The Penn's Grove record., 1905-01-06
JERSEY LEGISLATURE
Convenes Next Tuesday For
Its I2oth Session.
OFFICERS OF TWO HOUSES
Joseph Cross of Union Selected For
Presidency of Senate, John Boyd
Avis of Gloucester For Speaker OF
Assembly Equal Taxation Bill
First Business,
Especial Correspondence


and twenty-ninth session of the New
Jersey legislature will convene next
Tuesday afternoon, and from present
indications the session will be an ex'
tremely busy one after the first few
weeks. When the lawmakers finally
get down to business there will be
many weighty matters for them to con
slider.
The senate will be called to order by
Senator William J. Bradley of Camden,
the leader of the majority, and tempo
rary officers, then permanent ones, will
be elected, after which the standing
committees will be named.
In the house Clerk Parker of Passaic
will call the meeting to order and q
permanent organization will be effect
ed. Speaker Homer will then lame his
committees.
The opening meetings of the senate
and house will be purely formal, and
adjournment will be taken for the
week. There will doubtless be the usu-
al floral display on the members desks
officers of the Two Chambers.
Following are the senate officers thus
far agreed upon: President, Joseph
Cross of Union; secretary, Howard n.
Tyler of Cumberland Ito succeed Cap
tain Walter e. Edge of Atlantic); as
sistant secretary, Lewis L. Stevens OF
Cape May; presidents secretary, 5
Merchant Meeker of Union; supervisor
of bills, Isaac r. Pierson of Morris; as
sistant supervisor of bills, Samuel L.
Gillin of Monmouth; bill clerk, Daniel
A. Mcintyre of Essex; assistant bill
clerk, Jonathan d. Watson of Camden;
sergeant at arms, James G. Norris Of
Mercer; assistant sergeant at arms,
Edward G. Strengthen of Burlington.
There are to be five doorkeepers in
the senate at the salary of $3.50 each
and four pages at 5000 each.
The following will be the assembly
officers: Speaker of the house, John
Boyd Avis, Gloucester; clerk, James
Parker, Passaic; assistant clerk, Upton
S. Jefferies, Camden; journal clerk,
Robert S.. Terhune, Essex; sergeant at
arms, George B. Lutts, Atlantic; first
assistant sergeant at arms, William S.
Dey, Middlesex; supervisor Of bills,
George A. Grover, Essex; bill clerk,
Edward f. Totten, Morris; assistant
bill clerk, Frederick w. Bender, Union.
AS soon as the legislature settles
down to work it is expected that there
will be q conference of the Republican
leaders to consider the subject of equal
taxation and to formulate a bill on the
matter. Governor Murphy and Govern
or Elect Stokes are both considering
the subject, one for his final message
and the other for his inaugural address.
The Republican party by its platform
fayors the policy Of taxation of second
class railroad property at local rates.
Equal Taxatio Boards Report.
The equal taxation commission ap-
pointed by Governor Murphy to inves-
tigate the subject is now preparing its
report for the legislature, Former Gov
ernor Werts, one of the members of the
commission, is making a draft of the
report, which will be submitted to the
full body, but just what it's fate will be
is not at all certain. There may be a
minority report. Unless expectations
are disappointed Messrs. Riker, Black
and Werts will take positive ground for
reform in the railroad tax system,
while Messrs. Lentz and West are on
sidered likely to favor the present sys-
tenn. There is little probability of the
report being ready before the 1st of
February. 1t is believed that whatever
is said by Governor Elect Stokes i'll kis
inaugural address ON equal taxation
will guide the legislature, and there
fore his address is looked forward to
with great interest. The equal taxa
ton subject, it is almost certain. will
be the most important matter before
the legislature this winter.
1t is probable that early in the ses-
sion the bill for the abandonment of
the Morris canal will make its appears
ance. This is a measure of vast inter
est to north Jersey. The subject was
presented at the dying hours Of the last
legislature, but was not considered be
fore final adjournment.
SchOOlteachers Want More Pay.
The schoolteachers of the state are
making preparations to invade Trenton
some legislation which will give them
an increase of salary, and the firemen
and national guardsmen, despite the
rulings of the courts that the tax eX-
emption law is unconstitutional, will
make a determined effort to have pass
ed a measure which will give them the
old time tax exemption.
The legislature this year may make
a more generous appropriation than
ever for voting machines. There was
some opposition to the machines at the
last election in several sections of the
state, and a proposition to increase their
number is likely to precipitate a con-
test. 1t is generally believed that the
Legislature will decide to buy more ma
chimes.
Another bitter fight is looked for this
winter over the robin question. AS
semblyman Gibbs of Camden county,
who last winter was a strong advocate
Of the DeCou bill permitting the shoot.
ing of robins during the fruit season
has been returned to the assembly, and
it is reported he will present and fight
for a bill similar to the one of last
year, which failed to pass. The small
fruit growers of south Jersey are ex
pected to~ight for the bill. A repeater
for the antipigeon shooting bill is also
expected from Assemblyman Gibbs.
1t is believed that another attempt
will be made to abolish the board OF
arbitration. There is also some talk
of attempting to have the primary Law
amended sc that voters shall cast theil
ballots in one box direct for the candi
dates and not for the delegates, thus
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