The Penn's Grove record., 1906-03-02
STATE LEGISLATURE
Lawmakers Working Fast as
Adjournment Approaches.
MAY HAVE INSURANCE INQUIRY
Colby and Martin Ask For Commit
tee to Probe Relations of Insurance
and Trust COmpanies-SeveraI Rail-
road BiIls-Hot ON
Franchise Question.
Especial Correspondence

VS. ACdL lhC WIN OCNOhACD AIiOAS
hurried and more important. This
week has been an extremely busy one
in the legislative halls. The commit
tees have given much time and atten-
have been held whenever possible.
Some of the most important legislation
Of the session has been touched upon
this week.
The Republican house leader, Assem-
blyman Perkins, moved his equal tax
alton bill back to second reading Mon
day night and amended it in several
instances, notably changing the date
of railroad assessment returns from
March 1 to May 1 to give more time to
get the measure through the senate in
time to go into effect this year.
Assemblyman Scovel, chairman of
the committee on municipal corpora
lions, reported without recommended
ton and without amendment the local
option bill, on which so great a fight has
been waged by the church people and
liquor interests of the state. He &C
companied his report with 400 petit
tons urging the passage of the bill.
Trust and Insurance Companies.
An attack was made by Senator Col
by of Essex Monday night on the rela-
tons between life insurance compa-
MES and trust companies. He began
by introducing a resolution for the APP
pointment of a committee of three sen
ators to investigate the relation be-
tween these corporations. Assembly
man Martin at the same time offered a
similar resolution in the house asking
for an investigation by a committee of
five.
Mr.. Martin had a stormy time while
talking on the resolution. He began by
saying that the New York state inves-
tigation showed that presidents of life
insurance companies in that state were
robbers" The resolution was finally
referred to the committee on banks
and insurance, 81 yeas and 20 nays.
Mr.. Martin gave notice that on Mon
day evening next he would move to re-
lieve the committee of further consid-
Grafton Of the resolution. This means
a fight on the floor of the house.
The bill of Mr.. Mills providing that
local municipalities shall provide and
pay for voting places at the primaries
and elections was opposed on third
reading by Messrs. Morris, Mabie and
Wright on the ground that the boards
of freeholders should pay the election
bills. The measure was laid over.
A bill by Mr.. Perkins defines the
term main stem" in railroad taxation
to include the roadbed not exceeding a
hundred feet in width, with its rails
and sleepers, not including depots OF
other buildings erected therein or used
in connection Herewith.
In the senate petitions favoring the
local option bill were presented Mon
day night by Senators Alderman,
Frelinghuysen and Hutchinson. Sena-
tor Frelinghuysen also presented a res
olution favoring Wakelee's bill for the
carrying of freight and express by
street railways.
New Senate Bills.
Among the senate bills introduced
were the following:
By Mr.. McKee-Providing for the
taxation of all cemeteries except such
as are owned by any church IL re-
ligious association.
By Mr.. matchmaking any city to
construct or otherwise acquire water
works within it's own territory or in a
neighboring municipality.
By Nj. Colby-Prescribing the man
ner of removing the holders of ap-
pointive and elective offices.
By Mr.. Notwithstanding for the
labelling of proprietary or other medi-
cines containing alcohol, narcotics or
other potent drugs.
By Mr.. Frelinghuysen-Fixing the
annual salaries of common pleas
judges. These salaries are to be in
lieu Of all fees.
A most drastic automobile bill was
introduced by MI. Minturn. 1t pro-
vides for the establishment, under the
supervision of the state road super
visor, Of toll houses and gates at in
tervals of ten miles IN the main high
ways of the state. These are to be
by a telephone system and a
toll of 10 cents collected from every
automobile by a toll taker sal
aried at SIS a week. These tolls are to
go to the county. The state gets an
annual license fee of So per auto, but
a share Of that goes to the different
counties for road repairs. There are
to be policemen on horses and motor
cycles along the line, and any autoist
caught exceeding the speed limit is to
his license revoked for a year.
Several bills relative to railroad tax
alton were introduced in the house.
Two Of the bills provide for a distribu-
ton of certain moneys received from
railroads for school purposes.
Distribution of Railroad Taxes.
The bill by Mr.. Perkins concerning
the distribution of money received
from the extra taxation of railroads is
that one-half of l per cent of the rail
road taxes shall go to the state and the
remainder to the different localities for
the use of the public schools. A bill
presented by Mr.. ArrOwsmith provides
that the state comptroller shall an.
nually pay over to the various taxing
districts in proportion to the value OF
railroad main stem and canal watering
situate therein all moneys received
from the taxing of railroads and ca
nails, excluding $1,000, 600, which shall
be retained by the state.
A third bill relative to the taxing of
railroad property was introduced by
Mr. Martin. 1t provides that in taxing
railroad and canal property main
stem" shall mean the 100 feet wide
roadbed, with rails and sleepers, and
not include depots, waterway or tow
ing path, and tangible personal proper
ty shall be rolling stock cars, locomo-
tives, ferryboats and floating movable
personal property.
Mr.. Smethurst introduced a bill in
the house which makes it obligatory on
persons and corporations other than
railroads to pay employees weekly.
Mn ..A 49,. @-E @@-