The Penn's Grove record., 1908-04-17
LEGISLATURES END.
Review of Work of Hundred and
Thirty-second Session.
THE GOVERNOR SIGNING BILLS
Civil Service and Inland Waterway
Project Among Most Important
kegislation-FaiIure of Public Utili-
ties-Governor's Excise Bills Lost.
Constitutional Amendments.

Trenton, April 15.-The one hundred
and thirty-second session of the legis-
iature of New Jersey has passed into
history, and since the moment that
President Hillery Of the senate dropped
the gavel and announced both houses
adjourned without day at dawn Satur-
day morning it has been in order to
review the sessions proceedings and
figure out the good things and the bad,
the work done and the work left IN
done by the representatives Of the peo
pie at the state capitol. There are
naturally differences Of opinion as to
whether the session was beneficial
from a public standpoint. Since the
adjournment the question has been
raised whether the regular Republic
ans, the new idea" wing or the Demo
Gratis gained the greatest political ad-
vantage. From the standpoint Of a
n%onpartisan it would seem to be a
matter of taking ones choice according
to ones political belief or fractional
theories on these various points.
Governor Fort just before sine die
adjournment gave out a statement re-
viewing briefly the work of the legis-
lature and saying: 1.-THE legislature has
been clean in its membership, and in
both house and senate the tone Of the
whole session has been admirable
There have peer more independence
and courage displayed by the senators
and members than they have been
given credit for by the public, and l
make this statement with a great deal
of pleasure. There has been no bad
legislation. If there can be any criti-
| cism at all, it Is rather for nonact1on
than for any affirmative action that Is
at all Objectionable"
The governor was particularly pleased
with the way the appropriations had
been kept down. His assertion that
the legislature had been free of sus-
| picion of corruption was received as
a reprimand to some of the newspa-
| pers which had published bribery allie
| cations in connection with the Passaic
water conservation bill and which, on
account of these allegations, was with
drawn, causing the proposition which
is to conserve the flood waters of the
Passaic river for a water supply to be
laid over for another year.
Since adjournment there has been a
| dispute as to whether OF not the Wake,
lee resolution creating a commission to
investigate the subject Of excise in
New Jersey had passed the house
| Governor Fort is inclined to appoint
the commission anyway, contending
that he has sufficient power to do so.
Disposine of Bills.
The executive has spent most Of this
week in considering the measures pass.
ed by the legislature. At this writing
only a few remain to be disposed of
AS he interprets the constitution all
must be acted upon within five days
after the close of the legislature. He
expects to have this work all com
pleted by Thursday. One of the bills
signed this week was that prohibiting
children under sixteen from attending
theaters or similar places of amuse-
ment unless accompanied by their par
ents or guardians.
A number of fish and game laws have
also been approved by the governor
They make radical changes in the for.
est and field sports. The most impor.
tant change is the division of the state
into two fish and game districts, one
for upland game and one for water.
fowl. with separate laws applying to
each.
At the session just ended many i'm.
portant bills were passed, including
the following: Providing for the inland
waterway from Cape May to Bay
Head; creating a state department OF
accounts; providing $1,000 a year for q
state department of report; creating
commissions to report to the next leg
islature on the following matters: Tho
acquiring and opening to the public OF
the toll bridges on the Delaware river
a women's ~reformatory; for bridging
the Hudson river at Jersey City
the causes Of crime In this state. a
series of bills embodying some Of the
recommendations of the Hahn investi
eating committee was passed, as were
also resolutions providing for the sub
mission of amendments to the state
constitution reforming and simplifying
the state courts.
The important bills which failed IL
pass were the public utilities bill, the
local option measure, Governor Forts
bill for direct primary nominations
the governors excise recommendation
and the bill increasing the share of thu
main stem railroad taxes to be retain
cd by the state from one-half of 1 pe,
cent to three-fourths Of / per cent.
Civil Service Passed.
The civil service bill passed the hous,
Of assembly just before final adjourn
nent. Asssmblyman Pierce moved tina
this bill be reconsidersd, and the meas
nre was passed by a vote of 80 to %
Later Governor Fort signed the bill
The measure creates a bipartisan civil
service commission of four members to
be appointed by the governor and to be
confirmed by the senate. The term is
to be foul years and the salary $4,000.
1t takes effect ia state offices in six