The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1906-03-26
Committee Substitute for the
Bishops Measure Rouses
Curiosity and spt culation
WORK FOR LEGISLATORS
HIGH LICENSE, SECOND CLASS
R. R. PROPERTY ASSESSMENT,
JERSEY CITY'S CANAL BASIN,
STATEN ISLANDS WATER, AND
AUTOS ALL AWAIT SETTLE
MENT

Especial to seThe Jersey City News')
/ TRENTON, Mar. 26, 19O6.-Outside
of the equal taxation question. the prin-
cfpal issues remaining for Legislative
consideration at the present session of
the Legislature are the Bishops high Ii
cense measure; the assessment of second
class property; the Elyins resolution as
to the Jersey City canal basin; the Stat
en- Island water supply question and the
automobile bill.
High license, as expressed by the Bish-
ops bill, ought to reach a determination
this week. 1t is hard to predict the solu-
ton. The Senate Committee on Miscel-
laneous Business. which has the bill in
charge, hopes to offer a substitute meas
ure at to-night's session of the Senate
that will be mutually agreed to by the
Bishops and the brewers, but it is not
at all certain. Senator Avis has issued
d
afternoon in the Senate committee room
between Senator's Hillery, Wakeiee and
himself, to prepare the committees sub
stitute measure. They have heard the
arguments pro and con which each SIDE
presented and they know exactly what
each side seeks to accomplish. For that
reason the committee will not give either
side an opportunity to be heard. although
the committee to adopt the amendments
which they have advocated.
When the committees substitute is
presented the clergy and brewers will line
up against each other in seeking to gain
the support of the legislators for their
side. The chances seem to favor bitter
fight on the floor and whatever advan-
tage either side will gain will have to be
reached by hard struggle.
In its present form the Bishops bill
would be beaten But amendments will
undoubtedly be made by the members
themselves that will be satisfactory to
the Legislature, if not to the contestants.
There is, of course, a choice of conces-
sion and compromise right up to the last
and efforts in that direction have not
ceased. despite the unfavorable outlook.
The brewers are willing that the cler-
gy should give them the namesand adj
dress Of every saloontkeper in the State
who, they claim. conducts a disreputable
resort, and within twenty-four hours af-
ter they receive such notice they will put
all such saloons out of business by re-
fusing to supply them with beer. This
scheme was tried in Buffalo about year
ago when a crusade was inaugurated by
the reform element in that city and
worked with marked success. Within
twenty-four hours more than Gne hundred
questionable places were closed and kept
closed for year. :.
The clergy, however, have refused to
accept this proposition. They demand
the enactment of the Bishops bill and
claim that if it becomes law all dis
reputable saloons win be forced to so out
of business without the aid of the brew
ers. There then can be no discrimination
made by the local authorities as to the
saloons that should be licensed and those
that aresto be closed. All would be placed
on an equal footing, the clergymen claim,
and as long as they conducted a respecta-
bile business they would not be disturbed
The brewers are hoping against hope
that the present Legislature will not
have time to act on the Bishops bin be-
| fore final adjournment
1t was first proposed that adjournment
should be taken next Thursday. This
was reconsidered and as yet no date has
been agreed upon, although it is thought
probable that if both Houses work as
| hard this week as they did last week,
the calendar will be sufficiently cleared
OF an the important bills to permit final
| adjournment on Thursday, April 5.