The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1906-04-02
Senators Shinn aud Martens
Will Tonight Demand In
vestig alton Of Pawnbroker
Krinke's Charge
THIRTEENTH WEEK OF SESSION
MAXIMUM TAX RATE BILL TO
COME UP FOR PAssAGE-CA-
NAL QUESTION DEAD. BUT AU-
TO AND STATEN ISLAND WA
TER SUPPLY BILLS WAIT AC-
! gTION
Especial to .erhe Jersey city News

Especial to "The Jersey CITY News'')
TRENTON. April 2, 1906 When the
Senate meets tonight Senator'S Shinn
and Martens, who were charged by Phil
ip Krimke. President of the New jersey
Pawnbrokers' Association with attempt
ed extortion of $4G0 to hold up two bills
demand an investigation Of these charges
by a committee.
Whether President Bradley will desig-
nate the Judiciary Committee as a spe-
cial investigation committee or appoint
new one is not yet settled and will not
be until Governor Stokes, who insists
upon a thorough investigation of the
charges, is consulted to-day. The Ju
dietary Committee IS composed of Sen
ators Hillery. Wakelee and Minturn,
and neither of them is anxious to serve
on the sinvtss gasion commit ee un ess
Senator Colby is added as one Of the in
vestigators. Mr.. Colby, it is stated. is
not SO anxious to serve. but if the Seaa-
tors insist he will acquiesce.
The fact that there is going to be an
Investigation is enough to arouse public
interest and add another feature to a ses
sion that, despite IFS procrastiration. has
been unique. 1t viii be hard to divert
attention to the Senate, at least from the
Investigation to the regular routine work.
1t will be several days before proceed
iags can actually begin, as counsel,
clerks. etc, will have to be chosen. and
rules and regulations for the taking of
testimony be formulated This will in
volye much work. especially If the inyes-
tigation is conducted when the Senate is
not in session or in some other room.
This will be the thirteenth week of the
session 1t remains to be seen whether
it will be lucky stretch Of FIVE or sevea
days Of hcodoo for the Solons and the
public interest Of course, the Leg.sla-
ture will not be in session seven days.
The most important business possible for
the State will not keep the majority here
after Wednesday night, or possibly
Thursday. The Senate has not yet re-
manned beyond Wednesday, and on only
one occasion did the House stay through
,tti.z ~. 4h,
Assemiblymen. They have not waited I'M
til Thursday since. 1t has been repeat
edly pointed out here that. had the Leg
islature attended to business as many OF
its predecessors did. it could have adj
journed finally last Friday.
The passage of the repeal of the Hill
iery act in the Hcuse last Wednesday
will probably hurry the. passage of the
Maximum Tax rate bill, which is to sup
plant the old Hillery law. That measure
is very important and has been held back
longer than there was any need. The
bill Of Mr.. Perkins for the distribution
of the funds locally arising from railroad
taxation should be pushed through the
House this week and should get into the
Senate. II is the former Martin amend
ment to the Perkins measure and is rec
ognized as right and constitutional.
Whether the railroads intend to move
on that bill renpairs to be seen. but the
indications are that they have had the
fight pretty we'll knocked out of them.
If they undertake anything else it is
more apt to be in guise of some measure
that appears innocent and sound. The
general belief is that the railroad pro-
gramme has in view testing the legisla-
tion of this winter in the courts.
The Automobile bill will probably be
reported out in the House Monday night
or Tuesday morning in the shape of
committee substitute radically different
from the Freiinghuysen bill that passed
the Senate.
The fact that the Joint Judiciary Com
mite Of the Senate and House has APP
proved Senator Wakelee's bill allowing
Staten Island to have certain amount
Of New Jersey water, renders it very
probable that the bill will pass. Senti-
ment is divided over this measure, and,
outside of the legislature. the feeling is
apparently hostile.
|, sAssemblyman Martin will make
strong effort this week to get the Judic-
iary Committee to report favorahly his
resolution authorizing an investigation Of
public utility companies.
The Morris Canal abandonment propo-
sition, in any kind of shape. is dead for
~. ~, !.