Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1915-01-19
FLOOD Of BILLS IN
THE LEGISLATURE
AS GRIND BEGINS
Senate and House Settle Down
to Work With First Night
Session Over.
special to the Evening star.


TRENTON, Jan ia flood of bills
was introduced in the Senate and
House last night at the first night
session of the Legislature. Chief
among them were three bills proYld-
ing for the abandonment Of the Nor
ris canal and the dispt sal Of the
property, introduced in the House;
bill providing for a bridge across
Newark bay from Elizabethport to
Bayonne. bills for the relief for the
poor of New Jersey in several ways,
and laboring men, including some
changes in the civil service laws:
uniformity In weights and measures,
and many others.
OF particular interest to Newark
are bills providing that in cities or
the firsu-class the mayor may appoint
a clerk in the Office of auditor OF ac-
counts as acting auditor and amend
ing the ripper act. Both affect New
ark. the first in the James A. Rowe
situation.
There were twenty-five bills intro
duced in the Senate. Both the House
and Senate bills are given below:
Last nights House session demon
strated that Minority Leader Thomas
F. Martin, of Hudson county. is go
Speaker Carlton Godfrey.
It all came about when a concur
rent resolution was sent over from
the Senate asking the approval Of the
House members, the resolution pro-
viding for the appointment OF a COM
mission ito investigate the workings
Of the House and Senate with refer
ence to the passage of laws and the
employment of officers
AS soon as the resolution had been
introduced in the House by Majority
Leader Runyon, Of Union county, Mr..
Martin was on his feet with an in
slant objection. II object to TINS
resolution, as in effect II means that
we are dissatisfied with the manner
in which we are running the House"
Mr.. Runyon disclaimed any intent
of intimating dissatisfaction, saying:
1.-THE millennium has not come yet and
we are only trying to better things
in the interest of economy and eff
Cheney in handling affairs"
Assem- biyman Weart, of Mercer
county, got into the debate with a
statement that affairs in the legisla-
tive branches had not been properly
conducted in previous years.
Up shot Martin again with the re-
tort: "I was not d member in pre-
yious wears. and / object to any res
olution that refers to something that
calls for investigation before we took
office. We of the minority do not OBJ
ject to any investigation, but in this
instance | rise to protect the speaker
of the house from a resolution that
reflects on him. This body of men
In now holding its second meeting.
WHY should we investigate ourselves?
I saw this resolution reflects directly
on the speaker and every member
here"
Assemblyman William J. Barbour,
of Passaic tried to stem the tide Of
merriment-but It was merriment that
had a serious vein in it-by rising TO
a question of personal privilege. He
asked Speaker Godfrey If it we're
proper to investigate officers or en-
ployes of the House by the appoint
ment of such q commission.
Speaker Godfrey in reply declared;
"This House is ruled by its own
members. The speaker is only here
to receive resolutions and TO preside
over the sessions"
Just about this time the fact that
there was big fire at the RoeblinS
plant became known and there was
a hurried exodus of spectators to the
street to go to the fire and Of as
semblymen to the south and east win
dows of the State House for view
OF the reflection that filled the south
east sky and a vote on the resolu-
tion was called for In a hurry. Not
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