The Jersey City news., 1906-04-07
Although the Legislature
Has Been in Session Four
teen Weeks the Schedule
Is Still Full
EARLIEST END APRIL lI9
IMPORTANT MEASURES STILL
BEFORE THE HOUSE WHICH
WILL PROBABLY PROVE SER
IOUS STUMBLING BLOCKS.
Especial to 'rbe Jersey city News.'')


special to '.The Jersey city News.')
TRENTON, April I, 1906.-Iust when
the Legislature will adjourn sine die is
a hard nut to crack. This session, it is
admitted, is the longest that has been
held in many years and although it IS
now in its fourteenth week, the probabili-
ties are that it will be kept up at least
two weeks longer, or until about April
10.
There is not member of either House
who is not tired of the work and who
would not hail an adjournment with wild
delight, but witch the vast amount of i'm
portant bills still on the calendars it is
hard to understand how it can be taken
much earlier.
In the House the Bishops bill. the Hill
lery maximum tax rate, the automobile
regulation, the Avis County Board Of
Equalization bill and several other equally
important State measures are still on the
calendar. If these were cleared away,
it would not be difficult for the House 10
agree upon final adjournment within
twenty-four hours. But on these bills de-
bates will likely occur and just how much
time will be devoted TO them is hard to
predict.
The Bishops bill, it is thought, win
require two or three days to get it in
such shape that it will secure the neces-
sary 81 votes for its adoption. There Is
much opposition to the bill in its present
form among the House members. and
with the brewers fomenting revolt the
probabilities are that it will take a week
before it is passed. If it is amended it
will have to be returned to the Senate for
concurrence. This will necessitate anouh.
er delay. The Senate could not be ex-
pected to concur in any Assembly amend
men;s without due and careful delibera-
ton.
Governor Stokes has stated that he
will never consent to sine die adjourn
ment until the Bishops bill. or similar
measure. is adopted. He claims that it
is problem which this Legislature has
undertaken and it must not be eyaded.
Thus the brewers plans for the holding
up of the Bishops bill in the House viii
be frustrated. The bill will have to be
taken up and acted upon in some shape
or other; the Governor will immedia ely
call an extra session.
The Frelinghuysen automobile bill is
III -.
Adjournment The House judiciary
Committee is still graphing with this
bill, trying TO amend it satisfactorily 70
all interests, and the latest reports are
that they have suceesdsJ. 1t s probab
that the amended or compromise bill VIII
he reported next Monday evening Af
ter being adopted by the House it will
have TO be sent to the Senate for con-
currence. where it is also likely to pre-
cipitate another lengthy row. All those
tend TO prevent any early sine die ad-
journment.
The Jersey City ripper bills VIII
be allowed to interfere with adiournment.
The opinion generally prevails that these
bills are practically dead aiEi will never
be recalled from the committees to which
they We're assigned. owing to the eppo-
sition of the Governor to such legisla-
ton. These bills included the abolishiug
of the Jersey City Excise Board and the
two police justices appointed by Mayor
Pagan.
This will he gratifying news to Police
Justices Higgins and Manning. of Jersey
City, and Recorder Stanton, of Hoboken,
who would have been affected by the
measure.
The obieet which Colone! D'ckirsan
seeks win be aceompl sized if tbs
Bishops Bill as amended by the Senate
becomes a law. Section FIVE of the Bis
hops Bill provides that after 30 days af-
ter the passage of the act all excise
boards are TO be abolished and their sue
eesors appointed by the Judge Of the
Court of Comon Pleas. This will take
away Mayor Fagan's control of the Jer-
sey City Excise Board and place the
appointive power in the hands of Judge
Blair.