New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-04-22
CROSSING BILL MIDDLE
Attorney General Puts Fresh
Complication Into Situation.
LEGAL WRANGLE NECESSARY
Another Year May Pass Before
Actual Work of Elimination
Begins in New Jersey.

PROM the Regular Correspondent Of The TribuneJ
Trenton, April n.-Another twist was
rlyen 10 the already knotty problem as to
tbs status of the Pierce grade crossing bill
On Friday when Attorney General Wilson,
In IN opinion 10 David s. Crater. Secretary
OF State. told him 10 file the bill as law
and thus compel the final determination of
the status OF the measure by the courts.
Acting on the Attorney Generals advice
Mr.. Crater will now consider IT a law. will
give It chapter number and have it print
Cd with the rest of the bills that passed the
recent Legislature and became laws. 1t
will then he up TO one OF the municipalities
10 apply for tho abolition Of a crossing
under the 10 per cent clause. OF course, the
railroads will refuse to comply with the re-
quest, and the question will then be taken
10 the courts for adjudication.
A good many persons who have followed
the bill closely are as much puzzled at the
latest opinion of the Attorney General as
they were at the one given TO the Legis-
isture saving the bill had not become a
law, after he had informed the Republican
eonferrees the night before that it had
The question that is asked now is How
can the Attorney General, after a lengthy
opinion. holding that thu bill had not be-
come law. follow II few DAYS later with
an opinion to the Secretary Of State tell
ing him that ne has no alternative but
TO file the measure as a law?
The question Is of the greatest Importance
to the people of those municipalities who
have suffered from these dangerous cross
ings, for IL means that they must now wait
until September l. when the act goes into
effect, before they can take definite steps TO
have the courts determine whether the
grade crossing bill had become a law or
not Had the Attorney General adhered
to his opinion TO the Legislature that the
measure had not become a law and ad-
vised ths Secretary of State not to file il
as such a different condition would prevail.
one that would have brought the determine
ton Of the status Of the bill TO head and
ct much less expense.
Under that conditon-that is. had the
Secretary of State refused to file the meas
ure as a msndamus proceedings would
have beer started TO compel him TO do so,
and the status OF the act would have been
determined without much expense and
without much loss OF time. Now that the
bill has been filed IS a law. in conformity
WIN hnt ldleEl UplillOu VI luS ANlOIIcy
General. no question as to its status can be
raised until the act goes into effect. on
September !. and the procedure then Will be
costly and long drawn out
Governor Wilson has come in for his
share Of criticism for his veto OF the BILL
FOR until he snuncated his views I'm
his veto measure no one knew Just how
he felt on the subject In fact, IL is said
IN some quarters that he had intimsted
strongly that the Measure was all right
until he got the De Forest letter, and then
his attitude changed.
II was learned to-day that the De Forest
letter had been discussed at a conference
Of the Republican Senators, but that no
action was taken OH it. 1t is probable,
however, that when the Governor returns
from his Southern tour tomorrow he Will
take some steps to have the De Forest let
ter made public. now that its contents arc
known Those who know the Governor
well say that he Is not the kind Of man to
SIT quietly by and permit intimations TO go
forth that his veto was prompted by the
De Forest latter without making some ex-
PLANTATION and insisting on the publication
OF the letter