Perth Amboy evening news., 1907-02-27
CROWTHER'S
8 HOUR BILL.
Passed House Last Night Pro
videS for But Eight Hours
Work in Prison Labor.

| ~ W OtN
r TRENTON, Feb. 27:-After one of
| the most eloquent speeches of the ses-
sion, delivered by Mr.. Alexander, of
Hudson, the house, at its afternoon
session, yesterday, gave its unanimous
approval to the Alexander bill, estab-
fishing a state reformatory for women
between the ages of sixteen and thir-
ty years.
In opening his address Mr.. Alex
ander stated that last year 11S wo-
men were convicted of crime in New
Jersey and more than 260 were put
on probation. He stated that this
was because the state has no reforma-
tory for them and the probation list
was large because judges had been
indisposed to send these women to
county jails or state prison. He felt
sure many "first offenders" had been
sent to prison where they were forced
crime with the result that the influ-
ence had been disastrous to the pris-
oner and the moral welfare of the
state.
He recited the history of similar
reformatories in New York and
Massachusetts where, cince their es-
| tablishment, woman who has been
an inmate for first offense had not
been known to be brought before a
trial court again. Mr.. Alexander
said that the initial cost of such an
institution as he proposed would be
about $4,000.
Build Reformatory Here.
The present plan, should the meas
ure pass the senate and be signed by
the governor, is to place the reforma-
tory in this city. At a committee
hearing on the subject, conducted
last week, it was explained that, mas
much as the state owns considerable
property between the state hospital
and the state home for girls at Hill
the state to have the reformatory
there.
Two other measures were passed
by the house. One is the Passaic pol
luton bill, which provides that sew
ering into the Passaic river must
cease in 1912 and establishes one of
the most elaborate trunk sewerage
systems ever projected.
DIR. CrOwther's S-Hour Bill.
The other measure, fathered by
Assemblyman Crowther, of Middle
sex, constitutes eight hours service
in each twenty-four full days labor
for persons employed in the penal in
stitutions conducted by the state.
Both DR.. Crowther and Mr.. Brady, of
Essex, made eloquent pleas for the
passage of this measure.
| This measure was passed without
| dissenting voice.
Other bills passed at the afternoon
session were:
Bills Passed.
II. 80, appropriates 100000 for the
| Princeton battle monument.
Fl. 92, establishes uniform stand
ard of weights and measures and fixes
i penalty for violation thereof
H, 29, the Newark city hall bill.
Fl. 3, the Trenton city hall bill.
S. rs, re-establishes old law per-
mitting the impanelling of juries for
two weeks only in first-class counties.
~ Nv, tiS ilOpOhGH lIft mousse DOnu
bill.
H. 255, companion measure to the
Passaic valley trunk sewer bill. Au-
thorizes Paterson to operate a plant
for the treatment and disposal OF
sewage.
RecOmmitted.
H. 1877, authorizing Sunday base
ball playing, was recommitted on
motion of Mr.. Baker.
Reconsidered.
| Fl. 9S, permitting boxing bouts
with eight-ounce gloves. which was
| lost Monday evening, was resconsid-
cred and recommitted. H. 173, the
! Jersey City tax commission bill, was
! also recommitted, as was H. 1872, in
creasing the salary of the deputy lab
or inspectors. H. 2SS was with
| drawn.
The house adjourned to meet Mon
! day night.