Gloucester County Democrat., 1912-02-01
POLITICS AND COMMENT FROM
THE STATE CAPITOL.

t6S1SiatlVe aCtiUH pIOp0Seu t1lS WGth
a plan for taking steps toward the re-
organization of all the State Depart
ments and institutions providing for
greater economy and efficiency. The
Republican proposition is in resolu-
tion introduced by Senator Edge, the
party leader. 1t provides for the ap-
pointment of a commission of two
Senators and two Assemblymen to re-
port on the advisability of re-organi-
zing and the consolidation of State
Departments which have functions
relating to each other. 1t carries an
appropriation of $4,000.
The Democratic proposition is
much more sweeping and drastic and
was introduced in the form OF a joint
resolution by Senator Silzer, of Mid
dlesex The resolution provides that
the Governor shall appoint five citi-
zens as commission to serve without
pay, and the commissioners are en-
powered to consider the whole ques
ton of simplifying and co-ordinating
all the administrative agencies. of the
state, in order that they may be put
upon the best possible basis of econ
omy and efficiency. This Commission
is empowered by the resolution to in
quire into the sources of the States
revenues and means of increasing it.
The Commission is given power to
summon witnesses and to compel
them to testify, and every officer must
furnish such information as may be
requested. This resolution appro-
PIRATES $25 5000. OF course, both
Houses being Republican, the Edge
resolution is the only one that can
pass this session.
Governor Wilson sent batch of
nominations to the Senate this week,
and the action was featured by the at
tack of Senator Nichols, of Cumber-
land, upon the appointment of former
Senator Harry v. Osborne of Essex,
as Judge of the Essex Common Pleas
Court. Mr.. Osborne being former
Senator, the question of his confirma-
tion was taken up as soon as the ap-
pointment was received from the Gov
ernor Senator Nichols refused to,
vote for confirmation on the ground
that Mr. Osborne had been connected
with some alleged cases of exacting
exorbitant fees in bankruptcy cases
in Essex county. All the other Sen
ators voted to confirm. The most i'm
portant of the other nominations were
John j. White, of Atlantic City, and
John J. Treacy, of Hudson, as Judges
of the Court of Errors and Appeals;
William A. Faunce, of Atlantic to the
Allen Marquand, of Princeton and
Judge Alegrnon T. Sweeney, of Es-
sex to the Women's Reformatory Com
mission.
The first law of this session of the
Legislature was enacted yesterday
when the Senate passed Assembly bill
S5 for the improvement of the plank
road on the Hackensack Meadows, in
Essex and Hudson counties. The bill
passed the House Monday evening g,and
was taken and rushed to the Senate
where it was put through yesterday
and was Immediately taken to the
where it awaits his sigma
ture Several other bills were pass
ed by the Senate this week including
the Leavitt bill, permitting the inden-
ture of inmates from the State Home
for Girls and the State Home for
Boys; the Smalley bill repeating the
school act of April 81, 1911; the bill
by Senator Hand, validating a bond
issue for purchase of toll road and
the Fielder Bill, giving legal effect to
typewriter copies of legal papers.
<sF%%
The objection of commercial tray-
elers and others to that feature of the
Geran election law which prohibits
them from registering if they cannot
be at the registry place personally, is
met in an amendment to the law pro-
posed by Senator Fielder. The
amendment will permit voters to reg
lister who may be i'll or compelled to
be away from home on the registra-
ton days by taking an affidavit ans
wering the same questions that would
be answered by a personal registra-
tion. The affidavit is then to be filed
with the Election Board in the Dis
trict in which the voters reside.
The office of Public Defender is
created in bill introduced in the
Senate by Senator Fielder. AS drawn
the measure applies only to Hudson
and Essex counties, but it's provisions
may be- extended to other counties.
The provision in the bill is that the
Governor shall appoint a lawyer in
the county who shall be the Public
Defender of all prisoners not finan-
cially able to employ counsel.
AS the result of the hearing this
week on the Pierce bill re-organizing
the tax assessment system of the
state, the measure will be amended
so as to give more rule in assessment
matters. One amendment will pro-
vide that the Boards of Assessment in
cities of more than 10000 population
may be composed of from to 5 mem
bers instead of five members as re-
quired by the bill. another amend
ment will permit the municipalities to
regulate the salaries of the assessors
within prescribed limits. Consider
able objection developed at the hear
In o. RI fha rrovi1inri of fhn hill loUic-