Perth Amboy evening news., 1912-03-30

a Wis pdcsSQ y -lud uSu6HI VI
labor. General Lewis T. Bryant.
viewed these bills today and said
proyement of the condition of all
Industrial toilers. One measure,
known as the dust bill, empowers
the Commissioners of Labor to take
the necessary steps for the removal
of injurious dust, noxious fumes
and excessive heat from factories
and to require proper ventilation.
Another bill empowers the Commits
sioner to require the adequate pro-
lection of all machinery by safety
devices. These two measures were
introduced by Senator Edge, of At
%lantic, and were based on observa-
lions made by General Bryant in
his study of factory conditions
abroad. Still another labor measure
requires the reporting to the State
Board of Health of certain diseases
to which Industrial employees are
susceptible, such as lead poisoning,
ETC., the State Board in turn to re-
port them to the Labor Commission
er, the object being to bring about
the elimination of such diseases.
Another labor bill passed provides
drastic provisions for cleanliness In
bakeries, confectioneries and ice
cream factories. Labor workers
will also be benefited by the bill re-
curing that all industrial accidents
be reported to the State Commits
sioner of Labor, the aim being the
prevention Of such accidents.
Ten Hours For Women.
One of the most important of the
labor measures, which was enacted
after a picturesque fight, was the
ten-hour bill for women. This
measure prohibited the employment
of women In factories, stores, laun-
dries, bakeries and restaurants for
more than ten hours a day or sixty
hours a week, except during the
Christmas holiday trade. The hear
ings on this bill with the strong
pleas made for the measure by wom-
en- workers was one of the features
Of the session.
y One of the most f%ar-reaching
measures passed was the bill for the
removal of grade crossings. The
fight made by Senator Pierce, of
Union county, to get a grade cross
ing measure enacted was one of the
features of the session. Senator
Pierce had made a special study of
the grade crossing question before
the legislature met, and his bill was
introduced ON the first day of the
session. From that day until the
substitute measure was finally pass
e by the House and concurred in
by the Senate, Senator Pierce lever
relented In his efforts to place the
law on the statute books. Briefly
stated, the measure will mean the
elimination of one dangerous grade
crossing each year for every thirty
miles of railroad operated in this
state, the removal to be at the ex-
pense of the railroad companies ex-
cept in cases where municipalities
apply for the removal, when the
municipality must bear Is per cent.
of the cost.
Recognizing Tax System.
Another important Pierce bill
passed was n recognizing the tax
ing system of the state. The meas
Iure enacted was not as broad as the
orr saai bill introduced by Senator
Pierce, but will make many changes
in the direction of bringing greater
equality in matters of taxation. AS
q companion measure the legislature
passed the Pierce resolution for the
Investigation of the whole tax ques-
ton, a report to be submitted next
year.
Some of the other important bills
enacted were: Simplifying legal
practice and judicial procedure, as
recommended by the State Bar AS
ISOLATION; the bill for automobile
reciprocity, which was passed after
a notable fight; the compromise Gill
bill affecting examinations in the
public schools; changing the law
passed last year SO as to permit pu-
pills to be promoted upon merit in
stead of upon a minimum state ex-
animation; the bill restoring half
rate railroad fares to clergymen; the
bill appropriating 100000 a year
for five years for Reconstruction
of the Delaware Valley Boulevard
from Trenton to Port Jervis; the
bills for a $4,000 addition to the
State House and the further i'm
provement of the State House
grounds; the bill prohibiting JUS
tees of the Peace from performing
the marriage ceremony.
Revision of Marriage Laws.
The legislature also passed a bill
which Is a revision of the marriage
laws of the state and which contains
important regulations. 1t provides
that the marriage license must be
obtained t~wenty-four hours before
the ceremony Is performed, permits
the marriage license to be issued in
duplicate when a civil as we'll as q
religious ceremony Is to be per-
formed and changes the language of
those who may perform the mar
riage ceremony from ministers of
the gospel" to ministers of any re-
ligion." Under the old rendering
it was claimed that all marriages
performed by Jewish rabbits were
Illegal. The new contains
a clause validating all such mar
riages. Another important measure
passed was the joint resolution for
the investigation of the question of
reorganizing and consolidating state
departments.
Some of Bills Defeated.
Some Of the measures that failed
of passage were the local option bill;
the women suffrage resolution; the
bill permitting boxing bouts; the
bill for the abandonment of the
Morris canal; Grand Jury Reform
and the bill permitting the Sunday
sale of liquor in Atlantic City hotels. !
~ The aauzfnn waa xnkol L. 49,