Bridgeton pioneer. (Bridgeton, N.J.) 1884-1919, 1913-02-27
GOVERNOR IS
FIGHTING MAD
Assembly Slaps the Cover
nor.
AGAINST JURY REFORM
There Are Lively Times in Trenton
and Wilson Says He
Will Scrap.

Trenton, Feb. Ex-Governor Wilson |
late this afternoon met both success
and defeat in the New Jersey Legis- |
lature. In spite of an alleged com |
bine of some Democratic Senators |
with Republican members of the |
House to hold up many of Governor
Wilson's appointments, the Senate
confirmed so of the nominations al |
ready sent in, this action leaving but
about IL more to be considered. The
Governor, however, met a waterloo
in the House when the Assemblymen
refused to advance the Executives
pet jury reform measure to second
reading.
The action of the House put the
Governor in fighting mood and
caused him on whose shoulders he
places the responsibility for the at
tempt to. kill this bill to take a rap
at the Democratic bosses, and other
| measures he has proposed.
When informed of the Houses ac-
| tion by newspaper men, the Executive
became keenly interested. When
asked where he thought the opposi-
tion came from the Governor said:
| 'It is we'll known that the persons
who are exerting pressure on the
members of the Legislature to defeat
this bill are those who wish to con-
troll Grand Juries of this State be-
| cause they wish to break the law, and
( the people of the State understand
the situation perfectly we'll"
AS the Governor was aware that
most of the opposition to his jury re-
form bill came from Hudson County,
he was asked if he intended to make
speeches in that county against those
who opposed the measure, and he
replied:
Il should not be surprised. 1 do
not have to do it at once. 1 can do
it as President of the United States"
The Governor said that he fully
intended to show up those in the
State who opposed reform. He ad-
mitted that it looked dark for the
passage of the jury reform bill, but
declared that he thought it would go
through. The Governor intimated
that he would try to have the bill
passed while he was President and
before the Legislature of 1913 ad-
journed sine die.
During the afternoon session AS
semblyman Zisgen, of Bergen County,
moved that the jury reform bill be
! given a second reading Assembly
man Martin, acting majority leader,
moved to table the motion Roll call
was asked for by Mr.. Zisgen, but as
the motion was not seconded, the
House adopted the Martin resolution
vive voce.
This was one of the most surprising
incidents of the session, inasmuch as
it became apparent that Governor
Wilson's strength in the Assembly
was waning.
The Governor sent a special mes
sage to the House urging the enact
ment of the measure. This measure
was read while Mr.. Zisgen was en-
deavoring to have the bill read for a
second time.
Ziszen later attempted to have his
motion, placing the bill on second
reading, removed from the table, hop
ing that the Governors message
would have the desired effect on his
fellow members. Martin moved as
substitute motion that the consider
alton of the Zisgen bill be postponed
indefinitely. The Speaker decided the
substitute motion out of order and
it was withdrawn.
The House voted down zisgen's mo-
ton by vote of 81 to IA, this being
a direct slap at the Governor.
Another attempt will be made to
have the bill placed on second read
ing tomorrow, and it is likely that
some of the members who opposed
the Zisgen motion will be called into
consultation or conference by the
Governor early tomorrow.
In order to d. everything possible
to have jury reform bill enacted in
to law, the Governor had Senator
Davis introduce in the Senate a bill