The Penn's Grove record., 1909-04-16
Trolley FREIGHT
BILL VETOED.
Governor Says It Grants Fran.
Chises In Perpetuity.
NEW MEASURE IN THE SENATE
Appropriation Committee Present.
Greatly Reduced Bills-Cuts Made In
Many Departments of the State Gov.
ernment-EHort to Get the Public
Utilities Commission - Executive
Signs Many Measures.
Especial Correspondence

UTILITIES OomfmiSSioH 6NcS0etve
Signs Many Measures.
Especial Correspondence
Trenton, April 15.-Within sight OF
final adjournment the usual scenes OF
hurry and hustle which characterize
the last days of the legislature were
apparent about the %statehouse during
this week. Both houses held three
sessions a day, and members were
striving every nerve to secure the
passage Of some favorite measure be-.
fore the president of the senate de-
clared the legislature adjourned with.
out day.
The governor stirred things up Mon.
day night when he sent in messages
vetoing five bills. One of the most
important of these was Senator
Gaunt's bill authorizing trolley lines
to carry freight and express matter.
The bill, he said in his message, had
been drawn with great care and with
a shrewdness and cunning equal to the
care. The enacting part of the only
section to the bill gives an unqualified
right to any traction company or any
other company owning, leasing or Op-
Grating a street railway to receive and
carry freight and express matter fol
hire. The clause comforting this pow.
er is general and absolute. 1t grants
each trolley company in the state an
unlimited franchise in perpetuity with
out condition or requirement. for com
%pensation. Under the proviso giving
municipalities of over 1900 inhab-
itants the right to prescribe conditions
for regulating the carrying of freight
under the act, the governor continues,
if no action is taken by the munich
pality the operative part of the Sec
ton is in force, and express and
freight matter may be carried at will
at any hour of the day. The proviso
is framed in the negative, and the
statute as drawn gives the privilege
and puts the burden upon the munich
pality to enact regulations in restric-
ton of the privilege. To the govern
VI > Allilu tldI was SOlhS dOOdl thO
solution of the matter in exactly the
wrong way. '"There is nothing in the
proviso,'' the governor then goes on to
say, "even in a negative way, which
gives any right to any municipality
with less than 1900 population to
limit the traffic or regulate the use Of
cars iii any way"
Demand For Freight TrolIeys.
The executive believes that there is
a demand in this state for confer
ring upon trolley companies the right
to carry freight and express matter
and that the agricultural sections
would undoubtedly be benefited there
by. He says he is in perfect accord
with the proposition and that he be-
lieves that it would be a benefit to. the
people of the cities as well. He tells
of the fight which has been made in
this state for limited franchises for
trolley corporations for the carriage of
passengers and says he is sure the
people of New Jersey are not willing
to confer an unlimited franchise on
these same companies to carry freight
and express matter.
"The farmers of the state who ap-
peared at the hearing on this BILL" he
adds, "are not of a class to knowingly
confer upon any corporation any right
inimical to the taxpayers and the pub
lie. Not n of them, in my opinion,
would be willing, if he knew it, to
bind his locality and the state hand
and foot by a franchise which might
be i~rrevocable and by an act which
conferred a privilege Of great profit
without giving any compensation or
relief of taxation for that right"
Then the governor goes on to say
he is ready to approve any bill which
meets the conditions and covers the
questions suggested in the message. :.
Bill to Suit Governor.
Senator Gaunt introduced another
bill meeting the objections of the gov
ernor, and a strenuous effort will be
made to have it passed before final
adjournment.
The governor also vetoed a senate
bill passed to permit the consolidation
Of two trolley lines in Atlantic City
and a house bill giving the power to
sell realty for unpaid w~ater~rents in
the same manner property is sold for
unpaid taxes. In the latter case, he
said, the power Of a company or mu-
n1cipality to cut off the supply provid-
sufficient protection.
Another Of the governors yetoes
blocked a game of the Republican lead
srs OF Trenton to retain control of the
patronage of the parks by taking that
department from the Democratic park
commissioners and giving it to a Re
publican shade tree commission.
After wrestling with the perplexing
subject several weeks the a%ppropria-
lion committee finished it's labor and
presented a bill which carries a total |
If $4,162,217.32, a reduction from last
year of $217,257.58. The committee at
same time brought in the smallest
supplemental appropriation bill that
1as been laid before the legislature in
Eears. 1t carries a total of only S275
1855 as compared with S76S.329.62 |
asst year, practically a reduction of N
per cent. The total reduction in tba
bills over last year is S71O.240.34
This reduction was accomplished by
the appropriations of several
the departments.
No Money to Fight Mosquitoes.
The $4,000 for the determination NJ
mosquitoes which has been appsopri-
ated for some years back is also cut
out.
Fol the purpose of increasing the
states revenue Assemblyman Blauyelt
introduced a bill amending the act OF
providing for the taxation of rail.
road n canal property by providing
the taxes payable by each com.
pany as certified by the state board OF
shall be due and payable into
5he state treasury in December of each