The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-10-10
LEGISLATURETO
REASSE MBLE
TOMORROW
Lively Session Looked For.
Utilities and Direct Pri-
maries.sA adjournment?

When both branches of the Legisla-
ture convene tomorrow at Trenton, di-
rect primary and civil service bills, as
we'll as the public utilities bill, as
amended by the House, viii be the nuts
to be cracked. Last Wednesday the
House amended the public utilities bill
given them by the Senate in such a
way that the members of the commis-
sion shall be elective, shall have rate
regulating powers; that the present
railroad commission be abolished, its
duties devolving on the proposed COM
mission and that in addition to pun
ishment incidental to conviction on a
misdemeanor charge provided for a
violation of the provisions of the act,
fine of $1,000 shall be imposed.
The attitude of the Republican MEM
bers of the House, most of whom voted
for the bill. hoping thereby to bring
about the appointment of a conference
committee of Senate and House mem
bers to effect a compromise, is taken
as an indication of what the Senate
will probably do with the amended bill.
1t is expected that as soon as the bill
gets to the Senate that body will ask
for the appointment of the conference
committee.
To be consistent. the Senate is almost
compelled TO do this because all the
amendments passed by the House were
voted down in the Senate when Sena-
tors George S. Silzer, Gebhardt and
Colby introduced them.
If the Republicans insist that the
proposed commission be advisory un'
til experience shows just what power
it should have and take firm stand
against the other House amendments
| in order to get a public utilities bill
on the statute books, the Democrat!
may agree TO the passage of the Senate
bill.
They will, however. have their cam
paign orators tell the voters of th
State just what Republican action wa
in the passage of the bill. This fac
may make the Senate a little NOR
pliable and out OF the conference ma!
come a fairly good bill.
Besides this bill the Senate Is read,
to receive the civil service bill that wa
outlined In Tuesdays EVENING STAf
anc direct primary bill.
The House has already killed one civi
service bill, but in view of the plank il
the Democratic platform on that subject 4
is probable that the lower branch VIII no
object to a reasonable bill OF this char
! acter.
In the House last week the Republican
members were responsible for the killing
of a direct primary bill. The members,
however by an exercise of perplexing par
liamentary movements. have the bill In
such a position that it can be taken up
again tomorrow 1t will probably be
passed and sent to the Senate.
The Senate will probably not act on the
House bill but will pass its own and send
it TO the House. If it does not meet with
Democratic approval some more amend
ing will be DONE IT is likely however
that the bill that will pass both branches
of the Legislature Will not include any
elective officers in it's provisions, except
those in the counties and cities.
A survey Of the situation that will con-
front the members of both Houses tomor-
row leads to the belief that it viii be a
lively day.
The passage last week OF a resolution
introduced by Assemblyman Archibald
Alexander. cf Hudson providing for the
appointment of a committee to inform
Governor Stokes and the Senate that the
House is ready to adjourn as soon as the
Serate has acted upon the direct primary
bill has started the talk of final adjourn
nent in the near future. II the Hahn
committee can find no more work TO do,
IL is understood that the House would be
willing to adjourn at once If the Senate
were agreeable.
The situation has been brought to q
head by the message sent to the Legis-
lature last week. asking both branches
to finish their work and adjourn. Opinion
is divided as to when final adjournment
will be taken. some inelining to the be-
lief that it is at hand. others that election
time will bring it about
The existence of the Senate investigat-
Ing committee. which has been at work
in Hudson but has suddenly decided to
quit may not be continued
j AS the Hahn committee has furnished the
Democratic campaign orators with plenty
of material and as the Republicans are
not pleased with the outcome OF the Iud-
son inquest both Houses may now be
willing to quit,
III the Republicans are sincere" said
Assemblyman Alexander last week, let
them take cognizance Of our resolution
and come ia some agreement
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