Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1907-03-28
RAILROAD BILLS PASS
Measure Providing Railroad Com.
mission Put Through House.
SUNDAY BALL SUCCESSFUL.
House Acts FavorabIy on Measure to
Permit Prize Fightins-civiI Service
Bill Through Senate Defense OF
Fish and Game Commission.
Isnecial Correspondenee.l


Trenton, March 2S-There was scarce
" an idle moment at this weeks SEES
sions Of the legislature. Both houses
worked as if determined to clear up
the mass of business that had accumu-
lated. and the committees Of each
branch gave many hours to hearings
on important bills that have been pre-
scented in the legislature.
One of the sensations Of the week
was a visit of George L. Record and
Mayor Mark M. Pagan, reform Repub-
licans of Jersey City, to the capitol
and their call upon Governor Stokes to
oppose the reappointment of Colonel
Samuel D. Dickinson of Hudson coun-
ty as secretary of state Mr.. Pagan
presented charges to the governor con
corning Colonel Dickinson's private
life. These charges were later emphat-
ically denied by Colonel Dickinson.
Attorney General Attacked.
Assemblyman Tumulty Monday night
bitterly arraigned Attorney General R.
II. McCarter for actively engaging in
the practice of law in the interests of
corporations. Mr.. Tunulty spoke in
advocacy Of house bill No. 40, designed
to prohibit the attorney general Of the
state from accepting retainers as the
legal representative Of corporations
whose interests might be antagonistic
to those of the state during his term
of Office. Republican Leader Barber
opened an attack upon the Hudson as
semblyman, in which he declared that
human nature is just the same today as
in the days of old, when Demosthenes
exclaimed that the public was ever
ready to applaud denunciation and III
vective. He sturdily defended the char
acter and ability of Attorney General
McCarter and held that the exercise of
his official position could in nowise af-
feet his conduct of his Office in the in
terest of the state and that the present
incumbent of the Office was above sls
picion in that respect.
Alexander of Hudson said all per-
sonal questions could be cast aside in
this matter since it involved sim
pie principle. The justice of the SUI
preme court, the chancellor and vice.
chancellor, he said, are not permitted
to practice law, their salaries are no
larger than that of the attorney gen
eral. and no better lawyer is required
for the latter Office than for the places
on the bench. Fake, Republican, of
Bergen, and Sullivan, Democrat of
Hudson, spoke in favor of the bill,
which was passed by vote of 80 to-
q, every Democrat voting for it and
Fake joining them.
The spring election bill, house No.
225, was passed by the house Tuesday
afternoon after being defeated by a.
vote of 26 to 26 in the morning. When
the measure was resurrected in the
afternoon, it was passed by vote of
81 to %.
Governor Stokes has named Theo-
dore Strong as a member of the state
board of assessors. As Mr.. Strong
was a former senator his appointment
was Immediately confirmed by the SEN
ate. By taking this action Governor
Stokes received the pledge of Mr..
Strong that he will retire from politics.
This has pleased the opponents of Mr..
Strong in NIiddlesex, and they will
now unite with the regulars.
The bill by Mr.. Hahn which permits
prize fights in this state in duly organ
lied clubs now in existence was passed
in the house. Eight ounce gloves can
only be used and limited number of
rounds provided for.
Railroad Commission Bills.
The house passed the Wright rail-
road commission bill for the regulat
ing of railroads. The vote was 36 to
"a, all the Democrats voting for the
bill as well as number of Republic
ans. The act creates railroad COM
mission, to be elected by the people,
which will have much power over rail-
roads. The commissioners can enter
any railroad yard or Office, compel the
pIOuuCBlOL VI d1J DUOh VI ASSOtus S<tA
regulate rates and do almost the work
of railroad directors. The house has
also passed three Of the coordinate
bills. These were also carried through
by Democratic vote. One Of them,
house No. 81, makes it penalty Of
81 1000 for railroad to charge more
than the rate fixed for freight by the
commission, and second offense al
lows the commission to seek the am
nulment of the railroad charter. An
other bill is house No, S14, which 1
makes mandatory the placing Of
switches and sidings near properties
Of applicants. a penalty Of 81, 200 being
provided for noncompliance with this
provision. A third bill, house No. 315,
provides for the appointing OF re-
ceiyer for railroad by the chancellor
upon complaint of the railroad COM
mission that its orders have been de-