Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1909-03-31
Effort of Bosses
To Recall II
Defeated.
A BIG VICTORY
Corporations Missed Calcu-
lations in the House and
Vote Got Away from Them
Try to Kill II Now
by Amendments.

Trenton. March 31:~The Martin
Public Utilities bill, over which there
promises for time to be some sort
OF scandal, is now up to the senate.
The result came yesterday In the
most stirring fight of the season, and
Martin, who won such a signal victory
last week in having his bill substitut-
ed for the Pierce bill which was
somewhat milder in form, won out
with votes to spare. 1t was interest
ing to watch the representatives of
the corporations as the fight went on,
for it had been given out last night
that they had the votes necessary to
murder the measure. How far they
miscalculated however, was shown
when the roll call gave them but 81,
as against 81.
This vote was on the motion Of
Leader Lewis to take from the table
the motion made last week by Lyon,
of Morris, to reconsider the vote by
which the Martin bill was passed.
That result had been such a surprise
to the opponents of the bill that they
lost their breaths It was expected
that the battle to recover the lost
ground would be precipitated last
l.
with the situation of affairs since
Assistant Attorney General Gaskill
gave the opinion that the Lyon mo-
tion did not stay the progress of the
bill, but merely served TO hold the
reconsideration vote in abeyanee.
Almost as soon as the session opened
yesterday morning. therefore. Lewis
made his motion to take the Lyon
motion from the table. and that was
the signal for hostilities, which con-
tinued for nearly two hours.
Martins Battle Royal.
Martin opened the Aght by vigof-s
Gus attack upon the motion, declaring
that there was no reason for it; that
1t was open to suspicion, and that
the whole movement seemed TO be
supported by desire upon the part
of somebody to recall an act of which
he was ashamed He called attention
to the fact that the bill had not been
sent over to the senate, but had been
retained in the house offices, for what
reason he had no means of explain
ing Why should the republicans of
this assembly sully their regulations
by such action as is here proposed
cried the Essex fighter. 1.-THE bill
was passed in due form and should
be allowed to take it's course"
Young, OF Essex, as chairman OF
the committee on printed bills. ex-
planned that the measure had been
necessarily held, because, as 1t had
been substituted for a regular bill,
the changes had to be properly COM
pared and the new measure printed
in regular form, which occupied some
time.
Democratic Leader Sullivan want
ed to know what was back of the
movement for the reconsideration of
the vote Does any one say why We
should have this matter brought back
to our attention? Not even the maxi
er of the motion has given any good
reason why this matter should be re-
called, to plunge us In the turmoil of
debate all over again.
Voorhees, In True Light.
Voorhees,, of Middlesex. declared
that he had voted for the Martin sub
stitute because he understood that
there were to be amendments which
would serve to remove its most drag
tic features I'm not for this bill, =
he said. In the present state Of the
states finances it will cost too much,
and there is no general demand for
II"
''If you knew that there was no
general demand for it, why did you
vote for it last week." demanded
Nichols, CT Cumberland.
Because | thought there was TO
be an amendment 10 il" replied
Voorhees, amid some smiles.
"Why did you exclaim when you
voted last week I'm going TO vote
right on this measure ii you did not
favor it?n asked Martin.
Because l thought | could help 70
kill it that way" came from the MIDI
dlesex man amid volley of filters.
"I believed we ought to kill the bill
lere and not send our dirty work over
to the senate
Matthews, OF Hunterdon, favored
the reconsideration OF the vote on the
ground that the Martin bill is alto
gether too drastic and expensive. He
favored an elective commission OK
four, with salaries of $4,000, instead
of five at $500, and the elimination
of the $4,000 special counsel for the
commission.
Continued on page +.
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