Perth Amboy evening news., 1909-03-26
When Martin Bill Had Been Passed
VOORHEES,, After Talking With Public
Service Man, Moved Reconsider.
MATTER is LAID ON THE TABLE.
Bill Got Through in Spite of All the
Bosses Could Do Were Caught
Mapping at Their Own Came.

Trenton, March 2e:-Just as Uncle
Dory Gibbs, of Camden, can always be
depended upon to move the previous
question in the assembly, so can "gen
tlemen from Middlesex' who does just
what Dory Strong tells him to do, be
counted on to move to reconsider wher
any measure which is opposed by the
bosses has been passed in spite of all
they could do to stop It, An instance
of this was given yesterday. A neat
trick was played on the state guardians
and Assemblyman Martin succeeded in
getting his public utility bill passed by
the house. This was not intended by
the machine, as they were playing =
game of their own, but they were clear
ly outwitted. In accomplishing this
as was told yesterday, Mr.. Martin had
the cooperation of the democratic lead
ers Assemblymen Sullivan and Tumulty
of Hudson county. The Martin bill, al
has been told, is genuine public util
tiles commission measure. 1t is mod
eled after and is almost a copy of the
Governor Hughes act in New York. 1t il
virtually the bill he introduced in the
assembly last year, and the outlook /.
that the Guardians and conspirators vii
see that it meets a similar fate. The
singular part Of its history this year Ii
that it was never reported out of com
mittee, but another utilities bill, intro
dueed by Assemblyman Pierce, of Unior
was reported out and was before ths
House. The Pierce bill is better thar
nothing. 1t is eompassed in twelv'
printed pages, while the Martin bill i
thorough and comprehensive, occupying
forty-eight printed pages in detailing
the duties and powers of the commits
sion.
| The trick by which the Martin bill
was put through the House yesterday
was clever as well as righteous. WheI
Pierce s bill came up Martin moved his
measure as a substitute. The demo
cratic members, led by Sullivan and
Tumulty, Joined with Martin and hi
republican friends and the real utilitiei
measure was passed instead of the milo
bill. 1t was complete victory. Pierce
himself was overwhelmingly discom
1 flied when he attempted TO advocate hi
own bill, for Martin read the UnioI
mans speech, delivered last wear
against bill identical with the one h,
fathered this year.
/ As was stated several weeks ago, tbs
regular republican managers have de
cided that there shall be no Legislation
on the question Of regulating publ,
utilities corporations by a state com
mission. Yesterday it was agreed tha'
the Martin proposition to substitute hi
g., . H. e1a,71l n.
supported by a half-dozen or so stal
warts, and they did as they were told
and the substitution was made possible
Minority Leader Sullivan and his dem
oeratic associates had decided TO sup
port amendments to the Pierce bill, bu
when the Martin bill passed, thes'
amendments, calling for an elective
commission instead of an appointiv'
among other things, were promptly
withdrawn. The Martin bill was pass
ed, the idea being that it was too rad
ical for the senate ever to accept it.
Corporation lobbyists did not take tn,
sanguine view of things that hat
prompted the passage of the bill by thu
house, and there was good deal doinl
/ in Trenton yesterday. Vice Presiden
John j. Burleigh, of the Public Service
Corporation, and a number of other
were here early and there were severa
conferences at local hotels and in stat,
house offices. II was decided to hav'
some one move reconsideration of tn,
vote by which the Martin bill passed
This was the result of the statemen
by former state official that it woUl,
not be surprising to see Governor For
get behind the bill and jam it through
the senate.
Voorhees, weakens.
The first man approached to NOV
reconsideration refused to undertak'
the contract. Bill Voorhees,, of Middle
sex, who was a staunch supporter of th'
substitution plan yesterday, and of th
Martin bill itself, had no compunction
and shortly after talk with Mr.. Bur
leigh he tossed miniature bomb int
the peaceful assembly by moving recon
sideration Of the final vote on the Mar
tin bill. 1t WASH t in the plan to havi
this motion come to a vote. Lyon, O.
Morris, as part of the arrangement
Immediately moved to lay the reconsid
Grafton motion on the table.
| Martin was quickly in the game, anC
demanded roll call. The result show
ed good many changed opinions since
yesterday. The Essex regulars-fve o
them-who had talked matters owe
with County Chairman Dalrymple earl
in the morning, changed front and vot
ed with the Voorhees, aggregation ant
Majority Leader Lewis. Martin op
posed the move to lay the matter on thu
table, preferring, with Minority Leade
Sullivan, to fight it out then and there
and see what was going to happen Il
! his bill.
! Here is how the house lined up il
passing the Lyon motion TO table, fv'
Essex men, Roberts, Miller, Bowden
Brooks and Young, being with the af
firmative:
For the Lyon motion Bedle, Bowden
Brooks. Burpo, Ginnelley, Heritage
Housed, Lewis, Lyon, Mather, Mat
thews, McKeag, Meyer. Miller, Poole
Prince, Radcliffe, Roberts, sehads