The Penn's Grove record., 1904-04-15
IN SPECIAL SESSION
Jersey Legislature Passes Anti
Pigeon Shooting Bill.
ACTION ON MORRIS CANAL PUT OFF
Equal Taxation Measures RELOCATED
Road Appropriations Approved.
Relief For Passafc vaIIey-Jersey
City May Issue Sewer Bonds.
fspecial Correspondence.l

lSpeclal correspondence
Trenton, N. J., April 14.-The state
legislature, which was called to meet
by the governor or Tuesday In extra
session to consider the Morris canal
abandonment bill and the anti pigeon
shooting measure, put in a very busy
day and reached final adjournment
Tuesday night. The Morris canal bill,
however, was not considered, action
on this being deferred for the present.
The anti pigeon shooting bill was
passed by both houses afterit had been
amended in the senate, making it oper-
alive July 4. Three other bills were
passed by the special session. One
was the measure appropriating $780,
600 for the improvement of roads
throughout the state. The regular ses-
sion passed a similar bill, but appro-
priating $275,00 instead Of $250,000,
and the governor vetoed it because he
considered the amount too great.
Another bill passed by the special
session was a reconstructed n to
take the place of the measure aiming
to prevent the repetition of floods in
the Passaic valley. The fourth and
last bill f%avorably acted upon was a
allowing Jersey City to issue
$4,000 worth of bonds for the re-
construction of it's sewers. A similar
bill was recently vetoed by the govern
or because of it's improper form.
Nineteen bills were introduced in the
house and three in the senate, but all
save the four mentioned were buried
in the legislative graveyard. Among
the bills introduced and not acted upon
were two equal taxation measures, one
by Mr.. Hamill of Hudson and the 9th
er by Mr.. Fielder of the same county;
bills by Mr.. Swackhamer providing
for the administration by the state of
the teachers retirement fund and pro-
viding for the return to the fund Of
money paid in previous years for adj
ministering it; Fielder's quo warranto
proceedings bill and Duff's elective
board of works act for first class cities.
A bill introduced by Mr.. Hamill, but
not acted on, appropriated $1,000 600 for
lne RanWay feIorudlOry.
Legislation Moves Smoothly.
After several caucuses the majority
party mapped out a line of work, and
legislation moved smoothly after that.
The majority assemblymen tried at
first to get the senators to agree to a
joint caucus, but the latter, thinking
perhaps that they would be outvoted
on caucus action, decided to keep to
themselves. The senate caucus deter
mined to take up only the pigeon bill
and the good roads bill, and the house
agreed to this, but it was later de-
cided to extend consideration to the
four bills noted above as passed.
The senate, in accordance with the
governors call for a special session,
met at IL o'clock noon, and the roll
showed only two senators absent, Me
Kee of the majority and Barber Of the
minority. Senators Minch, Crosse and
Ferrell were appointed to wait on the
governor and notify him that the sem
ate was in session. The governor sent
word that he would communicate with
the senate.
The house of assembly convened for
the special session early in the after
loon. The proclamation Of the gov
ernor reassembling the legislature in
special session was read by Clerk
James Parker, and the document was
ordered to be spread in full upon the
minutes. Majority Leader Colby Of
Essex presented a resolution which
was adopted directing the clerk to in
form the senate that the house had
assembled in pursuance to the govern
or's proclamation and was ready for
business. A committee of three
Messrs. Scovel, Johnston and Kelly
was appointed by Speaker Avis to
wait on Governor Murphy and inform
him that the house had assembled and
was ready to transact business. The
committee in a few minutes reported
to the effect that the governor would
communicate with the house in writ
ing. The governor then sent the house
a special message, a duplicate of
which was also transmitted to the SEN
ate.
Governors Special Message.
In the special message the governor
said he had called the legislature to-
gether in special session to consider
the subject of the Morris canal aban-
donment and the anti pigeon shooting
bill. He said he did not mean by
naming these to suggest that they
We're the only mes entitled to consid-
Grafton by the special session, and if
in it's wisdom it should deem it advis-
able to consider other matters of in
terest to the state such a course would
have his approval. Concerning the two
matters mentioned, he said that public
sentiment about them had become SO
outspoken that he believed he had
simply discharged a duty calling the
special session of the legislature to
consider them. He continued:
"At its session a year ago the legisla-
ture authorized the appointment Of a
commission to consider the question Of
the abandonment of the Morris canal,
and under the authority given me 1 ap-
pointed three of my predecessors as a
commission to examine this important
and complex question, upon which the
public mind vas divided and erroneous
opinions were held by a large number
of the citizens of the state. The re-
port of the commissioners presented to
the legislature at it's regular session
shows with what signal ability they
have discharged the important task
Committed to them. They have pre-
scented the general subject in so COM
prehensive and equitable a light as to
disarm public criticism against the pro-
posed abandonment, and in that Sec
ton of the state most affected the
press and the people have very gener-
ally accepted the suggestion of the
commission and greatly desire to have
their recommendation approved by the
legislature.
1T was only natural, perhaps, that
the legislature, receiving this report
during the last days of its session,
when it was overwhelmed with the
pressure Of other business, should not
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