Gloucester County Democrat., 1907-01-17
!. The LEGISLATURE.
Isnecial correspondence.l ]

legislature. Sessions of both houses
were held Monday night and Tuesday
morning, and, as was anticipated, a
food of bills which will produce lively
times was presented Among them
were a repeater to the bishops excise
law. measure for state and munich
nal civil service, am assembly redis-
tricting bill through a constitutional
amendment changing the present plan
of electing assemblymen from counties
to a district basis, a bill repeating the
voting machine law, q joint resolution
to appoint a legislative commission to
investigate whether New Jersey mo-
nopolies control the output OF coal and
ice and a clean elections bill.
Senator AIinturn Dem.) of Hudson
is the father of the joint resolution.
The commission provided for is three
senators and four assemblymen, and
they are to look into, in the words OF
the resolution. .sthe unreasonable in
crease in the price of coal in winter
and ice in summer, brought about it
is popularity believed, by monopoiles
Incorporated under the corporation
laws of this state.'' The commission.
according to the resolution, is to sit
during the recess of the legislature and
take testimony and also to report upon
ways and means to destroy the mo
nopolies if they exist. The resolution
was referred to the committee on re-
vision of laws.
The first bill introduced in the house
this session was by Mr. Holcombe and
was the repeater of the act which pro
vides for the purchase and use OF yot-
ing machines at elections. 1t was re-
ferred to the judiciary committee. The
measure for a change in the constltu-
ton to provide for the redistricting OF
the state into assembly districts was
in the nature of a concurrent resolu-
tion and was introduced by Mr.. Per
kins of Union. 1t was referred to the
judiciary committee. A bill to the
same effect was introduced in the SEN
ate by Senator Hillery.
Bishops Law Repeater.
The bishops bill repeater was intro
duced by Assemblyman Breunig of Es-
sex. The measure was referred to the
judiciary committee without comment.
This committee comprises Assembly
man Klenert Passaic), Wright (Es-
SEX and Alexander (Hudson), Demo
Gratis: Perkins NInion) and Jones Cam
dem. Republicans. This repeal of the
bishops liquor law would put the state
back under the Werts law and would
Il sa1nnnC and tho
provisions prohibiting side and rear
rooms. Two bills for the regulation of
investigations into county and mnnici-
nal expenditures were introduced into
the senate by Senator Minturn.
On Tuesday morning the senate was
in session less than thirty minutes and
then adjourned for the week. These
nominations of Governor Stokes We're
confirmed: Frank L. Lloyd, as circuit
court judge; Thomas W. Trenchard,
as justice of the supreme court; Theo-
dore Senseman and John Fl. Moore, as
members OF tile board of managers OF
the tuberculosis sanitarium; Henry
S. Scovel, as prosecutor Of Camden
county.
The house Of assembly had but a
short session Tuesday morning and
then adjourned until Monday night
Notice was given by Assemblyman
Alexander of Hudson that on next
Monday he would move the adoption
Of his resolution providing that com
mittees must report bills upon the re-
quest of 25 per cent of the members OF
the house. According to the resolution
such request cannot be made until
committee has given three weeks con
sideration to a bill
civil Service Bill.
The Republican administration civil
service bill was introduced in the
house by Assemblyman Henry d.
Thompson of Mercer. This measure
follows closely the recommendations
on this subject in Governor Stokes
message. 1t is provided that after nine
months from the approval of the act
all promotions and appointments in the
civil service under the state govern
ment and after three months in munic
ipaIitfes shall be made according TO
merit and fitness, to be determined by
4 competitive examination. A com
mission of three persons as the civil
service commission of New Jersey
shall be appointed by the chief justice,
and these commissioners shall receive
SIS per day. The civil service is di-
vided into classified and unclassified
service. and rules are prescribed Tor
examinations by the commission and
for the requirements Of those exam
ined. It places in the unclassified
list all heads Of departments and also
excepts certain personal secretaries
whose work requires them to act for
the heads of departments. All these
are to be appointed without examina-
zion. a referendum clause is inserted
by which the act only applies to those
ess oT,d 1nrnicinalitfes which vote