The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1901-02-19
WILL Be ENTIRELY new
Anti-Spring Election Bill
Not Yet Drafted, Re
publicans Say.
[speciaa 70 ..rhe Jersey civ News. ri

Especial TO 1.-THE Jersey City News
TRENTON, Feb. 10, 1901-The anti
spring election bill which yesterday morn
ing was considered a corpse is this morn
ing very lively subject, and those among
the frequentors of the State House who
have any sporting blood in them are taxi
ing all the wagers they can get that the
bill will pass this session and become a
law. Those who don't bet, but pride
themselves on their gift of prophesy, are
talking the same way. Many of those
who talk the loudest after the fashion
are those who when the Legislature ad-
journed last week were equally certain
that the measure is dead.
This complete swing around the circle
is laid at the door of General sewell.
AS long as it was understood that he OPP
posed the scheme so long was it consider
ed dead, but yesterday it was reported
that the General was not opposed to the
measure or at least he was in favor of
it to the extent that he had promised to
let it alone and do nothing to prevent it
becoming a law. He was reported to have
argued something like this:-''The boys
have been pretty good this winter. They
gave me another term in the United
States Senate without any serious trouble
to me and they should have some reward
so if they have set their hearts upon
this anti-spring election scheme why let
them have it."
One of the strongest advocates of the
measure is Senator Reed, of Somerset.
He says that the only opponents of the
measure are the newspapers and the
fioaters who sell their vote TO the highest
bidder and want to be paid for it twice
a year, and who constitute the ''indepen-
dent votes" of whom the newspapers OPP
posed to the bill have been speaking 80
much of late. Those independent voters
who live in New Jersey and do business
in New York or Philadelphia, will be
highly elated no doubt to hear themselves
spoken of in this manner as "hoaters
VINO want to be paid for their votes twice
year.
When the conference of Senators was
over last night Senator Reed spoke as
thought the bill was going through. He
did not refer to Mr.. Meeker's bill. which
is said to come from Hudson, but to a
new measure which is to be prepared by
the best talent in the party. When Mr..
Reed was asked If the bill would come in
this week he replied that there would not
be time to prepare it this week
We'll then, the bill that is to go
through is not prepared yet?' Mr.. Reed
was asked.
The tall hickory from Somerset paused
minute, and then said that he did not
know whether it was drawn or not. 1t,
therefore, seems probable that the bill
won't come in this week, but nothing is
more uncertain than matters connected
with the anti-spring election bill.
The Republican members held a confer
ence this morning. and among the mat
ters considered was the anti-spring cleo
ton bill. Mr.. Lewis, the Republican
leader, brought the matter up and asked
that the conference take some action upon
the Meeker bill
Mr.. Bachelor, of Essex, said that Sena-
tor Tom" McCarter was preparing a
bill which would be introduced in the
Senate when completed and he moved
that no action be taken in the matter
until Mr.. McCarter's bill came in and
both Houses had considered it in joint
caucus This motion was agred to and
the conference adjourned.