Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1904-01-14
lspecial Correspondence.l

to Command Attention OF La~ma X
ers.
Especial Correspondence
Trenton, Jan. 14.-It was not many
minutes after o'clock on Tuesday
afternoon when the two branches OF
4 the legislature were called together
and the organization of the one hun
dred and twenty-eighth session OF the
states lawmaking body was eHected
according to schedule.
The two houses were scenes OF pretty
floral ornamentation, the desks OF
many of the lawmakers being piled
high with floral membranes OF
friends There were crowds in the gal
leries to see the exercises of the or
ganization of the legislature, and the
millinery display in the ladies' gallery
as well as the parade of the dress
makers art was second not even to the
floral exhibition on the floors OF the
two houses. The new senate chamber
was ready for occupancy, and the rev
details about the construction that re-
NAMED uncompleted were not noticed
New senate Chamber Admirable.
The new chamber brought forth
many words of praise and admlra-
ton, and it is well worthy OF all
4 that was said about it. 1t is as near
Nv a miniature of the United States
senate chamber as it could be made to
meet the requirements and is finished
1 In decorative panels. holdings Of plas-
/ ter of paris. scagliola and imitation
marble. 1t measures 40 by SO, and the
central part is about thirty-six feet to
the dome. There is a seating capacity
/ in the public galleries of 200.
In the senate Senator Edmund w.
Wakelee of Bergen was selected as
| president. In assuming the office he
made few remarks, thanking his col
/ leagues for the honor they had con-
ferred upon him and asking them for
a continuance Of the friendly relations
/ that had characterized the upper body
since he had been a member of it.
Senator Joseph Cross Of Union, the
leader of the majority in the senate,
made the nominations for his party,
and the slate went through without a
hitch. Walter e. Edge was reelected
secretary. The other officers selected
were as follows: Assistant secretary,
Howard L. Tyler, Cumberland; super
| visor of bills. Isaac R. Piersol, Morris
journal clerk. Merchant Meeker, Union;
assistant journal clerk, J. Howard
Sprague, Ocean; calendar clerk, Robert
4 n Bustard. Passaic; bill clerk, David
A. MacIntyre, Essex; sergeant at arms,
/ D. Hart Cunningham, Mercer; assist
ant sergeant at arms. George w.
/ Mount. Burlington; assistant bill clerk,
Joshua D. Watson, Camden.
The following officers We're chosen IN
the house, the majority nominations
being made by Leader Everett Colby;
Sneaker. ]. Boyd Avis, Gloucester;
clerk. James B. Parker, Passaic, as
sistant clerk, Upton S. Jefferys, cam
/ den: journal clerk, Robert S. Terhune,
Essex: supervisor of bills, George A.
Grover. Essex; sergeant at arms, VII
| liam B. Lutts, Atlantic; first assistant
sergeant at arms, William S. Dey, MID
i dlesex: bill clerk, Edward Totten, Nor
ris
william H. Albright Of Woodbury.
has been named as Speaker AVIS prl-
yate secretary.
POLITICAL Divisions unchanged
There is no change in the political
representation in the two houses this
year The Republicans will have a
i majority on joint ballot of twenty
j three. In the senate there are fourteen
Republicans and seven Democrats
while the house has thirty eight Re
publicans and twenty-five Democrats
i It is expected that the commission
consisting of three former governors
appointed to investigate the matter Of
the Morris canal abandonment propo
sition will have it's report ready t
submit to the legislature within a few
weeks. The commission has been busy
gathering data and hearing arguments
4 for several weeks past and is now busy
on its report. 1t is said that a bill vii
accompany the report to the legisla
ture, but all that can be learned abou
this bill is that it will provide for ths
abandonment Of the canal along lines
that will amply protect all the rights
and interests involved
The National Guard
The legislature is likely to be calico
upon before the session proceeds very
far to take some action in the matter
of the states national guard. There i
"a question in the minds Of many per
sons throughout the state whether it i
necessary for the legislature to accep
the conditions Of the new act of con
gress governing the militia Of the sev
eral states and generally known as thu
Dick bill before it is in effect in thll
state. The claim is raised that TIL
Dick bill regulations and not state reg
ulations now govern the states militi;
and that as the men were sworn in t.
protect the interests of the state ant
nothing was said in their oath abou
serving the United States they can nov