The Penn's Grove record., 1909-02-19
Legislators Take a Look Into
SineCuTes.
MORE EXCISE BILLS SEE LIGHT
Liquor Measures Introduced In Both
Houses Before Commission Makes 1t.
Report-FinanciaI Condition of State
Still In the LimeIisht-onIy $4,000
For New Jerseys Representation at
Taft's Inauuuration
Especial Correspondence

was obliged to share the limelight with
the excise problem. The Joint commit.
tee of the legislature which was ap-
pointed to devise some means of get
ting over the monetary difficulties held
several meetings without reaching any
conclusion of moment. 1t carefully
looked over the treasurer's and comp
troller's reports, with a view Of ascer-
tanning where a dollar could be saved
either by a%bolishing positions and COM
missions or reducing salaries. Some OF
those who are drawing fairly comfort
able sums for work which is looked
upon by many as labor which the state
could easily dispense with were called
before the committee and questioned
as to the services they render for the
money they receive.
There were all sorts Of rumors as
to the cuts in salaries which the com.
mittee would recommend, but the gen.
eral impression was that in the greater
number of cases the pay of the clerks
and employees of the state will not be
interfered with. 1t is also believed
that some of the more ornamental
commissions will be abolished and that
in some cases others will be CONSOLE
dated. The committee was in session
all day Monday, trying to arrive at
some conclusion in time to make its
report Tuesday, as the resolution un-
der which it was appointed required,
but being unable to do so, and at the
request of Senator Hillery Of Morris,
the chairman of the committee, the
time for making the report was extend.
ed one week, until next Tuesday.
Wants to Tax Cars.
William P. Martin of Essex, the
"new idea" leader, has conceived the
idea that he has discovered a new
source of revenue to the state which
has hitherto escaped, and in giving
practical expression to this idea in the
house Monday night he won a victory
ove the regulars which has caused
the political wiseacres to open their
Eyes in wonderment. Mr.. Martins
idea is that the Pullman cars, the pri.
vate cars of freight car trusts, the re
%frigerator cars of the beef trust, the
tank ears of the Standard and othel
oil companies and locomotive and 9th.
er rolling stock owned by the so called
car trusts or by builders who have
sold them to railroad companies on the
installment plan, but retaining the
ownership thereof until paid for, do
not %nvoc 10 fho cfafa oc f1o1
should. so as soon as the house set
tied down to business Monday. night
he introduced and moved the adoption
of a resolution calling upon the state
board of assessors to inform the as
sembly If such rolling stock is assessed
by the board and, if it is not so as
sessed, why the board does not so as.
SesS the anne.
AS Soon as the resolution had been
read by the clerk Leader Lewis sprang
to his feet with a motion that it be re-
ferred to the Judiciary committee, of
which he is chairman. Mr.. Martin OBJ
jected to this, declaring somewhat hot
ly that just because he introduced the
resolution was no reason why it should
be sidetracked. Considerable discus
sion followed.
Speaker Prince interrupted the dis
cussion to say that Mr.. Lewis motion
had not been seconded. He paused a
few seconds without hearing from any
one, and then he asked if any one Sec
onded the leaders, motion. Again no
one responded, and he put Mr.. Mar
tins motion for the adoption of his
resolution, which, much to the surprise
of the lobby, was carried by the votes
of every one of the ffty-eight mem
bers present.
Reports of Commissions.
Monday night the governor sent to
the legislature the reports Of the ex-
else Investigating commission, Of the
dependency and crime commissions
and of the commission to investigate
the condition of the blind In the state.
Accompanying each report was a let
ter of transmission from the execu-
tive, but in lone of them did he COM
NIT himself to any of the conclusions
of the commissioners. He commended
the Investigators for the work they
had done and suggested that the re-
ports be printed. 1t is estimated that
these various commissions will have
bills a~ggregating about $4,000. The
governor has turned most of them
over to the legislature for payment.
Some idea of what is coming may
be CLEANED from an occurrence in the
house Tuesday afternoon. Mr.. Mar
tin moved that the clerk be directed
that when he speaks of the excise
commission in the minutes he desig- |
cate it "the so called excise commits
sion" 1t was well known to all who
were in the house last year, Mr.. Mar |
tin said, that the resolution appoint
ing the commission never passed the
assembly. Mr.. Baker, Democrat of |
Hudson, moved as an amendment that |
1t be designated "the alleged excise
commission" and Mr.. Blaugelt sub
mltted a further amendment that ii
be termed 1.-The SO called and the al
legged excise commission" 1t has been
commended by some ever since last win
Ter that the resolution providing for
the appointment of this excise com
mission nev passed the assembly,
while there are others who declared
n a 1T went through without attract
Ing attention in the rush and hurry
burly of the last nights of last win
ter's session. At any rate, there is on
file in the governors office a certif-
cate from the secretary of the senate.
the body in which the resolution orig
mated, certifying that the resolution
had passed both houses. This being
official notification to the governor
from the proper sources that the res
had passed, there was nothing
ne could do other than appoint the
commission. Even if it had not been
neld by the courts, as it has in a sim
liar case tlat such official notification
q sufficient Lha