Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1903-04-09
STATE LEGISLATURE.
Especial Correspondence


exceptions the legislation suggested by
Governor Murphy in his annual mes
sage to the lawmakers last January
has been enacted, and the executive is
well pleased with the result attained.
In his interview with the newspaper
men ON the day of adjournment last
week the governor expressed himself
as being highly satisfied with the work
of the session and did not hesitate to
say that more actual work was done by
the legislature which has just passed
into history than by any of its prede-
cessors within his recollection.
There will be a difference of opinion
as to the actual results accomplished
by the session, but this is to be expect
ed. There is one thing certain, and
that is that the Democrats in both
houses seem to be as we'll satisfied with
the work accomplished during the win
ter as are their Republican brethren.
Resume of the Session.
A resume of the legislative session
at this time will no doubt be interest
ing. There were 3S5 bills introduced
in the assembly and just about hun
dred less in the senate. One hundred
and seven of these have become laws,
that being the number of bills signed
by the governor up to last Tuesday. 1t
is estimated that close to 300 bills
were passed. that forty or fifty were
killed outright and that the remainder
were put to sleep in the committees.
The governor had a busy time this
week looking over the hundred or so
bills that have reached him. He is not
likely to rush them through without
giving them close perusal, but when
he does start at them he will make
short work of the mass of bills that
have been piled into the executive de-
partment during the last week of the
session.
Up to date the governor has only
vetoed two measures. They were as
sembly bill No. 20, bringing to the SUI
preme court for summary review the
proceedings connected with the dis
missing of any policeman or fireman,
and assembly bill No. go, which pro-
yided that marshals, deputy and as
sistant marShals shall hold Office dur
ing good behavior.
Important Bills Passed.
Some of the important legislation of
the session is as follows: The prima.
ry election reform bill, the new normal
school bill, the tax and railroad codi-
fication acts, the Passaic trunk sewer
bill, the appointment of a commission
to provide for thorough investigation
into the Morris canal abandonment
propositions, the voting machine propo-
sition, by which there are to be eighty
one machines used at next falls cam
paign as an experiment.; empowering
the governor to remove the state facto-
ry inspector if he neglects his duty, pre-
venting the dissertation of the Ameri-
can flag" bill, appropriat ting 100000 for
the state tuberculosis sanitarium, to
license trained nurses, the automobile
law, restricting the speed of horseless
carriages to nine miles an hour in cit
les and twenty miles an hour in rural
sections, appropriating $4,000 for the
extension of the statehouse grounds,
the child labor bill raising the age at
which children may be sent to work In
mines, factories and workshops from
twelve to fourteen and repeating the
act by which children are compelled
to go to school after they go to work;
the revision of the building and loan
laws, establishing a court for trial Of
youthful offenders, creating a commits
sion to investigate and report on the
need of a rcformatory for women, rat
flying the treaty settling the Delaware
boundary dispute, the Lehigh Valley
railroad consolidation bill, creating a
state bureau of entomology for the de-
struction of insect pests, requiring au-
tomato signals in factories to notify
engineer of accident to an employee
providing for the admission of the wild
ow of any soldier, sailor or marine to
the Vineland home; making it a mis-
demeanor, with heavy penalty, to per-
NIT the life or health of a child to be
endangered through whipping or other
wise: making it a misdemeanor for any
infectious disease to appear in public
reimbursing the Spanish war yolun-
teers from New Jersey for clothing
purchased from the state. they having
been compelled to also buy the govern
ment clothing; creating new board of
geological survey to consist of ten
members at large and one member
from each congressional district pre-
venting foreign municipal corporations
from taking property within the state,
pensioning schoolteachers after forty
years consecutive service, authorizing
boards of freeholders to offer a reward
of $500 for the detection of criminals,
increasing the salary of the state bank
ing and insurance commissioner from
$4,000 to $4,000, authorizing the state
to participate in the celebration of the
battle anniversary at Freehold in June,
authorizing the erection of postoffices
in Elizabeth and Atlantic City and
new high school in Jersey City, provid-
ing a ball and chain for tFamps, INSTALL
ing in the state museum the education,
forestry and other state exhibits used
at the Pan-American exposition and
giving each member of the court of
pardons see for each days actual at
tendance in lieu of all mileage.
Bills That Failed.
Some of the important measures that
kalied are the following: The. three
men in cab" bill, providing for state
maintenance of the teachers retire
ment fund, the Morris canal abandon
ment bill, the Ocean boulevard bill,
the antipigeon shooting bill, compul-
sorry abolition of grade crossings, the
new state oyster commission bill, pro-
viding for state board of control for
all state institutions, abolishing fees
for county officers and placing them
on a salary basis, abolishing the state
board of arbitration, abolishing the
state FISH and game commission, abol-
ishing the fees received by sheriffs for
boarding prisoners, the tenement house
commission bill, preventing minority
stockholders beginning strike" suits
without filing a bond of good faith,
repeater Of the Meeker antispring cleo
ton act, appropriating 100000 for
public roads, providing for the appoint
ment of board of undertakers, to in
culcate lessons of patriotism in the
public schools, establishing connecting
county boulevards, providing for the
appointment of two women factory in