The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1907-10-15

ADJOURNS
The Utilities and Public Service
Bills Killed BY Democratic
Amendments.
POPULAR VOTE FOR SENATORS

POPULAR VOTE FOR SENATORS
Both Houses of the Legislature ad-
journed at 3.22 O'Clock Saturday morn
ing. Neither a public utilities nor a
civil service bill was passed.
Both measures were killed by the
Democratic House of Assembly after
having been passed by the Republi-
can Senate. In the case Of the public
utilities bill the House amended it by
providing for the rate-making power.
This was equivalent to clubbing it to
death for sufficient votes could not
then be found in the lower chamber
to put the bill through on final pas
sage. The civil service bill met a
similar fate. The House in this case
passed an amendment making the
proposed commission elective instead
of appointive and then could not mus
ter enough votes to pass the bill on
third reading.
A conference committee of the SEN
ate and House had been appointed to
agree on the provisions of the public
utilities bill. When they came to-
gether it was decided that the rail-
road commission should be abolished
and all matters under it's Jurisdiction
placed in the hands of the proposed
public service commission. The con-
cession was made to the House by the
Senate. 1t was also agreed that all
grade crossings in the State should be
abolished, the municipalities benefited
to pay one-fourth of the burden of
cost and the railroad companies three
agreed that the bill should give the
commission power to inspect the books
of the railroad companies under its
control and to insist on adequate SER
vice to the public, things that in a
large measure have Eever been created
by law in New Jersey. The clause
providing for scrutiny of the books
would have protected stockholders
and furnished guide for the invest
ment world.
In the Senate the bill went through
with only one vote in opposition that
of Senator Colby, who stood out for a
rate.making clause.
When the bill went to the House,
the rate-making clause was Inserted
as an amendment. Then the bill as a
whole was defeated by that body.
The civil service bill introduced by
Senator Alderman has been submitted
to the United States Civil Service Re-
form League, and had met with its
unqualified approval. IL had also been
shown to the Attorney-General, who
pronounced it the most complete meas
ure yet introduced. In this view SEN
ator Colby concurred. When, after
passing the Senate, it reached the
House, that body showed the insincer-
ity of it's cry to keep public employees
out of politics by insisting that the
civil service commission should be
elective instead of appointive. Such
an amendment was passed and then
the bill was beaten by the House when
it came up for final passage.
A direct primary bill was passed by
both Houses, the Governor and Con-
gressmen being made exempt from the
provisions of the law.
| A bill was also passed providing for
a popular choice of United States sem
ators.
For the expenses of the two probing
committees the sum of $14, 900 was ap-
propriated. This makes it certain
that the two Investigations will con-
| tinue.
| BY joint resolution the sum of 81 900
was voted for the expenses of the
Teachers Retirement Fund.
The Senate met in executive session
between the afternoon and evening
meetings and confirmed Governors s
Stokes's appointment Of Vice-Chancel-
lor James ]. Bergen as Supreme Court
Justice to succeed the late A. @. Lar-
retson.
The House passed the Democratic
bill for direct primaries after Repub-
lican Leader Barber secured its amend
ment, so that it does not include the
Governor or members of Congress.
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