Perth Amboy evening news., 1906-03-05
WEEK IN
LEGISLATURE.
Most of The Reform Measures
Remain Unfinished Many Im-
pOrtant Bills Come Up.

pOrtant Bills Come Up.
TRENTON, Mar. THE nineth
week Of the legislature will be opened
tonight and a busy week it must be
unless the present term is to be car
ried beyond the end of March and TO
a greater length than the average ses-
sion. Governor Stokes demands that
laws be enacted in a deliberate man
ner and that he be given time enough
to consider the measures that are
submitted to him for approval.
There are now pending equal taxa
ton, limited franchise, pure election,
temperance reform, insurance inves-
tigation, automobile restriction and
similar measures and other important
subjects will be brought up this week.
Definite action must soon be taken on
a number of the reform questions or
they will have to go i've for another
year, and the administration leaders
desire that every pledge of the Re
publican party shall be fulfilled at
this session and that the slate be wip-
ed clean of all promises.
Except for the passage by the
house of the administration bill for
increased railroad taxes, the equal
taxation measure, practically nothing
has been done in the way of reform
legislation. Out of nearly six hun
dred bills which have been introduced
in the senate and the house only four
have become laws by the Endorsement
of the governor. 1t is expected that
beginning with this week bills will
be rushed through at the rate of from
twenty-five to thirty a day, excepting,
of course, the more important meas
r
Railroad Taxation Bill.
The most important matter before
the Legislature at this time is the tax
alton of railroad property and this
has been practically disposed of by
the passage of the Perkins bill in the
house. 1t is believed the bill will be
passed by the senate this week and
if it is it will be signed by the COVER
nor.
Another bill that will undoubtedly
be passed either this week or next is
the Jackson measure to abolish fees
for county officers and place them on
a salary basis instead.
The senate bill to limit public util-
ity franchises to a term not exceeding
twenty years when granted by NUM-
cipal bodies and not exceeding forty
years when so directed by a majority
vote of the people is likely to pass.
There does not seem to be any oppo-
sition to it on the part of the corpora
tons.
The house has passed several bills
to prevent election bribery and the
buying of votes and the senate is ex-
pected 10 take similar action this
week.
Local Option May Lose in Senate.
The fight for temperance reform
legislation was given a temporary set
back in the legislature by the enforc.
ed absence from the house of assem-
blyman Miller, of Cumberland u
ty, the author of the local option bill,
who was detained at home by the
death of his wife. A vote on it is
expected this week. 1t is possible that
the will be passed by the
house, but if it does it will probably
be held up in the senate 1t is not
at all likely that any local option law
will no anarted this wear.
Another temperance move to be
threshed out this week is the 'bish-
ops bill" in the senate. This meas
ure provides for higher licenses and
5tricter regulations relative to Sun
day selling, selling to minors, screen
ed windows, and the like. Its passage
is urged especially by the Catholic
and Episcopal churches of the state
these churches being less favorable
to the local option idea.
A public hearing on the bishops
bill is to be given Tuesday, when
prominent speakers will appear for
each side of the controversy. The Ii
uuor interests are opposing this
measure on the ground that the pres
ent law properly enforced is stringent
enough to cover all evils.
Insurance Hearing Wednesday.
An important hearing will be held
Wednesday. when Senator Hillery,
chairman of the senate judiciary com
mittee, will give an opportunity for
expression of opinion OF Senator Col
by's resolution for an investigation OF
The insurance companies doing bust
ness in this state. Senator Colby has
been making a determined effort
since the opening of the legislature tc
bring about an Investigation of the
insurance companies, but thus far he
has not been able to secure the coop