Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1903-03-26

President Hutchinson took the fio0I
and explained his vote in opposition to
the bill. He said the speed of twenty
miles an hour in the country districts
was too great and should be reduced
The president took occasion to correct
an impression that had gone abroad
that he was holding up this bill. He
said that he was not going to hold up
any bill and would have every measure
introduced put on the calendar so thai
the senators could have an opportunity
of passing or defeating it. He stated
that he had not buried the bill as init
mated and that he had no such inten
ton concerning this measure or any
other bill that might come before the
senate. Governor Murphy this week
signed the bill.
Morris Canal Bill.
One of the most important matters
now before the legislature is the prop
osition relating to the abandonment of
the Morris canal. Great opposition has
developed to this scheme, and it is re-
ported that the leading supporters OF
the measure are seriously considering
the propriety Of giving up the fight to
have the canal abandonment bill pass
ed and will agree to the adoption of the
bill to have a commission created to in
quire into the matter and submit re
port to the next legislature. 1t is ar
gued in opposition to the abandonment
bill that the company owning the ca
nal has done so many things that are
contrary to the law that its charter has
been violated some time ago and that
the state has the right to take posses
sion of the canal. There are three sucl
commission bills now before the house
and it is safe to say that one of them
will be passed.
The original bill providing for the
abandonment of the canal involves Ger
tain rights and title to the water front
in Jersey City, which, it is argued
should revert to that city instead of go
ing to big corporation. The Morris
Canal and Banking company, under 8
state charter granted in 1924, built the
canal A supplement passed by the
| legislature in 1871 permitted the cana
to be leased in perpetuity by the lie
high Valley Railroad company, which
concern is now in possession of it:
property and franchises. The presen
charter will expire in 1913, when the
canal will become the sole property OF
| the state. Under the Boyd bill, which
is likely to be allowed to die, the cana
company will be allowed to abandon
the operation of the canal for nayiga
ton purposes and at the same time tt
retain. sell or otherwise dispose of the
franchise, water rights and other prop
erty. The Williams commission bill il
practically the same as that introduced
in the senate by Mahlon Pitney il
1901. The commission is to inquire in
to the fair value of the canal property
to the two companies and to the state
and whether the property, if taken by
the latter could be profitably operated
as a public highway by charging rea
sonable rates for transportion and alst
as to whether the state should own anC
control the water rights of the cana
and to use the same for supplying mu
inequalities with water on just an(
equitable terms. The commission is t.
consist of six members.
The house on Monday night passed
the bill requiring that all applicants
for physicians shall have high schoo
education and certificate. Mr.. Scove
of Camden opposed the measure on the
ground that it would take away the
chances of poor boys who may study
medicine after their opportunity for {
high school education has passed.
Most of the senate's time early this
week was taken up with discussion
of the Passaic pollution bill providing
for trunk sewer to drain the Passai'
valley. The bill, after vigorous oppo
sition by Senator Mckee of Passaic
was finally passed.