
dition of affairs is due to the fact that
the calendar is not bristling with
heavy work. This weeks session
was shortened by a holiday and next
weeks will be curtailed by the Joint
Memorial Meeting. The Legislature
will make up the week following for
lost time and there will be the con-
stant tap tap" of the gavel in both
branches and the securing Of feet in
the corridors, and quickly the shutters
will go up and the 124th Legislature
will go out of business. This sus-
picion is verified by talks with both
Speaker Jones and President Johnson
Tt was only yesterday that the latter
remarked that so far as the actual
business of the session, the Legislature
could easily go home for long stay
next week. An examination of the
calendar shows nothing of any great
Importance, that is likely, to reach
the floor of either branches. There
are still doubts about the election bill
which has been constant source of
speculation since the beginning of the
session. The school BILL prepared by
the very Industrious special commits
sion appointed by the Governor, is
still on the outside. Senator Stokes
says it will come in on Monday night
and an opportunity will be given to
those who choose to talk for or
against it, but he believes it is nearly
perfect and will go through branches
speedily. This is without a doubt the
heavy bill of the session, because it
applies to every community in the
State
THE ELECTION BILL.
As to the election bill, which like
State, there is still much mystery
Nobody seems willing to stand sponsor
for it. There are almost hourly re-
vivals of the talk that General
Sewell wants it but the denials come
just as frequent. 1t is generally be-
lieved that the election bill is dead,
but Passaic politicians came down
here this week in groups of five. with
considerable jollity i'll store and a
magazine of arguments, for the pas
sage of the bill. They claimed that it
would help Passaic City, where the
Board of Aldermen is tie and the
spring election would produce results,
that would throw the patronage of
the city to the Democrats. Passaic
City, however, has an indefinite pull,
now since the Jersey City Republicans
have about given up the fight for the
election merger, The political sooth
sayers, who are worth taking notice
of, have expressed the opinion that
the election bill is now reminis-
cence.
CAPITAL PUNISHMENT.
The most known issue that has
ever come before the Legislature and
which interest everybody in the State,
is the issue. shall the person who
commits murder die by noose electri-
cal chair or die as Charles Dickens
says of the prison sin stone coffin.
When all facts are considered it is
very live issue New Jersey has ac-
cording to it's population more than
it's share of murder, Hudson County
producing the novel appeal cases, and
Camden the most variety of crimes.
The present agitation for an i'm
provement in the capital punishment
law, comes from causes found in the
above named counties. In Hudson,
both the dead Hollingor and the liv-
ing Clifford were four times sentenced
producing an almost continuous story
of yellow stories of escaping the gal
lows. The other day there was a
bungling hanging episode in Jersey
City, when the murderer Brown, met
his doom. These facts are only re-
ferred to. to show the reason for the
-, TAr II r,Ia
ture of three distinct capital punish
ment bills. To understand the very
important discussion that is coming
on next week, the three bills are pre-
sented.
Mr.. Benny's bill is to abolish capi-
tai punishment and substitute life inn
prisonment. No pardon to be granted,
unless there is positive proof that the
condemned man is innocent. Mr..
Benny was accused of introducing this
bill to relieve the murderer Clifford
and it has remained in the committee
He stands sponsor now for the most
celebrated murder bill in the country
1t is known as the Garrison bill, be-
cause Justice Garrison of the New
Jersey Supreme Court, who sits in
Camden, prepared the bill. He has
sentenced many murderers during the
twelve years that he has been on the
bench. His bill provides that the jury
in capital case shall say whether the
guilty man shall suffer death or life
imprisonment. The bill was given to
Mr.. Benny, because of his known en-
thusiasm for change in the prevail
ing practice. The Garrison bill has
brought out at least a hundred in
terviews from eminent judges all over
the country and two-thirds of them
have expressed favorable opinions So
far as the opportunity has presented
itself score of the prominent New
Jersey Legislators have expressed fa-
vorable opinions and it is almost safe |
to say that the bill will pass
The third bill came from young
Leon Albeit, of Hudson, who was
disgusted with the execution of Brown |
in Jersey City. His bill provided that
the electrical chair shall be substituted |
for the moose. This has been attempted |
before and never received serious con-
sideration.
CONCERNING BARRIERS.
The State Barber's Union are fast |
organizing all over the State local |
unions, whose purpose is to prevent |