Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1904-04-14
fe,l to Them. They have D,


disarn public criticism against the pro
posed abandonment and iii that Soc
ton of the state most Infected tho
press and the people have very gener7
ally accepted the suggestion Of tile
commission and greatly desire to have
their recommendation approved by the
legislature
1T was only natural. perhaps, chat
the legislature, receiving this report
during the last days of its session,
when it was overwhelmed with tho
pressure of other business, should not
have been able to give that eonstlera-
ton to the question which its impor-
tance demanded but many interests
can be conserved by a present deci-
sion, and so far as / have been able
to learn. nothing can be gained by Il
postponement.
'sYhe failure of the legislature to
deal in open session definitely With
what has come to be known us the pr
geon bill has aroused a feeling Of dis
appointment throughout the state
This feeling has been intensified be-
committee, and the question now seems
to be not so much whether pigeons
shall hereafter be shot from traps as
whether any question in which large
number of the people are interested
shall receive proper consideration at
the hands of the representatives of the
people,
Governor Had signed Many Bills.
The governor, continuing. said that
the legislature had adjourned two
weeks ago and had left pa bills in his
hands for consideration He felt it
his duty to accept as far as possible the
judgment of the legislature and had
signed the greater number of them.
From some he had been compelled to5
withhold his signature because OF the
incorrectness of their form, particular
~ the Jersey City sewer bors issue
bill, and others upon which the govern
or said he would be glad IS have fhe
further judgment Of theIIegislature.
Speaking Of the appropriation OF
$275,0G0 for tile improvement of roads
throughout the state the governor said
he had been compelled to veto this APP
preparation becslse the amount here
tofore annually expended, $250000, was
quite as ngieh as the state should an
pr0priafeI and If the counties desired
% m2s'Ee greater improvements than
their share Of the appropriation would
allow these counties should furnish the
additional sum. The governor said he
did not want to be understood as being
in any way opposed to the policy of
the state in the question of improving
the roads, policy, he said, with which
he has been heartily in sympathy, and
he would be glad, he said, if the legis
lature would pass a measure appro
priating $250,000 for this purpose.
In conclusion the governor called at
tention to the needs of the Railway re
formatory. which, he said, is doing ex-
cellent work III saving first offenders to
creditable citizenship In speaking on
this subject the executive said that no
sum was too large to devote to this in
stitution.
Pigeon Bill warmly Debated.
The anti pigeon shooting bill intro
duced by Senator Bachelor of Essex was
warmly debated upon by both houses
1t provides that any person who uses
a live pigeon, fowl or other bird for the
purpose of a target or to be shot at
either for amusement or as a test of
skill in craftsmanship, or acts as par
ty to such shooting, or leases any build
ing or premises or knowingly permits
the use thereof for the purpose of such
shooting shall be guilty of a misde.
meanor and shall be liable to penalty
of $50 for each violation of the act and
to an additional penalty of $50 for each
bird shot at or killed, but nothing in
the act is held to apply to the shooting
of game.
Senator HOrner presented numerous
petitions against the bill, after which
Senator Jackson reported it fayorably
Senator Horner offered a substitute
prohibiting pigeon shooting except by
regularly organized clubs holding a Ii
cense from the fish and game commits
sion. A heated debate on this PROPOSE
ton ensued, Senators Horner and Lee
supporting the substitute and Senators
Bachelor, Hudspeth and Cross oppos-
ing it. The motion to adopt the sub.
stitute was defeated by vote of to 8.
An amendment making the act opera
tive July instead of Immediately was
adopted by vote Of IL to 5. On fina!
passage there was more speaking on
Inc bill, both for and against it, and il
was passed by a vote of IA to 2.
The bill then went to the house,
where there was just as warm a dis
cussion on it. Mr. Robbins of Burling
ton and Mr.. Elvins of Atlantic opposed
the measure, while Mr.. Swackhamer
of Somerset and Mr. Scovel of Camden
favored it. 1t was passed by the house
by a vote of 40 to 8.
The Passaic flood bill was rearrang-
ed to meet the governors objections
10,