The Penn's Grove record., 1907-03-15
BLOHM BILL KILLED,
Open Sunday Measure Defeated
After Exciting Debate.
BUSIEST WEEK OF SESSION.

BUSIEST WEEK OF SESSION.
Senator Gebhardt Doesn't Like "War
Spirit"-senate Receives Many APP
pointments-New Trolley Rate Bill
ina Number of important Public
Hearings Given.
Especial Correspondence
Trenton. March 14.-As the end Of
the legislative session draws near the
law mill is turning faster, and a great
amount of business is being disposed
Of. This week has been an unusually
busy one at the capitol. Many impor-
tant hearings were given, and a large
number of bills were taken under con-
sideration in both houses.
Perhaps the most important event
of the week was the defeat of the
Blohm "open Sunday bill, which met
it's fate in the house after a debate
lasting more than an hour Tuesday
afternoon. The deciding ballot was
35 to "a. Seven Democrats voted
against their party's advocacy of the
bill, and all the Republicans were re-
corded in the negative. The Demo
Gratis voting against the measure were
Leader Klenert, Earle and Van Blar-
com of Passaic, Hendrickson of Hud-
son, Morris of Sussex, Firth Of War
rem and Holcombe Of Hunterdon. The
house was under call at the time the
vote was taken, and there was no
Sinking of responsibility.
The galleries and lobbies were
thronged with visitors during the de-
bate on the bill, and intense interest
was manifested. When Speaker Leth-
bridge announced the defeat Of the
bill, after the clerk had called the roll,
the announcement was received with
an outburst of applause from all parts
of the chamber. When the bill was
placed upon third reading and final
passage, Assemblyman Charles H.
Blohm Of Hudson took the floor to
speak in its behalf. He declared that
Tic p1t hdu pccA dAEdl1lS G14I1SLSC0
and u~njustly condemned. He held
that Sunday selling was preferable to
too much Sunday drinking at home
and preferable to sneaking into sa-
looms on Sunday through back doors.
Assemblyman Barber Of Mercer, Re-
publican leader, arose to reply, and he
was greeted with a round Of applause
from both sides of the house, Demo-
Gratis greeting him as enthusiastically
as the Republicans. He asserted in
the beginning of his speech that he
was opposed to local option and was
against the Sunday opening of saloons.
The great reason for defeating the
Blohm bill, he said, was the Biblical
command, Remember the Sabbath day
to keep it holy"
Then Democratic Leader Klenert took
the floor and declared that he opposed
both Mr.. Blohm and Mr.. Barber. What
the people wanted, he said, was a
modification of the bishops act, and
this he urged could be obtained by the
enactment of amendments which the
Democratic caucus had Endorsed.
The measure was hotly condemned
by Messrs. Potter Of Cumberland and
Jess Of Camden on the ground that it
was immoral in its provisions.
To Honor Mcclellan.
A bill passed by the senate appro-
PIRATES $4,000 for a New Jersey mill
tary display at Washington May 2
next, when the Mcclellan monument
is to be dedicated. Senator Gebhardt
opposed the measure and declared that
monuments of this nature tended to
foster a "war spirit" The bill appro-
priating $4,000 for the Princeton bat
tie monument was also passed.
If a bill by Senator Avis becomes a
law, trolley and railway companies
that do not properly guard the third
rail will be fined $500 for each VIOLA
ton. Senator Brown offered a meas
ure appropriating $4,000 for the build
ing of a central heat, light and power
plant at the state prison.
Announcement was made that the
senate committee on banking and in
surance would give a hearing Monday
morning. March 10. on the insurance
bills introduced at the instance Of the
senate insurance investigating commit
tee. 1t is understood that the insur-
ance companies will seek to have these
measures modified.
Governor Stokes sent to the legisla-
ture the report of the New Jersey del
egates to the national divorce congress,
with their recommendations for more
stringent divorce laws in this state.
He also made the following county
tax board nominations in addition to
reappointing the board of managers Of
the New Jersey State Hospital For the
Insane: Monmouth county-William
T. Hoffman, William K. Devereux and
John s. Apologize; Burlington county
Joseph G. Kingdom, Thomas c.
Shreve and George N. Wymer; Hudson
county-Joseph J. Guisto, James Altar
dice and James E. Connolly; Sussex
county-Henry c. Hunt, Patrick J.
Dolan and Andrew J. Van Blarcom;
Bergen county-P. g. Zabriskie, James
Fl. Coe and Henry D. Winton.
FouHo wet redrlh9s
AT a hearing Monday on the pound
net bill former Judge Benjamin P.
Morris of Long Branch, president Of
the state fish and game commission,
denounced Joseph A. Crawford of
Newark, a member of the salt water
commission, calling him a fraud and
defying him to prove charges made
against him (Morris) in the salt wa
ter commissioners recent report to the
legislature. AS there was a good rep
resentation Of all the pound net own
ers and pound net fishermen Of the
state, Judge Morris asked them pub
licly If he had represented any Of them
or any of their friends in a legal ca
pacity. There was no response, and
President Morris then said he had new
er represented pound net fishermen in
a legal capacity or in any other way