The Penn's Grove record., 1907-04-19

the house placed all the cost Of abolish
ing grade crossing upon the railroads.
The senate substitute which Mr.. Brady
apportion the expense between the
railroads and the municipalities COLI
cerned in whatever proposition seemed
to him just.
The Democratic house passed the
Hendrickson bills to tax main stem
railroad property locally, but Mr.. Sulli-
vans bill to compel public utility COM
panies to pay tax at local rate upon
the value of their franchises in addi-
ton to paying tax upon their tangible
property got no further than second
reading in the house. The Republicans
opposed the Hendrickson bills and
stood by the Perkins average tax rate
law that was put through last winters
legislature.
1t is worthy Of note that, after all
the talk, the bishops law remains in
tact except for n slight change which
wipes out in all but first class counties
the requirement that an applicant for
q license must have lived for at least
a year in the licensing district when
applying.
What Has Been Accomplished.
Among the measures enacted were:
The railroad commission bill. which
promises to correct many railroad evils
and abuses.
The insurance reform measures, In
troduced as the result Of an extended
insurance investigation and intended
for the protection of policy holders.
The Passaic sewer bill, to remedy an
insanitary condition that has been
threatening the health and lives of
thousands of people living in the Pas
sale valley for the past ten years or
more, during which time the different
municipalities have been squabbling
over the best means Of doing away
with the dangerous nuisance.
The repeating of the promoters liza
bility act, which will make promoters
of the various trusts and other corpo-
rations comply more thoroughly with
the state laws.
The act providing for state ownership
of potable water supplies.
The municipal playground bill.
The measure providing for joint fish
ing laws in the Delaware river and
bay in keeping with. an agreement with
Delaware.
The uniform divorce law, making it
more difficult to secure divorces in this
state and doing away with the plan of
securing divorces without publicity.
The act to permit voters to express
their preference for United States SEN
ators.
The joint resolution asking congress
to for an amendment to the Unit
ed States constitution to enable the
election of United States senators by
popular vote.
The freight demurrage and other rail-
road reform bills.
The measure for the investigation of
the coal, ice, provision and stone road
trusts.
A number of bills in the interest Of
labor.
A number of fish and game bills for
the better protection of the fast di-
minishing birds and game of the state.
There were also passed the usual
number of bills of purely local interest
to the districts from which they orig
mate, but which have to be made gen.
eral in their scope so as to avoid the
constitutional prohibition against spe-
cial legislation.
1t is the latter class of bills that take
up so much time at each session and
that do so much toward cluttering up
the statute books. Some relief is prom
Used by the work of the commissions
now seeking to revise and codify laws
on different subjects.
Measures Defeated.
A large number of bills were defeat
ed both in the Republican senate and
in the Democratic house, the RESPONSE
bility for adverse action on measures
being about equally divided. Among
the measures lost were the following:
The civil service bill.
Referendum and initiative bills.
The local option bill to prohibit the
sale of liquor.
The Blohm bill to legalize liquor sale
On Sunday.
The bill providing for a daily legis-
lative record.
The bill giving judges the right to re-
wise grand juries selected by the sher-
ifs.
One of the measures likely to be
heard from within the next few weeks
is the house resolution providing for
an investigation of the Republican
state administrations for the past few
years. Five members Of the assembly
will conduct the investigation. The
Democrats hope to uncover extrava-
gance in state expenditures. The Re-
publicans declare they have nothing to
fear from such an investigation.
The Investigating committee will be
named by Speaker Lethbridge some
time this week, and it is expected to
complete its work in time to report on
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