Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1902-04-03
THE LEGrsLAruRE


Especial Correspondence.
trenton, April 3.-History has claim.
Gu the one hundred and twenty-sixth
session OF the New Jersey legislature.
In all there were 552 bills introduced
IN both houses, and of this number 334
passed the two branches of the law.
making body. Less than a hundred of
tnese nave received the approval of the
governor up to date.
Nearly all the recommendations made
py the governor in his inaugural mes
sage to the legislature received consid-
eraeion at the hands of that body, al
though some of them were not as fully
or as favorably acted upon as was de-
sired by the executive at the opening
OF the term. The governor, however,
mas expressed himself as being well
pleased with his treatment at the
hands of the legislature.
The Passaic pollution controversy
was one of the principal matters refer
red to by the governor in his message,
and this question was amicably settled
day or two before the final adjourn
ment by compromise bill which seem
ed to suit all the parties interested and
which provides for the appointment of
a commission to conduct a full and I'M
biased investigation of the pollution of
the Passaic river and report to the
next legislature, submitting a plan for
the abatement of this nuisance.
The governors recommendation for
the establishment of hospital for
consumptives was favorably acted
upon, and special act was passed
making an allowance of $4,000 to de-
fray the cost of the preliminary work
in connection with such an institution.
His advice for an increase in the state
road appropriation, as well as for the
enactment of legislation by which in
terest must hereafter be paid on all
deposits of state funds made in banks
received favorable action.
Some That Failed.
AS to the other suggestions made by
the governor, he was not so fortunate,
the legislature having refused to enact
the proposed sunset election law or to
make change in the election law by
which official ballots could not be dis
tributed outside the polling places.
The primary election reform measure
fell by the wayside. the legislature
substituting for this bill a law by
which a commission is to be appointed
by the governor to inquire into the
needs of reforms relating to the prima-
ries and to submit a report to the next
legislature setting forth the best meth
DDS of remedying the defects now said
to exist in this connection. The voting
machine bill which passed the legisla
ture almost at the eleventh hour was
another matter recommended by the
governor in his inaugural message.
Important Legislation.
Perhaps the most important legisla-
ton of a general character was the en-
actment of a state school law which is
one of the most thorough and advanced
schemes of public education in this
country. 1t is similar in its main fea-
lures to the Stokes act of 1900. with
some minor changes made to insure its
constitutionality. The courts declared
the Stokes act unconstitutional be-
cause the classification which only rec
ognized municipalities divided into
wards and those not divided into wards
was Elusive, intangible and uncertain
and failed to include in such classified.
ton all municipalities that properly
belonged there.
Without question the most pro
nounced reform measure adopted by
the session was Senator Strong's bill
abolishing the existing boards Of free
holders and providing for substitute
boards containing from nine to three
members, according to the population
of the counties, and fixing the salaries
of such members at 81 800 each annual
w. The act has referendum clause
to be submitted to the voters of the sew
eral counties next fall, an application
of 5 per cent of the voters being neces-
sary to have this question submitted at
the next election. If accepted by any
county, the new board would not be
elected until the following year. This
measure is regarded as a long step in
the right direction in the government
of towns, cities and counties, doing
away with cumbersome and in some in
stances useless boards whose business
could be transacted by few men as
efficiently as by a dozen or more.
constitutional Amendments.
The proposed constitutional amend
ments for the reorganization of the jul
dietary, which were passed year ago
and declared valueless by the failure
TO have them properly advertised, were
adopted by the legislature this year,
but will have to be passed upon by the
lawmakers next winter before being
snbnitted to the voters. The amend
ment to the constitution providing for
biennial sessions fell by the wayside.
together with the other propositions
for popular election of United States
senators, election of state senators by
districts and the restoration of the as
sembly district plan.
A bill of farreaching Importance en-
acted at the session just terminated
was the measure permitting the Penn
sylyafia Railroad company to build a
t1nnel from Hudson county to New
York under the North river. The an,
nouncement has been made that work
nm this great improvement will be COM
menced at once and that cars will be
running under that river within two
years.
In almost it's last hour of existence
the legislature reconsidered and passed
fine antimosquito bill, and it is now in
the governors hands. Although the
hill carries with it an appropriation of
s10 900 for the investigation and ex-
termination of the mosquito in this
state. it was passed too late to have
this item included i'll the annual ap-
nropriation bill; consequently the gen.
tle MOSQUITO may buzz and bite as of
DAVIS gone by this summer without
fear of state interference.
Among the other measures OF impor-
lance enacted by the legislature were
the antitrading stamp bill, making
these stamps redeemable in money aft
or July /; providing for the publication
of a synopsis of the laws in the news
naners of the state; increasing the
state road appropriation from $15O,000