The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1911-04-28
PROMISES KEPT,
WILSON ASSERTS
Session Extraordinary Because
Il Fulfilled Pledges.
MUCH REMAINS To Be DONE"

Governor Reviews Work Accomplished
by Legislature and Comments on
Unusual Diligence, sobriety and Alb
sence of Party Contests In Passage
of Reforms Demanded by Democrats
In New Jersey.
Especial Correspondence
Trenton, N. j., April 27.-The One
Hundred and Thlrty-1fth legislature,
which came to an end at o'clock Sat.
urday morning, will be notable one
in the legislative history of New Jer-
sey, and 1t will be chiefly notable for
what 1t accomplished. As Governor
Wilson said In the statement which he
gave to the representatives of the press
Just before the final adjournment, at
Will always be remembered as extraor.
binary in thls-that 1t witnessed the
fulhllment by the legislature of every
important campaign pledge"
Continuing in this strain, the gov
ernor said:
"Much remains to be done in the way
of effecting such reorganization of the
state government as may result In In
creaslng economy and efficiency, and
many reforms of consequence remain
to be prosecuted and put upon the
statute book, but no single legislature
could possibly be expected to accom-
pllsh more than this one has accom-
plished. IL has acted not only with
unusual diligence and sobrlety, but
with singular absence of party feeling
and party contest. 1t has had about
II the freedom which characterizes men
who are acting In the public interest
and without regard to private connec-
lions or personal interest. In no other |
way can / account for Its extraordi-
nary record.
1.-THE employers liability and work
lngmen's compensation act has given
the state statute more serviceable |
and more consistent with justice In |
the field to which 1t applies than per
haps any other in the Union.
1.-THE primary and election bill has
worked Il thoroughgoing reform of the
whole electoral process of the state
and has put every process of choice
directly in the hands of the people.
1.-THE corrupt practices act is singu-
larly thoroughgoing and will UNI
doubtedly prove most effective. 1t
will do perhaps more than any other
piece of legislation on this notable list
to purify elections and secure unbiased
action of the people at the polls.
1.-THE public utilities act goes the full
length of reform In respect of the con-
troll of public service corporations. 1t
Is thoroughly buslnesslike act, well
conceived and well constructed, and
ought to afford means of settling
some of the most perplexing questions
connected with the control of corpora
lions.
Add to this list the regulation of
cold storage, the substitution of indie
terminate for determinate sentences
for criminal offenses, the rectihcation
of the abuses In connection with false
weights and measures and the admin
lstration reform of the school system.
and II must be admitted these consti-
tute one of the most remarkable rec
ords of legislation, venture to think,
that has ever distinguished single
legislative session In this country"
1t looked ut one time rs though the
governor was going TO fail to have
passed the bill providing for com
mission form of government, upon
which he had placed his seal OF ap-
prevail and which was bitterly opposed
by the few old line bosses of both
parties who had the temerity to en-
deavor TO thwart the governors pur-
poses even after the bitter and hui
initiating defeats they had suffered TO
great extent through his instrument
tally.
The bill passed the senate with little
or no opposition in the closing hours
OF the session, but when It reached
the house II was bitterly assailed and
twice 1t suffered defeat. But the
friends Of the measure, encouraged
by the governor, renewed the fight a
third time and were successful In get
ting the measure passed. This was
not accomplished, however, until there
and an agreement was reached upon
an important amendment. When the
bin passed the house the opponents OF
the measure succeeded In having q
provision inserted TO the effect that
when II was submitted TO a vote Of
the people for ratification 40 per cent
at least of the vote polled AZ the pre-
vious general election must be cast In
its favor TO mike IL operative In the
senate this was cut down to 20 per
cent, but the opponents of the measure
secured enough votes In the house to
reject this amendment.
Twice the motion TO concur In the
senate amendment was lost, and as
the hour for final adjournment was
had and an agreement was reached
that the required vote should be 80 per
cent. This was considered acceptable
to the friends OF the measure, and its
opponents comforted themselves with
the thought that 1t was a material vic
tory for them. and so the measure at
last went through.
One of the most persistent opponents
of the &c per cent feature was James
II. Nugent. the machine boss OF Essex
who in spite of the rules to the con-
trary appeared upon the floor and used
what little influence he had left in IA
vor Of the 40 per cent provision.
Senator Frelinghuysen did not sue
coed In securing the passage of all his
school bills which We're introduced as
a result OF the investigation of the
school system Of the state by the com.
mittee OF which he was chairman. One