Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1901-02-28
NO SPRING ELECTIONS.
The Bill Abolishing Them In
Cities Passed. -.
DREAM OF LEADERS ACHIEVED

The Measure Was Not Put Through
However, Without Partisan Clash
In the Senate-New Boards of Free
hOlders-ApprOpriat Committed
Busy.
Especial Correspondence
TRENTON, Feb. Pho time was lost
in passing the antispring election bill
once it received the Endorsement of the
majority caucus. the Republicans having
considered this much talked of meas
ure behind closed doors on Monday.
The house caucus was held just before
the evening session. and the following
were excused from the room because
they were not in favor of the bill:
Carr, Ocean; Horner and Wright. Bur-
lington; Moore and Steelman, Cumber-
land, and Tillotson. Bergen The 9th
ers agreed to vote for the bill.
Subsequently the house took up tn,
committees substitute for the MeekeI
bill, which is said to have eliminated
all the supposedly unconstitutional fea.
lures. 1t includes appointive as well
as elective officers and provides tina,
all officers shall have their terms ex,
tended until the first day of January
succeeding the date for which they are
elected. When the bill came up on
third reading. the only remarks in op-
position to it were made by Mr.. Tillot-
son (Rep.l. who explained his vote.
There were "a affirmative votes. those
in the negative being IA Democrats
and the Republicans who left the eau
Gus. Kirkbride of Monmouth and
Smith of Warren were absent through
illness. Blohm of Salem, Roe of Sus-
sex and Montgomery of Middlesex
were not recorded.
In the senate the bill struck a Snag,
and the first serious partisan clash of
the session occurred. Senators Hud-
speth and Martin making every posi-
BILE effort to have the bill laid over or
amended so as to destroy the effect in
tended. Senator Reed battled with
the minority leaders and was support
ed when the voting took place by the
other Republican senators. Smith
(Rep) of Ocean and Cornish (Dem.>
were absent After much opposition
from the Democrats the bill was final
ly pushed through to third reading
and passed. 1t was sent to the gov
ernor without delay. and it is reported
that he will permit it to become law
without affixing his signature to it.
The bill will take effect Immediately
and will apply to the spring elections
in cities.
In securing the passage of this bill
the Republican leaders. or some of
them at least, have accomplished some
thing that has been the dream of their
lives for years.
New Boards of FreehoIders.
ss.s4..4ts4i s5t.14s,s f4-esisoISzsss iii shade
it's appearance on Monday night and Ia
aaid to have good chance of becon-
ing law. 1t changes the number of
chosen freeholders in second class coun-
ties TO five, each to serve two years.
The election for such freeholders is to
be held every second year. The act is
to take effect Monday, Dec. 2, 1901. on
which day the newly constituted
boards will meet for organization. and
thereafter on the first Monday of each
second succeeding year for such pur-
pose. In counties of more than 100000
the annual salary shall be
81 800, the director to receive the addi-
tional sum of $500; in counties of less
than 100000 inhabitants the annual
salary shall be $1,000 and the director
$500 additional. Vacancies in the board
shall be filed for the unexpred term
by the remaining freeholders. The
newly constituted boards shall be vest
ed with the same rights, privileges,
powers, etc, that are now vested or
imposed on existing boards.
The terms of present freeholders shall
expire on Dec 2, 1901, and they shall
receive as salary and compensation
that part of their annual salaries cal
culated to and including Dec 2, 1901.
The terms of all officers now holding
Office under appointment of present
pire on Dec. 2 next, the new boards to
fill such offices. such appointees to hold
Office for one year only. county collect
ors TO hold office until their successors
are appointed and duly qualified. The
bill does not interfere With any honor
ably discharged soldier or sailor or the
widow of such now in Office.
Another bill relative to second class
counties was also introduced by Sena-
tor Strong. 1t requires that all fees,
costs and perquisites of surrogates and
county clerks shall be collected in the
future for the sole use of the respective
counties The bill places surrogates
and county clerks in such counties on
4 salary basis, each to receive $4,000
annually in counties having more than
100000 inhabitants, $4,000 in counties
having between $4,000 and 100 1000, 49,
800 in counties having between 10000
and $4,000, $1,000 in counties having
between $4,000 and 10000 Surrogates
and county clerks shall employ the
necessary deputies and assistants, the
Of such deputies not to exceed
81, 500 a yea. The aggregate amount
allowed for assistants shall be $4,000
In counties of 100000 Inhabitants, $751;
900 In counties of between $4,000 and
10000. $1,000 in counties of between
20, 900 and 10000 and 81 800 in counties
Of between $4,000 and 10000
Appropriations Committee Busy.
The joint appropriations committee
held two meetings this week and hur
Red their work considerably. Among
the decisions reached was In the case
Of the amount to be given for repre-
sentation at the Pan-American exposi-
ton. 1t was decided to cut in half the
amount asked for by the commission
ers and appropriate $4,000. The idea
Of having a state building will, there
fore, have to be abandoned, as the
committee does not regard it as neces-
sary that Jersey should have build
ing of her own
Among those who appeared before
the committee was John C. Eisele,
member of the Morris Plains hospitals
board of managers He asked for an
extra allowance of $57 600, of which
S35, 900 was to be devoted TO complet-
ing some old contracts at the asylum.
Assemblyman Lyon asked that proyi-
sion be made for the inspector of YES
GELS at Perth AmbOy. who. he said. was