Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1915-03-26
Measures Are Lost Through
Bolt of Senator White.
LOCAL OPTION IS DEFEATED
Saloon and Hotel Men Cheer When
Assembly Rejects Gaunt Bill by Vote
of "a to 13-Members Wax Hot In De-
bate on Question of R~eorsanizins la
Dor Bureau.
Especial Correspondence

Trenton, N. D.. March Ex-senator
White again bolted to the Democratic
ranks and prevented the passage of the
Pierce tax bills, which had among their
provisions tile abolition of the present
county tax boards. He did NOT make
any comment on the measures, but his
one deciding vote was registered in the
negative when the bills were up for
final consideration. Senator Pierce
later changed his vote to permit of the
consideration of the bills again and
Nstated that he still hopes to get them
through. Mr.. White, however. asserts
that he will not change his ballot.
When the bills are brought up for pas
sage Minority Leader Hennessy en-
deavored to have them amended so as
to permit the continuance of the pres
emit boards and also to eliminate the
provision that would keep in Office for
life the assessors in borOughs. On
these propositions Mr.. White cast his
vote in the majority and succeeded in
killing them On the bill itself. how
ever he was registered in the negative.
Such interest has not been shown in
years as attached to the consideration
Of the Gaunt local option bill by the
assembly. Delegations began arriving
in the afternoon TO obtain places inthe
galleries. and when the session was
called to order many had climbed to
positions of advantage in window stills
on the main floor of the chamber. 1t
was after midnight before the vote was
reached. but the crowd remained and
the ants and pros applauded vigor-
ously the telling arguments of their
representatives. The vote by which
the bill was beaten. "A TO 13. was a sur
prise TO many. as it had beer rumored
that the measure had a good chance of
getting through. Many of
hotels and saloons were in the audience
and cheered and applanded when it
was seen that they had won.
There was no attempt made to stif1e
debate On the measure: many of the
representatives took advantage of the
opportunity for displays of oratory
The debate was opened when Assem-.
hyman Peacock of Burlington endeav
ored to have the house adopt as a sub
stitute the bill TO allow the voters OF
the state to express their desires on
the enactment of a national prohibition
law. Assemblyman Iobst. the ministe.
rial member from Hunterdon. branded
this action as eowardly. and Majority
Leader Runyon maintained it was an
attempt to evade the issue. Only three
votes favored the amendment. When
- r.. A.. - ~ =. e-.1- e A..
Gaunt bill he declared that liquor
brought with it decentralization He
mentioned the name of Secretary OF
State Bryan as II temperance advocate
and referred to Mr.. Bryan's temper.
ance meeting in Philadelphia. There
were Kisses in The galleries at the men
ton of Mr.. Bryan's name. but both
Majority Leader Runyon and Minority
Lender Martin declared that they would
have the galleries cleared if there was
repetition Of sueh a demonstration. and
there was no further disorder. Assem-.
blyman Ostrom of Hudson was vehe-
ment in his opposition to the Gaunt bill
and declared for an open Sunday.
Many of the other members also ex-
pressed their views on the liquor ques-
ton.
For New Labor Bureau.
Another measure that occasioned
heated debate in the lower house was
that by Speaker Godfrey to r~eorganize
the bureau of labor and extend Com
missioner Bryant's term of office. Mr..
Martin led the onslaught and main
tanned that the measure was simply for
the protection of Colonel Bryant. He
criticised the so called labor lobby
backing the bill and asserted that the
lobby did not represent organized labor
in New Jersey. Assemblyman Quinn.
who is president of the State Fedora
ton of Labor, opposed the measure and
expressed his regret at the attempt be-
ing made to draw the department Of
labor into politics.
President Edge of the senate has is
sued a statement. in which he defends
the length of time the legislature is de
voting to its work. He asserts that
bills of an important nature are under
consideration and believes that the
people would rather have them given
intelligent consideration than be rush
ed through.
Senator Hennessy championed ar
IDENTIFY his home rule tax bill in the SEN
ate, but it got very few votes. Mr.
Pierce attacked it as of a most radical
nature and very Impractical There
was also other opposition to the bill.
Railroads Of the state were repre-
aantad in force at the hearing on the
full crew bill. Large delegations Of the
workers were also7present. The rail-
reads maintained that the full crew
bill is expensive without gaining the
results which it is aimed to accomplish
and really has the effect Of keeping
workers in other positions out Of en-
ployment.