Gloucester County Democrat., 1912-05-16
POLITICS and COMMENT.

Trenton, May 15.-Governor Wilson
disposed OF the last lot of bills Mon
day afternoon and two important cleo
tion measures were among those ap-
proved One was Senate 351 enabl-
ing voters prevented from registering
by illness or absence form the State
to register by affidavit. This measure
was desired by commercial travellers
and others who are much of the time
away from home, many of whom We're
disfranchised last year because of the
stringent provision of the Geran act
requiring personal registration. The
other election law approved was Sem
ate 244, providing for the nomination
of Presidential electors at the State
Conventions of the political parties
which are held under the Geran law
on the second Tuesday following the
primary election in September. The
Geran act abolishes the old method
of holding state conventions, but pro-
vided no way of choosing the Presi-
Dental electors Before the latter
bill was passed there was amended
out of it the Objectionable feature
providing that the candidates for cleo
tors should not be required to file d
required by the corrupt practices act.
The other bills approved by the
Governor were: Senate 357 permitting
the Inland Waterway Commission to
condemn land for its right of way in
digging the channel from Bay Head
to Cape May; Senate 359, providing
an additional appropriation of ST.
600 for the State Road Department;
Senate 354, providing an appropria-
ton of $4,000 for the legislative probe
into the operation of the Civil Ser
vice and tenure of Office laws; As
sembly $50, providing for the con-
struction of amusement pavillions in
parks.
The record of the both Legislature
lis 420 bills enacted into law, besides
several joint resolutions which re-
quire executive approval but which
are listed separately from the regular
laws. Nearly 400 bills have been ap-
proved by the Governor besides the
large number of bills vetoed. The
balance of the bills which became
laws were those passed over the Gov
ernor's Veto The 420 chapters in the
laws of 1912 is the largest number
enacted in several years. Last year
there were 3S2 chapters, in 1910 there
were 30S, in 1909, there were 272 and
in 1908 the number of chapters was
1922.
ss**
Governor Wilson this week appoi1t-
ed five citizens who, with the Gov
ernor, the State Comptroller and the
State Treasurer, will compose the
Washington's s Crossing Park Commits
sion Those appointed were: l.. VI.
Silver, of this city; and Charles
Blackman, of Atlantic City, both state
officers in the P. O. S. of A.; Col
onel William Libbey, of Princeton and
William l. Doyle, of this city, both
officers of the old Washingtons
Crossing Park Commission; and the
Rev. Jesse G. Jarolemon, of Jersey
City. The Commission is authorized
to acquire 100 acres of land at Wash
ington's Crossing for the park and to
erect a suitable monument commem-
Grating the crossing of the Delaware
by General Washington and the Con-
tinental troops, the total cost not to
exceed $25,000.
1t is the purpose of the Commits
H.
ment completed so that it may be
dedicated in connection with the cele-
bration to be held by the State P. O.
S. of A. in August, 1913 marking the
25th anniversary of the formation OF
the Order and the Tooth Anniversary
OF the founding of the first patriotic
society in the United States.
Assistant Attorney General Gaskill
has rendered an opinion to the Civil
Service Commission that all the ap-
pointees under the new law creating
County Commissions for the exter-
mination of mosquitoes, are county
employees and not those of the state.
The Civil Service regulations, there
fore, will not govern such employees
except in the counties which have
adopted the Civil Service law.
**+*
The great increase in litigation in
New Jersey is shown by the fact that
The Chancery Court this week had to
open a new docket for the listing of
suits, although the old docket had
been in use only nine months. Each
docket has room for the listing Of
$500 cases, and therefore, the opening
of this record shows that an average
of 500 suits have been started in this
one court each month, since last Aug
ust. Ten years ago the number of
suits listed was only about 300 per
month.
The Taft campaign will culminate
during the few days preceding the
election. when the president will tour
this state on vote hunting mission
The President will come into this
state from Philadelphia on Thursday
evening, May 90, and will spend that
evening and Friday, Saturday and
Monday in his campaign trip through
the state. His itinerary has not yet
been completed but he will speak in
all the larger cities of the state. A
sweeping campaign is being organi-
zed with the party leaders and Taft
meetings will be held in practically
every city and town in New Jersey
i'm 4shn effort to Garry the state for