The Morris County chronicle., 1903-04-24
WORK OF THE
LEGISLATURE
Special Session Held Last
tuesday Lasted But a
Very Few Hours
PASSED THE POLLUTION BILL

4 position in a Body at Their. own
Expense. The Pollution BuI is
the same One as Passed at the
Regular Session With the Missing
Amendment Added.
The legislature went to Trenton on
tuesday in response to the call Of
Governor Murphy, performed Just two
acts and then adjourned sine die again.
Most OF the legislators arrived be-
lore noon and the republicans of the
respective houses held caucuses Ia
/ decide upon what action should he
taken. These were followed by a Joint
caucus in which it was agreed that the
Passaic valley sewerage bill should be
introduced and passed in the form
tilat 1t originally passed the senate
/ with single amendment. and that no
ounef measure be considered. The
amendment was a provisO that should
IL be discovered that any section was
unconstitutional it should not in
validate the whole law.
| The democratic members also met
IN caucus and decided to support the
pollutlon measure and to oppose any
additional legislation.
Both houses were called to order
shortly after noon. The usual resolu-
tions notifying the governor and the
other branch of the legislature were
adopted. Private Secretary Swayze
soon appeared with the following COM
munication:
! ssrTn tha I aortrl,, 4,,..
AS indicated by the proclamation
issued by me on the ninth day of April.
instant, have called the legislatlre
INTO extraordinary session for the con-
sldefatlon OF appropriate legislation
river.
At the recent session an act was
passed entitled:
- An act to relieve from pollution
the rivers and streams within the Pas
sale valley sewerage district. ESTABLISH
ed and defined by an act of the legis-
lature, entitled An act to create
sewerage district, to be called the pas
sale valley sewerage district. approved
March twenty-seventh one Thousand
nine hundred and two, and for this
/ purpose establishing therefor a district
board OF commissioners, defining its
powers and duties, and providing for
The appointment, terms of Office.
duties and compensation of such com
mlSsloners, and further providing for
une raising, collecting and expenditure
OF The necessary moneys which said
act was duly approved by me on the
nrst day of April, nineteen hundred
and three.
Ii appears from the Journal of the
senate that an amendment to said act
was adopted by the senate while said
act was pending in that body. which
amendment does not seem to have been
concurred in by the house of assembly,
and is not incorporated in the act as
approved by me. What effect. if any.
/ this omission may have upon the
| validity of this legislation, it is not
for me to say. 1t Is almost as essen
tlal, however, that legislation affecting
this subject, should be invulnerable
and free from constitutional doubt, as
that there should be such legislation.
earnestly recommend that the
legislature give this subject such at
tention as will insure the Immediate
passage OF a workable and practical
law for relieving the PaSsaic river
from pollution.
hANkLlN MURPHY.
In the house Leader Boyd immedi-
ately introduced a bill which was the
same as the bill passed at the regular
session, with the amendment mention
ed He moved that it be passed sec
ond reading under suspension of the
rules so that it could be printed dur
ing recess. To this Mr.. Treacy object
ed because he thought the members
should have time to compare it and
see that no errors were in it. His OBJ
lection was voted down, and then Mr..
Hamill insisted that the bill be read
through by the clerk. This was order
ed done, When completed the house
took a recess.
The senate went into executive ses-
sion soon after it met and received the
nomination of Robert Ii. McCarter
for attorney general and confirmed
him at once under suspension of the
rules. 1t was also decided that the
senate should attend the dedication of
the st. Louis exposition in a body on
April 30.
After the adoption of the usual pre-
liminary resolutions the senate took a
recess.
1t took until 4.30 to compare the bill
in the house by Supervisor Grover and
it only took few moments to pass it,
; Mr.. Boyd made a brief explanation.
Mr.. Treacy spoke in favor of the meas
ure, which he believed would be of
great benefit to that portion of the
state bordering on the Passaic river.
MesSrS. Stalter and Van Blarcom Of
Passaic, stated that they intended TO
vote against the bill because they be-
lieved it did a wrong to the people
whom they represented and who were
opposed to it.
The vote was then taken and the
bill passed, 81 to B.
J Upon motion of Mr. Boyd, the
| speaker was directed to sign the bill
at once and send it to the senate.
The senate passed the bin much
more expeditiously than the house.
Senator Mckee took occasion to de-
: nounce the untruthful statements that
he had injected amendments for the
purpose of making the bill uncOnStl-
: tutfonal. He said all the amendments
, were offered in good faith and with
the purpose of strengthening the law,
! should it become such.
The bill passed with only Mr.. Nc
KEGS vote in opposition.
1t was at once hurried back to the
house and then to the governor, and at
$40 the legislature was again adjourn