Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1903-03-05
STATE LEGISLATURE.
Especial Correspondence

Especial Correspondence
Trenton, March Eight weeks of
the legislature have passed, and the
session is now in full gallop. Had the
lawmakers displayed the activity that
is now apparent few weeks ago the
term would not have lasted more than
a month. The session is now at its
busiest, however, and the end is in
sight
The house on Monday night settled,
so far as it was concerned, the much
discussed Passaic pollution question.
There was a determined fight on the
part of the Paterson men of the Pas
sale delegation to prevent this bill from
going through, the claim being urged
that the bill will injure Paterson finan-
cially and that the residents of that
section do not want a trunk sewer, as
is proposed in the bill. The delegation
from Essex county, backed by the gov
ernor, will leave no stone unturned to
have the bill become a law, it being
urged that the trunk sewer plan is the
only feasible means to relieve Newark
and the adjacent country from the i'll
effects of the Passaic river, the cause
of which is attributed to Paterson.
The bill calls for the construction of a
100000 trunk sewer to carry the
sewage of the Passaic valley to New
York bay
There is very little heard just now
on the matter of the appointment of a
state prison supervisor to succeed Ma
jor E. J. Anderson, but there seems to
be little likelihood that the governor
will pursue any other course when the
time comes than to reappoint the pres
ent incumbent. Major Anderson is one
of the "old guard" as far as officehold-
ing is concerned. lie is seyenty-two
years old, and about one-half of that
time has been spent in the service Of
the state. He began his career in of
fee with a position in the office of the
state adjutant general during the civil
war. From that he became an assist
ant in the state comptroller's office, in
which capacity he served for nine
years. He was then chosen state comp
troller and held that office for ten
years In 1894 he was made supervis-
or of the state prison and has held that
position ever since. As his term of of
fee does not expire until June, it is
probable that the governor Will not
make the appointment until the eve of
adjournment.
As to Appointments.
The governor has yet to make two
other important appointments, about
which he seems to be taking his own
time There is rumor to the effect
that the executive would like to have
the position of chief of the bureau of
labor go to Winton c. Garrison, presi-
dent of the Newark board of street and
water commissioners. The place is
now filled by William Stainsby of New
ark, whose term expires on April 4.
The office is a five year one and pays
$500. The governor is known to de-
sire to have Mr.. Garrison as Il member
of his statehouse family and as a po
litical and confidential adviser 1t is
not known whether Nh Garrison would
accept tile position.
The other appointment which the
governor is holding up, if such it could
be called, is that of a successor to
Banking and Insurance Commissioner
William BEETLE of Camden, whose term
expires on April =. The reason for the
delay in this matter is due to the fact
that the leaders have been unable to
''get together" on successor to Dis
trict Attorney David o. Watkins of
Gloucester, who is slated for the office.
The governor wants to have his private
secretary John L. Swayze, named for
Mr.. Watkins office, but United States
Senator Kean, who has the appoint
ment within his gift, is said to have
another candidate in view. 1t is prob
able that both of these appointments
will be sent in next week.
A bill that seems to have fallen by
the wayside is that introduced by AS
semblyman Low providing for con
stitutional amendment for an increase
of representation in the state senate
This bill was intended for the express
accommodation of Hudson and Essex
counties If the amendment were adopt
ed, it would give Hudson six senators,
Essex five, Passaic two and each of
the other counties one. By this scheme
these three counties would have thir-
teen votes, and the other combined
counties would have a total of eighteen,
and in this way they would practically
take full charge of the matter of legis-
lation; but, as the judicial amendments
are to go before the people next, fall
and no new amendments can be voted
upon for five years, there is no danger
of change in the existing order of
things for that period.
Date For Adjournment.
There is much speculation as to the
probable time of adjournment, and all
facts and figures point to Friday, March
20, as the date that will be finally fixed
as the day of final adjournment. There
was some talk of hurrying the work
along so as to get away by the 18TH
and for time it looked as though the
legislators would fix upon Friday,
March 10, as the date for sine die adj
journment, but that would be Friday
Of next week, and, although it would
he possible for the lawmakers to finish
ur their work in time 10 get away -
that date it is not likely that they will
unnecessarily bestir themselves to ac-
complish that. If the legislature comes
to an end ON the Goth, the session will
then have lasted ten weeks. There is
q possibility, of course, that the session
will run over into the eleventh week
and that the final adjournment will not
be brought about until the 9th, but
the Goth is the most likely date at the
present writing Once the Passaic pol
luton and the normal school bills are
out of the way there will be nothing
that will provoke fight and the way
to final adjournment will be open.
L