Gloucester County Democrat., 1907-01-24


| penalty. Sonmer is a lecturer in the
Columbia Law school and was SO ull
nerved by hanging in his county las:
fall. which he was obliged to perform.
that he said he would resign rather
than execute another person. The Col
by people did not want him to resign
and caused to be introduced and sue
ceeded in passing through the legisla
tllre the measure which allows Sheriff
Sommer to escape this disagreeable
duty.
Mr.. Burk OF Mercer introduced in the
/ house n measure providing for the re-
tirement on haIf pay of all keepers and
other state prison officials on the com.
pletion Of twenty years service. Mr..
Hutchinson introduced bill which
regulates the selection, drawing and
summonng of grand jurors and the
organization Of grand juries. It gives
Judges Of common pleas courts power
to strike names from the lists and to
substitute other names. No person
shall serve twice within year on i
grand jury.
Assemblyman Brown presented a
measure which enables school districts
to recover money spent for schools in
adjoining districts.
Good Roads Appropriation.
AIr. Gebhardt submitted a bill appro
priating $500,0G0 annually for the I'M
provement of state roads, the appro
,,r;o+;o,, ~ ,a,,o,. +1,n st,,+o,s, icba,.a i'm
the completion of any work now un-
der contract i'll any county under ex-
isting laws and new roads approved by
the state commissioner and proposed
to county boards of freeholders. If the
latter disapproye of the proposed road,
it is to be decided by a majority vote of
joint meeting of the freeholders of
two counties whose seats would be
connected by such road
Mr.. Gebhardt introduced a bill ex-
tending the jurisdiction of the courts
of common pleas SO as to include all
actions of a civil nature including ac-
tions in ejectment and action on me-
chanics' lien claims. Mr. Gebhardt also
introduced measure which makes
summonses issued by circuit courts Of
the same force and effect as those now
issued by the supreme court.
Aimed at Trusts.
A bill TO prevent and destroy trusts
and monopolses was introduced by MI.
Gebhardt 1t provides that no com
pany shall be Incorporated whose pur-l
pose shall be to monopolize the manu-
facture, sale, price or distribution of
any Of the neceSsares of life. 1t re-
quires a statement to be filed to that
effect and empowers the court of chai-
Gerry to dissolve any corporation violat-
ing the act. The bill fixes the penalty
of officers, directors or agents who VIC
late the act at a fine not to exceed $40
or Imprisonment not exceeding ten
years, or both Another bill by Mr..
Gebhardt fixes railroad passenger fares
at not more than 211a cents per mile for
parlor or sleeping cars, and another
measure abolishes the use of voting
machines. Mr. Gebhardt also intro
duced joint resolution No. 3, which pro-
vides for an amendment to the state
constitution providing for the election
of senators and assenblymen by dis
tricts rather than by counties. A joint
resolution, also presented by Mr.. Geb-
hardt, makes application under article
5 of the constitution Of the United
States for a constitutional convention
to he called by congress for the pur-
pose of submitting to the states for
ratification an amendment to the fed
eral constitution providing for the elec-
ton of United States senators by di-
rect vote of the people.
Railroad Commission Bill.
Senator Colby put in another civil
service bill, and Mr.. Wright of Essex
presented measure establishing a
state board of railroad commissioners
to consist of five men to be appointed
by the governor to regulate railroad
freight and passenger traffic
Other house bills introduced were:
Mr.. Entertainments the primary elec
ton act by requiring only one signer
to any petition of Endorsement in
wards, townships or boroughs where
the number of votes cast at the last
gubernatorial election did not exceed
100 and that the signers to any single
petition shall not indorse more per
sons as candidates for delegates than
are to be chosen at the ensuing primary
election in the ward or township in
which the signers reside.
MI. dwell Provides for recovery by
railroad employees of damages for in
juries.
Mr.. Hendriekson Provides that
schoolteachers and principals after a
three years probationary period shall
be retained during good behavior and
efficiency Another bill by Mr.. Hen
erickson authorizes cities to carry their
own fire insurance on municipal build
ings.
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