The star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1908-1909, 1908-04-06
LEGISLATURE HAS
IMPORTANT BILLS
FOR FINAL WEEK
Chandler w. Riker Sees No Need
to Legally Provide for
Party Platforms.
DIFFERS WITH STOKES
ON DIRECT PRIMARIES
Governor Expects This and
Other Measures He Advo=
Gates to Be Acted On.
[From a stan corresponaent.l


TRENTON, April 6.-Little doubt ex-
lists that this. the thirteenth week Of
the session of the present Legislature
will conclude the work of the lawmak,
ers. and that sine die adjournment viii
be taken under date of mex Thursday
Governor Fort is of the opinion that thu
outlook for the passage of all his meas
ures is good, but some influential mem
bers of the legislative department are
very doubtful on this point.
Doubt is felt hat any action will he
taken on the direct primaries bill SEM
to the Senate last week by the. Cover.
nor. As told in THE EVENING STAR
last week, the bill contains no refer
ence to the making OF party platforms
Former Governor Stokes thinks this
point should be provided for, but his
associates on the commission, Chand-
Ter w. Riker and Nelson Y DUNCAN,
disagree with him.
why should the commission take
any action about the platforms?' que
ried Mr.. Riker, when he was asked
about the reason for not referring to il
in the draft of the primary bill. THE
law of the State should not say what
platform a candidate should run on.
If 1 we're running 1 would want to
make my own platform. If candidates
of a party can agree on a platform let
them formulate one, but if a nan wants
to stand for other things than are in
a platform or for a thing different than
in the platform, why let him, and let
the people vote as they see fit. CHATS
American"
Mr.. Stokes thinks the bill should be
amended to provide for the making Of
platforms. He said the provision for it
was left by accident out of the bill sub
mitted to the Governor, and by the lat
ted to the Senate. He proposes to have
the bill amended in the Legislature.
1t is considered extremely doubtful
that the Governors bill to have "a
State Excise Board established will
be passed. The bill is still in com
mittee, and some strong and speedy
pressure will have to be applied to pry
it out.
The civil service bill is also tied up.
This is the Alderman measure. which
was passed by the Senate. 1t has
been pending in the House, but SEN
ator Alderman has been unable to get
the needful 81 votes for it. The bill
calls for an appointive commission,
but the Democrats and a dozen or
more Republicans are opposed to this.
and are insisting on an elective COM
mission.
Whether Senator Alderman n his
associates of the upper House will
consent to accepting a bill S 70 amended
will not be settled until Mr.. Alderman
has made strenuous efforts to have
his bill passed in the House. Once it
is through. it will be Immediately
to the Governor for his sig
nature. and will get it.
The utilities bill is also tied up in
the joint conference committee, which
will meet today. There are two New
Idea Republicans and one Democrat
on the House committee and three
Regular Republicans-Robbins. Minch
and Alderman. on the Senate com
Whether this combination will
be able to evolve a compromise On
the stumbling block, the rate-making
proposition, is believed hopeless. Some
of the more prominent of the 1nde-
pendent Republicans, successful bust
ness men. as we'll as the Democrats,
oppose rate-making by the opposition.
No action has been taken yet by
thl Senate on the constitutional
amendmenta, which provide f~our-year
trims for e Governor and Senators,
two-year terms for Assemblymen, and
for general elections in ,eyen-number-
ed years and local elections in odd
numbered years.