The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1906-02-06
Debate On Assemblyman
Berg's Resolution to Com
pei Committees to Report
Bills Is Ignominiously
Defeated
BILL REPORTED ADVERSELY
LBADER PERKINS AND THE RE
PUBLICAN MEMBERS PLAINLY
DECLARE THAT THE MAJOR
ITY RULES THE RoosT.
Especial to ..The Jersey city News.'o

Special to ''The Jersey City News.')
TRENTON. Feb. 6, 100 6.-Assembly
man Berg's resolution which he introduc-
ed last week compelling all committees
to report bills upon the request of ONE
third of the House members, last night
precipitated one of the Eyeliest debates
of the session The Committee on Rules,
of which Administration Leader Perkins
is chairman. had reported the bill ad-
versely. This aroused Mr.. Berg's ire,
and he sought to prevail upon the mem
bers to reejct the committees report. He
made his maiden effort as an orator and
made favorable impression He de-
nounced the committee in unscathing
terms. claiming that if the report was
not rejected the minority would receive
no recognition at the hands of the ma
jority.
Past experience in this Legislature
has been that every important measure
introduced by the minority has been con-
signed to a graveyard" exclaimed Mr..
Berg, somewhat dramatically. ''The mi
nority do not receive even the courtesy
of explaining their bills, because they
are buried in committee and cannot get
them out. / say that if this practice is
to be continued any longer, believe we
should place obituary notices on our billc
when we present them, because they will
be consigned to a graveyard, 2
Leader Perkins, in asking the House
to sustain the committees report. had
held several meetings and requested Mr..
Berg to attend and explain his reasons
for offering the resolution, but he failed
to appear.
Mr.. Berg said that he had only once
been asked to appear before the COM
mittee and then at time when he was
unable to do so. He scored Leader Per
kins for having requested the Speaker
to refer the bill TO the Committee on
Rules, Of which he was chairman. and
said that it was unfair
Assem- blyman Miller stirred up more
trouble by asking if Leader Perkins had
sr;ror NJ Parn .,o+;oo +ho+ a. oo,s,
mittee intended to submit an adverse re-
port. Mr.. Berg replied that he had only
received such notice ten minutes before
the session began. Mr.. Miller contended
that it was not an ample notice as re-
quired by the rules of the House
Leader Perkins became frightened and
several members came to his rescue by
producing a copy of the rules showing
that his notice was ample. He then
launched into spirited attack on the
resolution, showing what an absurd and
ridiculous proposition it was fer only
one-third of the members to rule the ma
jority that committee must report
bill at their request.
He explained that from time imme-
mortal the Legislature was ruled by the
majority and that unless the majority
so requested no committee was relieved
of a bill against its will. He said that
if the minority members felt they were
not receiving fair play at the hands of
any committee it was the. duty of the
complaining member to go to the chair
man of the committee and state his griey-
ance. If he did not then receive satis
faction he could give notice to the House
and ask that the committee be relieved
of further consideration of the bill. Then
the majority would decide whether on
not the committee should be sustained.
He strongly disapproved Of the propo-
sition that the minority should rule Of
dictate.
Mr. Berg retorted hotly BY asking what
consideration Mr.. Colby received last
year when he appealed to the majority
to relieve the Committee ON Municipal
Corporations of his franchise tax and
equal tax bills
He was out-voted," shouted Mr., Berg,
"and you propose to do the same thing
with us this year. would suggest that
you create a new committee and call it
s'The Committee on Grayeyards to
which all bills introduced by the minority
should be referred,
This sally provoked considerable laugh
ter from those i. the galleries and all
parts Of the House.
Asasmblyman Mills. Of Morris, asked
4h>4 .rAp alla,~s.~ .has khA Rarg sas0s