Gloucester County Democrat., 1912-04-18
POLITICS AND COMMENTS FROM
STATE CAPITOL.

STATE CAPlTUL.
Trenton, April 1.-THE 136th Legis-
lature OF New Jersey came to an end
last night, the closing hours being
marked by bitter partisan contests
over two of the biggest bills OF the
session, namely, the Pierce grade
crossing bill and the Congressional
redistricting bill, both of which had
been vetoed by the Governor. The
redistricting bill was passed by both
Houses over the Executive disapproval
and is now law The grade cross
ing bill was passed over the veto by
the Assembly, the vote being S3 to 1S.
1t went through the Assembly origin
ally by the vote of Sc to /, so that
many Democrats changed their vote
yesterday The bill was Immediately
sent to the Senate, which refused to
pass it over the veto, 6 Republican
Senators voting to pass it and 9 OPP
posing it. Of the 9 who opposed pas
sage, were Republicans.
The situation as to the a1l-import-
ant grade crossing bill is very much
mixed. Before passing it over the We
to in the Assembly the Republican
Assemblymen passed a resolution de-
claring that the bill was already a
law This was based on the conten-
tion that the Governors veto was first
sent to the Senate, whereas it should
have been sent to the Assembly, and
as the veto message was not received
in the properHouse the first day after
the recess, the bill became a law by
default. Although this resolution was
adopted, the bill was taken up and
passed over the veto to avoid techni-
cal legal questions The Senate hav-
ing refused to pass the measure over
the veto, the Republican Assembly
men filed the measure with the Secre-
tary of State under the resolution re-
ferred to, still claiming that it is a
law by default. Without a doubt it
will take an appeal to the Courts to
settle the question as to whether New
Jersey really has or has not law to
abolish dangerous grade crossings.
The redistricting bill leaves the
South Jersey districts untouched; puts
Union and Norris in the Fifth Dis
trict; Warren, Sussex, Bergen and
the northern part of Passaic in the
Sixth District; the rest of Passaic in
the Seventh District; the Eighth,
Ninth. Tenth, Eleventh and Twelfth
Districts being divided between Hlld-
son and Essex counties. The usual
resolutions were passed in each House
congratulating the presiding officers,
the opposing party leaders and the
officers. Then the members of the As
sembly marched to the Senate chamb-
er and with both branches there as
sembled President Prince declared the
session of the Legislature ended with
out day.
The Legislature in a joint session
yesterday afternoon elected the MEM
bers of the Prison Labor Commission
WHICH will have charge of the employ
ment of State prisoners. Those elect
ed were Samuel w. Kirkbride, of Mon
mouth; William H. Tonking, of Nor
ris, and Richard Moore, of Cumber-
land. Republicans, and Cook Conklin,
of Bergen; Joseph P. O'Lone, of Hud-
son, and former Assemblynan George
NJ. LaMonte, of Somerset, Democrat.
Il > = =
The most sensational events of the
peSent session of the Legislature came
in the closing hours last week when
the Republican lawmakers issued a
hot criticism of the Governor, charg-
ing him with a lack of study of the
bills vetoed and with not properly per
forming his duty, which will be found
in full in another column. The Re
publicans in the Assembly raped At
torney- General Wilson, Republican
and refused to accept a grade cross
ing opinion submitted by him in car
bon copy form; there were many
warm partisan fights over the passage
of bills over the Governors veto and
altogether it was real lively Legisla-
tive time.
*#****
New Jersey paid fitting tribute te
the memory of Major General Phil
Kearney last Friday, when the Gener.
ais body was transferred from Trinity
Churchyard, New York, to its final
resting place in Arlington Nationa
Cemetery. near Washington. The re-
moval of the body was made possible
by an appropriation of $4,000 made BY
the Legislature. Acting Governor
John d. Prince, Adjutant General vii
bur F. Sadler, Jr., and members O.
their Staff boarded in this city tht
special train bearing General Kearn
ey's body, and accompanied it to Ar
lington Cemetery. As the train pass
ed through the State flags ON public
buildings were placed at half staff b.
order of the Governor, as Commander
in-chief of the military forces of th'
State, and when the train reachet
Trenton, a Major Generals salute 20
thirteen guns were fired by batter.
in the rear of the State House. Act
ing-Governor Prince was one of tn,
speakers in the ceremonies at tn,
grave in Arlington Cemetery. Tn
: State has appropriated $4,000 for tn
: erection of monument over tn
grave.
&hA&&
Radical changes in the method Q
: dealing with the improved roads Q
: the State are made by the Whyte roal
} bills which passed both Houses of th