Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1900-03-22
End OF THE SESSION.
Legislature Closing Up Bush
ness For the Year.
MANY BILLS PASSED THIS WEEK.

MANY BILLS PASSED THIS WEEK.
Interest Attaching to the Discussion
of the Franchise Tax Act = New
school Bill Has Afforded Extended
Opportunity For OratoricaI Effort.
Especial Correspondence
TRENTON. March 21-The legislature
started in on this the eleventh week OF
the session with a determination to
make it the last, and the indications
point to final adjournment on Friday
unless some unexpected obstacle inter-
venes. Both houses have been holding
busy sessions all week, and much WORK
has been accomplished.
Franchise Tax Act.
Great interest attached to the discus
sion in the assembly over the bill for
the taxation of franchises of corpora
tons enjoying municipal privileges,
such as trolley companies, telephone
and electric lighting companies. Under
this bill the property of such compa-
MES shall be assessed locally as here
tofore. and, in addition, tax Of per
cent is imposed upon their annual gross
receipts. This tax on the franchise
goes TO the municipalities in which the
companies are operated. The bill when
it came up on final passage in the
house was advocated by Speaker Jones,
who claimed that it was the most inn
portant measure before the legislature.
It was an important step in the dIrec-
ton of equal taxation and assured mu-
inequalities a direct benefit from the
valuable privileges that they had al
ready granted or might hereafter
grant to corporations. If the bill pass
ed, it would take about $11S,0O0 out
of the state treasury next year and
would distribute upward of 100000
among the municipalities.
Assemblyman Tenant of Hudson
opposed the bill as inadequate and a
half way measure. 1t was not what
the people expected. 1t was com
promise in which the corporations get
the best Of the bargain.
Assemblyman Foote of Union IA
vored and Assemblyman Albeit Of
Hudson opposed the measure, which
finally passed without dissenting
vote
The bill has yet to go through tile
senate.
New school Bill.
An equally interesting discussion oc-
Cured in the senate in connection with
the new school act. This is the re-
vision and codifeation of the school
laws which was reported by the spe-
ciaI commission that had been consid-
ering the question for couple Of
years. A number of amendments had
been presented by the senate commit
tee on education and most of them
were adopted without discussion, as
they did not affect the bill vitality. The
most important amendment doubtless
was the one providing for change in
the basis of distribution of state school
money among the various school dis
tricts of the state Heretofore this
census of children of school age, but
the commission favored new plan of
basing it on the actual attendance at
school. Senator Stokes, who was a
members of the commission, explained
school census was often.
tnat thet---@- 81 era tors. yrar!
fraudulent; the l0ca4 S1uIIIt- - y 49, e
paid so much per name. and they pad
ded their lists with fictitious names.
Hundreds of names We're added in
some districts, and the aggregate
throughout the state footed up into the
thousands The local authorities wink
ed at this fraud because the larger the
census of any district the larger would
be It's apportionment of state funds.
Even apart from this fraud, the census
was not fair basis, as 1t included all
children of school age, whereas in
some districts only a small proportion
of this number attended school, while
in other districts a large proportion at
tended. BY basing the apportionment
on actual attendance each district
would get exactly its due, and no more.
At the same time the state would be
saved $4,000 a year, the cost OF tax
ing the census. Furthermore, the
operation of the compulsory education
law would be aided, as every district
would be more yigilant to secure the
attendance of all the pupils within its
lines.
| Senators Francis and Martin oppos-
ed the amendment in the interest of
the small rural districts where, as they
claimed, the attendance of pupils was
interrupted by severe weather in the
winter, and the average attendance
would thus be kept down, although the
expenses were maintained all the
while
The amendment was finally defeated,
and the school census will be contin-
ued An amendment permitting the
| treasurer Of local board to be mem
Der of the board was opposed by Mr..
Stokes and advocated by Mr.. Francis.
| The latter said such a provision was
desired in Monmouth county. The
amendment was first defeated, but
afterward reconsidered and adopted.
An amendment was offered at Mr..
| McCarter's request providing that the
board of school commissioners in any
tity divided into wards shall consist Of
ten members, to be appointed by the
mayor, but in case any city so desires
| 1t may vote to have the commissioners
| elected by the people. He wants the
Newark board to be cut down from its
present unwieldy number. This amend
ment prevailed The bill finally passed
second reading and viii doubtless pass
the senate. 1t may fail in the house.
| Bills Passed.
| A long list of bills went through
either house. In the assembly among
those passed were the following:
Fallon's pure food bill. imposing a
fine of $500 for aduIterating coffee, jel-
lies, pepper, mustard, flour, ETC.: makes
a newspaper published for two years
consecutively legal newspaper; pro
hibiting the killing of birds and ami
mails while snow is on the ground;
permitting boards of chosen freehold
ers to bury honorably discharged sol
diers and sailors of the Spanish war;
| fhe Jersey CITY free public library bill,