The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-10-01
LEGISLATURE
LIKELY TO
CONTINUE
Adjournment Not Probable
Until After EIectiOn--Im.
pCrtant Bills Are Up.

There is not much talk today about final
adjournment for the 13ist Legislature, and
it is predicted THAI post-election time only
will bring Adjournment because OF the
work that both branches have laid out
for their respective investigating commit
tees.
The Hahn committee has furnished many
interesting developments and promises
more. The Senate committee is1working
today in Hudson, and the Republicans
Dromise developments. too.
In view of the care each branch has
taken not to adjourn if the existence OF
thir committees would be endangered, the
Legislature will remain open for business,
with the result that tomorrow's session
promises to be one OF the most important
of the year.
There are three weikhty bills to he CON
sidered-public utilities, direct prim1ry and
clvilaservice.
The Senate has passed a public utilities
bin, which is not satisfactory to the Dem
ocrats, inasmuch as the string of amend
ments that Senator Silzer and Senator
Colby fought for, were practically ignored
by the Regular Republicans.
Assemblyman Edward II. Wright, jr., Of
Essex. last Wednesday,. before the conclu-
sion of the House session, introduced an
other public utilities bill, fashioned after
the New York measure, but amended so
as to make it applicable to the condition
In this State. His former bill was a re-
plica of the New York bill. The Demo-
Gratis, it is expected. will pass that bill
and ignore that Of the Senate. The Demo-
Gratis want an elective co-mmission-the
Republicans an appointive. When the
House and Senate Will not agree confer
enees will be held and there may or may
not be a deadlock over the two bills.
The Democrats have put in a direct
primary bill, and they say that If the can
didates for public utility commissioners are
elected by direct primary there can be
urged none of the objections generally
made, the principal one being that the
bosses would RUE. Both parties have
planks in their platform advocating public
utility bills. The chances seem to favor
the Democratic bill, because it is a stroug-
err measure than that of the Senate and
If the Senate refuses to pass the House
bill the upper body will have to bear the
onus of passing a weaker bill.
The special committee appointed by
President Of the Senate Bloomfield H
Minch, to draft a direct primary bill. hai
not been able to get together. Senator
Colby telegraphed Senator Silzer and viii
lam Plummer to try to have hem NEE
him today to 60 over the bill. Neithei
man, however, could get to Newark TO
the work.
In the meantime, however, Senator Cobb,
has put in much time studying the Demo
cratic bill. and a proposed bill after tn
lines of the last year bill.
A point has arisen in the mind of tn
Senator, as 10 how the adoption of a part
platform could be arrived at in view Of til
fact that party conventions will be don
away with if the bill becomes a law.
The Senator believes tina the cand.
dates before the primary elections,
order to get their names on the primaF
ticket, will have to stand for some pril
ciple, and that they will not be benin
time in telling the voters for what the
stand. Thus, he reasons, the S1latfor
will have been adopted by the votsrgSl
the candidates.
Assistant Prosecutor Wilbur A. No,
) who is also Interested in the problem. su
gested to Senator Colby that the conve
lions not be done way with. His plan
TO have the conventions at which nam.
of primary candidates should be suggests
by the voters and placed upon the Tickle
1t is expected that the Senate commit
tee will get to work tomorrow before th
session, and thresh ont the provisions q
the bill which are in the main understood
While this committee is doing that worl
Senator John Hinehliffe will probably asI
his fellow legislators Why they do no
act upon the direct primary bill that h
introduced just before the close OF tn,
session last week. 1t will be the same bill
that will be considered in the House wher,
Majority Leader Abram klenert at tn
same time also introduced the measure.
II is likely that the House will pass iii
own bill, and put 1t up to the Senate
while the higher body is drafting one.
There Is another Senate committee. depu
tized to draft a civil service bill for intro