Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1907-01-10
STATE LEGISLATURE
Assembly and Senate Organize
Amid Many Floral Tributes.
CONFLICTS IN BOTH HOUSES.
Democrats Demand Provision Be
Made In Rules by which All Meas
ures Must BE Reported by Commit
tees-No More .stxiIIins" of Bills.
Final Action Later.
Especial Correspondence

Trenton, Jan. 10.-Amid scenes Of
activity that have been seldom wit
messed at the state capitol the one hum
bred and thirty-first session of the
New Jersey legislature convened
Tuesday afternoon. Each house was
organized, committees were named
and Governor Stokes annual message
was received and adjournment was
taken until next Monday night. Beth
the upper and lower houses were con
verted into veritable flower gardens,
the desks of the legislators being al
most hidden by masses of flowers of
every description and design sent by
admiring friends. The fact that the
house this year is Democratic by a
majority of two votes, while the SEN
ate remains Republican, added interest
to the proceedings and attracted a
large number of visitors.
The senate was organized by the
election of Bloomfield II. Minch Of
Cumberland as president, the re-elec-
ton of Howard L. Tyler of Cumber-
land as secretary and the naming of
these other officers Assistant secre-
tary, William n. Albright, Gloucester;
journal clerk, John W. Cliff. Union; as
sistant journal clerk, q. S. Grant,
Ocean; ergeant-at-arms, John f. Low
EFT, Mercer; assistant sergeant-at-arms,
George +. Streeker, Burlington; bill
clerk, Harry G. Walter, Essex; as
sistant bill clerk, William n. Conkling,
Somerset; supervisor of bills, Edward
A. Sexsmith, Monmouth; clerk to COM
mittee on printed bills, Howard Keas-
by, Salem; doorkeepers, G. Clay Lewis,
Atlantic; Edward Lyons, Bergen; j.
L. Fisher, Essex, and W. w. French,
Somerset.
William G. Murphy Of Camden was
named as private secretary to the pres
ident He served in the same capacity
last year during the term of President
Bradley.
New Senators Sworn In.
The senators elected last fall were
sworn into office, the oath being adj
ministered by Senator Johnson o. Cor
nish of Warren, the temporary presi-
dent. These members are Jacob G.
Price. Sussex, reelected; Samuel K.
Robbins, Burlington, who was speaker
of the 1906 house of assembly; Rob
ert 3. Hand, Cape May; William G.
Gebhardt, Hunterdon; George S. Silzer,
Middlesex, and John Hinchliffe, Passaic.
Senators Hand, Gebhardt and Hinchliffe
were former members of the body.
Senator Hillery, the Republican leader,
in his speech nominating President
Minch spoke of the need of open sen
ate consideration of every bill if its
introducer desired to have it brought
before the senate. When the adoption
of the rules was under consideration
Senator Minturn offered an amend
ment fixing limit of ten days as the
time bills should be in committee and
requiring that they be reported to the
senate at the end of that time unless
an extension should be granted by
three-fourths vote. This amendment
was supported in speeches by Senator
Colby of Essex, the new idea Repub-
lican exponent; Senator Minturn, the
Democratic leader; Senator Gebhardt
and Senator Silzer. Senator Hillery
stated that he favored open considera-
ton of all measures, but that he felt
the amendment was too radical In
this view he was sustained by Sen
ators Lee Avis and Wakelee.
HiIIery Resolution Adopted.
After considerable debate the amend
frr:r ~ ,,I1
ton of Senator Hillery, embodying the
adoption of the 1906 rules, was passed.
Senator Colby suggested that the com
mittee limit be made three weeks in
stead of ten days. Senator Avis was
of the opinion that the necessary vote
for extension of time should be chang
ed from three-fourths to two-thirds,
and Senator Wakelee gave due, solemn
and formal notice as he smilingly said
Sin keeping with the rules just adopt
ed" that he would later move an
amendment to the rules contain
ing the composite ideas adduced by
the interchange of thought upon this
important topic of free and unrestrict-
ed consideration of all bills. This was
most important feature of the ses-
sion and will have an influence upon
all matters to come before the body
during the life of this legislature of
1907. It means, if faithfully carried
out, an end to the killing" of bills in
committee; it also means that every
bill will be debated upon the floor on
Its merits and that both majority and
minority will go on record before the
people as to their absolute attitude on
the respective measures. Senator Hill
lery struck the keynote Of this new era
! in legislation in an address in which
he stated that the time had come when
every public man must stand upon his
own record and that he can no longer
hide himself behind mandate Of party
or shield himself from criticism by set
ting up partisanship above fealty to