Gloucester County Democrat., 1907-04-18
SESSION SAFT T[RMATH
Sensational Developments Mark
the Closing Hours.
REVIEW OF THE LEGISLATURE

nStifOdd Ooi1titSStOst 1tit q NsS~S - -
Houses Just Before End-Schedule Of
Important Legislation - Governor
Stokes Piled Up With Work.
Especial Correspondence
Trenton, April Is. The legislature
has gone home until June IS, when the
members will reconvene to pass upon
measures vetoed by Governor Stokes.
From now until that time the governor
will be busy with the mass of bills
thrown on his desk.
After a night of turmoil and excite
ment the one hundred and thil'ty-first
session of the New Jersey legislature
adjourned at 7:14 o'clock Saturday
morning. The excitement became so
intense at one point In the proceedings
that the Democrats and Republicans
were on the verge of a riot. A feature
Of the unusual session was that after
a night of dissension and contention
the parties at odds were able to agree
upon a compromise state railroad COM
mission bill after many failures to get
together during the winters session.
The bill enacted is a compromise
measure, embracing many of the fea-
lures Of both old bills to which the
senate and the house were committed
and at the same time eliminating much
Of the expense that made the original
Wright bill so objectionable.
The Railroad Commission Bill.
AS it now stands the measure creates
a commission of three members at sal
aries of $1,000 each, to be appointed
by the governor instead of being elect
ed by the people, as. Mr.. Wright first
proposed The board is to have a sec
retary and other necessary clerical as
sistants. but no inspectors, as was pro-
vided in both the original house bill
and the senate substitute for that meas
ure The commission is to be admins
trative in part and advisory in part
and in that particular is compromise
between the two houses. 1t is admin
istrative as far as the kind of service
and safety of travel are concerned. In
these particulars the commission has
authority to give the railroad compa-
MES orders that the tracks, bridges and
appliances are made safe. The COM
mission is also given authority to com
pei an increase in efficiency Of travel
ing accommodations where such i'm
proyement is deemed necessary.
Beyond these things the commission
is merely advisory, with power only to
investigate alleged railroad evils and to
recommend reform to the legislature.
Power is given the commission to en-
force its orders by means of court
procedure, this provision being very
stringent
After two fruitless conferences with
the house committee the senate COM
nittee got together and drafted a bill
of its own about 3 O'Clock in the morn
ing while waiting for the house to
complete other work This measure
was adopted by the senate and passed
on third reading without reference or
printing. 1t was hurried to the house
just as that body was about to adjourn.
The speaker referred it to the house
conferees, and they wrestled with it SO
long that the. senators almost gave up
hope of reconciliation and were
about to go home in disgust.
The bill was generally acceptable to
the house members except that no pro-
vision was made for the enforcement
of the orders of the commission. This
was finally corrected by amendments,
and the bill was passed by the house.
It was then sent back to the senate.
where the amendments were concur
red in. and the measure was forwarded
to the governor for executive indorse
ment.
There was lively fight in the SEN
ate during the delay in the house. The
trouble was over the question Of com
curing in any amendments. Senator
Lee of Atlantic, one of the house CON
ferees, made "a bitter attack upon the
house Democrats. He declared that
they had not kept faith with the sen
ate, but were making a play for politi-
cal capital He also attacked Senator
colby for his stand on the railroad
commission proposition.
An Exciting Finish.
The closing hours in the house of as
sembly viii live for years in the minds
of all who were present in the lower
branch shortly before the adjournment.
The introduction of a resolution by
Mr. Brady of Essex for adjournment
two hours before the house calendar
had been cleared and the rushing
through OF this resolution by Speaker
1sethbridge before the assembly knew
just what was happening are now
matters of history The subsequent
row in which the members stood on
their desks and yelled themselves
hoarse or gathered about the speaker $
chair in a threatening attitude will
never be forgotten. 1t was the most
unusual scene in the history of New
Jersey legislation Only the cool heads