Gloucester County Democrat., 1907-04-18

In an even tone, and Mr.. Barber, who
also spoke from the top of his desk,
supported him. Their counsel prevail
ed. Speaker Lethbridge In collapse re-
tired to the speakers room. When he
had recovered ne stated that he had
misunderstood the resolution. He said
he supposed it was for q recess for
few minutes Mr.. Brady, who intro
dueed the resolution. made like state
ment. Speaker Lethbridge was too u4i-
nerved to continue to preside, aud he
called Mr.. Perkins to the chair. The
session then proceeded smoothly until
the end, by which time Mr.. Lefhbridge
returned 10 the chair.
The DEMOCRATS are likely to make an
issue Of the three grade crossing bills
that passed the assembly. Only one of
these bills went through the senates
and that was SO changed that Mr.. F;r;l-
dy, the introducer. withdrew the bills
from the flies of the house when II
came back for concurrence with senate
amendments. The bills as passed by
the house placed all the cost Of abolish
ing grade crossing upon the railroads
The senate substitute which Mr.. Brady
disowned gave the chancellor power to
apportion the expense between the
railroads and the municipalities coin
cerned in whatever proposition seemed
to him just.
The Democratic house passed the
Hendrickson bills to tax main stem
railroad property locally, but Mr.. Sulli-
vans bill to compel public utility com
panies to pay tax at local rate upon
the value of their franchises in addi-
tion to paying tax upon their tangible
property got no further than second
reading in the house. The Republicans
opposed the Hendrickson bills and
stood by the Perkins average tax rate
law that was put through last winters
legislature.
1t is worthy of note that, after all
the talk, the bishops law remains in
tact except for one slight change which
wipes out in all but first class counties
the requirement that an applicant for
a license must have lived for at least
a. year IN the licensing district when
applying.
What Has Been Accomplished.
Among the measures enacted were:
The railroad commission bill, which
promises to correct many railroad evils
and abuses.
The insurance reform measures. in
troduced as the result of an extended
insurance Investigation and intended
for the protection of policy holders.
The Passaic sewer bill. to remedy an
insanitary condition that has been
threatening the health and lives Of
thousands of people living in the Pas
sale valley for the past ten years or
more, during which time the different
municipalities have been squabblng
over the best means of doing away
with the dangerous nuisance.
The repeating of the promoters lia-
bility act, which will make promoters
of the various trusts and other corpo
rations comply more thoroughly with
the state laws
The act providing for state ownership
Of potable water supplies.
The municipal playground bill
The measure providing for joint fish
ing laws in the Delaware river and
bay in keeping with an agreement with
Delaware.
The uniform divorce law, making it
more difficult to secure divorces in this
state and doing AWAY with the plan ofd
securing divorces without publicity
The act to permit voters to express
their preference for United States sen,
ators.
The joint resolution asking congress
to move for an amendment to the Unit
ed States constitution to enable the
election of United States senators by
popular vote.
The freight demurrage and other rail
road reform bills.
The measure for the investigation OF
the coal. ice, provision and stone road
trusts.
A number Of bills in the interest of
labor
A number of fish and game bills for
the better protection of the fast di-
minishing birds and game of the state.
There We're also passed the usual
number of bills of purely local interest
to the districts from which they orig
mate, but which have to be made gen
eral in their scope so as to avoid the
constitutional prohibition against spe-
eial legislation
It is the latter class of bills that take
up so much time at each session and
that do SO much toward cluttering up
the statute books. Some relief is prom
ised by the work Of the commissions
now seeking to revise and codify laws
on different subjects.
Measures Defeated.
A large number of bills were defeat
ed both in the Republican senate and
in the Democratic house. the RESPONSE