Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1905-01-05
From sundays Herald [


The one hundred and twenty-ninth
Legislature Of New Jersey will be organ
ized at three O'Clock on the afternoon Of
Tuesday, January TO- with the election of
Joseph Cross, of Onion county, as Plesi-
dent Of the Senate, and John Boyd Avis, Of
Gloucester county. as Speaker Of the House.
In the case of Judge Cross it may be said
that honors, not envy, love shining mark,
1t is no secret that he could have had the
place now filed by William NJ Lanaing as
Judge of the United States court, and
other distinctions have also knocked at his
door, but he has feIb constrained by high
sense of public duty to fulfil his Senatorial
obligations. This will be his last year of
service in the Senate, his term Of three
/ years expiring with this session. He will
have served altogether seven years in the
Senate, and also two in the House-one as
Speaker.
Speaker Avis will enjoy the distinction
of serving his second consecutive term in
the chair. This is quite an honor for a
man who is not yet thirty years Of age.
Since the adoption OF the new State com
struction, in 1914, the only speakers other
than Mr.. Avis who served two consecutive
terms were John w. G. Evans, Of Burling-
ton, in 1s47-1S4s; John w Fennimore, Of
the same county, in 1S53-1854; Leon Alb
bett, Of Hudson, in 1869, 1870; Edward A.
Armstrong, Of Camden, in 1ss5-1s86; JAS.
j.. Bergen, of Somerset, in 1991-1892;
David O. Watkins, of Gloucester county, in
! 1898 1899; and William ]. Bradley, of
Camden in 19o1-19o2
1 The mortality among the presiding Off
GERS OF both houses in a period Of about
thirty wears has rot been as great a. that
Of other State officials OF high rank lii
the Senate those who have answered the
last roll-eall were Edward Beetle, who
served as President in 1S71-1s72; John w.
Taylor in 1s73-75; w J. Sewell, in 1876
and 1S79-80; Leon Albeit, in 1877; Geo.
! c. Ludlow, in 1873; Garrett A. Hobart, in
4 1S91-s2, and A. " Schrenck, in 1885.
Former Presidents Gardner, Vail Griggs,
Fish Large Werts, Nevius, Adrain. Rog-
ers, Stokes, Thompson, Williams, Vour-
hees, Skirm, Reed, johnson, Pitney, Fran
els, Hutchinson, and Wakelee are yet full OF
animation and taking an active part in
public affairs One of those presidents.
Mr. Hobart, became Vice President OF the
4 United States One, General Sewell, a
United States Senator; another, Mr.. Griggs,
Attorney General Of the United States; six,
Messrs Albeit. Ludlow, Griggs Werts,
Stokes and Voorhees,, each Governor Of New
jersey. Mr.. Pitney is now a Justice oI
the Supreme Court, and Mr.. Gardner is
serving in Congress.
/ The speakers who haye died in the
4 thirty year period besides MessFs. Albeit
and Hobart were John Eagan, vino served
n 1873; Sherman oriatt, in 1880, aud
Thomas O'Connor, in 1888 To-day thett
are twenty-three former Speakers living
Messrs. vanderbelt, Carsca ten, Rabe, Jack
son, yanDuyne, Dunn, stoney, Armstrong
Baird, Dickinson, Hudspeth, Heppenhei
mer, Bergen, Flynn, Holt, Cross, Derousse,
Macpherson, Watkins, Jones, Bradley,
| Hofner and Avis While nearly all oi
those are still active politicians, yet bnt q
few have arisen to offices OF distinction
Only one of them became President OF the
Senate, Mr., Cross; Mr.. Bergen is now q
vice chancellor; Messrs Armstrong, Hud
speth and Macpherson were elevated to the
judiciary, and Mr.. Dickinson is Secretary
of State
James Parker, OF Passaic, will be chosen
Clerk of the House for a seventh term.
This is longer than any of his predecessors
have served in that capacity, Walter E.
Edge, of Atlantic, after having had a foni
year term as Secretary Of the Senate. will
retire and be succeeded by Howard L
Tyler, of Cumberland, who served last veal
as assistant secretary.
The new Senators will be Messrs. Min
turn, of Hudson: Hutchinson, Of Merser
y :
inson succeeds his namesake, Elijah G.
Hutchinson. Judge Cross is the oldest il
years and in service, being more thar
sixty-one and in his seventh year as {
Senator. Next to him comes Mr.. Ferrell
of Gloucester, who is more than sixty an(
in his sixth year Of service, although no
consecutive, he haying served a term 0
three years in 1882, 1883 and 1884. DR.
Barber, of Warren, is in his sixth year Q
service also, but not consecutive, as h
served three years in 1897, 1898 and 1899
Senator Wood Mckee, Of Passaic, is in hi
fifth year Of service, and so is Senate
Wakelee, Of Bergen. The fourth yea
Senators are Messrs. Lee, Of Atlantic