The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1902-06-02
FACTORY Bill
Mr.. Gottlob Tells How He
Got Bill for Women In
spector Through.


"The State Federation of Labor has
been working for the appointment OF
woman factory inspector since 1897. since
which time the writer has been chairman
of the Legislative Committee, says
Henry J. Gottlob in the State Charities
Aid report for May '"The first bill was
introduced in the Legislature of 1885 and
whom should be women, each to receive
salary of $1,000, and to devote at least
forty-four hours per week to his or her
duties. The bill was reported fayorably,
and passed the Assembly by a vote Of 81 to
TO- those against 1t being from the south
ern part of theh state, and including the
Speaker, Mr.. Watkins. of Gloucester The
bill was after some delay, reported favor
ably in the Senate. 1t was known that
acting Governor Voorhees, opposed the
BILL because of the additional expense,
yet, after addressing letters to every
member of the Legislature, secured
promises enough to have it pass the Sen
ate. But the president pro tempore would
not call the bill up for a vote. When |
asked him If he intended to override the
wishes of the majority and their con-
stituencies, he repeatedly replied that he
did not want the bill to become law.
Despite the influence brought to bear upon
him. he held the bill under his elbow
until the last day of the session, and then
marked it off the calendar without permit
ting vote.
AT the next session (ls99) the Assembly
again passed the bill, and again the presi-
dent of the Senate, Mr.. Reed, held 1t on
the calendar and prevented vote. not
withstanding the bill received the earnest
support of many of the best people in
the State. In 1900 the bill was defeated
in the Assembly by vote of q for to
Is against, and on reconsideration by the
vote of 20 for to 25 against In 1901 Mr..
Williams of Essex undertook the passage
of the measure and succeeded in getting
majority of the Assembly. but in the
Senate the committee to which it was re-
ferred refused to report it. During this
session it was intimated that we might
secure the passage of a bill providing for
one additional factory inspector, with 10
reference to the hours to be devoted to
the duties of the office, but. looking upon
this as only a subterfuge, / insisted upon
the original bill standing on its merits
without change.
II still had faith in the merits of the
bill and belief in its ultimate enactment.
such faith was not shared by the
members of the Assembly of 1902. and
| failed to secure a sponsor. MIR. Lord, of
Essex, put in bill providing for ad
| ditional deputy inspector, though without;
| specification as to sex. was forced un-
| der the circumstances to be content with
| an opportunity of seeing my hopes haIf
realized. After several conferences with
Mr.. Lord and securing amendments plac-
| ing the determination Of the sex of the
new appointee with the Governor, We
| gave what assistance we could to the BID.
| Having passed the Assembly, it reporsed
| effectively, and, I feared, permanently, in
| Senator McCarter's desk, and no amount
| of persuasion could get it out into day
| light until the last day of the session,
when it was resurrected through demands
| by President Francis, who spoke in its
| favor as did Senators Johnson (Camden),
| Hudspeth (Hudson) and Gebhardt WAR
| ren). The Governor has since signed the
bill.
while the Lord bill does not specifi-
| cally state that a woman must fill the ad-
ditional position, yet such was the under
| standing of those who advocated and
voted for it. Governor Murphy has also
| stated that this is his understanding, and
| it is confidently expected that the new
| appointment will be woman"
Counselor Mary Philbrook, formerly Of
| this city, has been named for this APP
pointment but there is now some doubt as
to whether she will accept. The Women's
| Clubs of New Jersey and the Consumers
League, who were originally behind this
| bill, are supposed to be backing Miss
| Phllbrook as she is one of their number.