The Penn's Grove record., 1915-04-23
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HOUSE DEFEATS PHONE PROBE.
Resolution Calling for Investigation
Lost-Jitney Bill Passes.


Lost-Jitney Bill Passes.
The House defeated the resolution
calling for an investigation of the
so-called telephone trust, forced out
of committee Senator Hutchinson's
home rule resolution and among other
things passed the jitney bus bill on
second reading with Assembly amend
ments
For the fifth time in two days, As
semblyman Agnew, of Hudson, at
empted to have moved the resolution
providing for the election of Assem-
blymen by districts, but no action was
to be had. At the same time the Dem
ocrats attempted to have the Repub-
lieans move that one of the efficiency
and economy bills which would reor-
ganize the bureau of shell fisheries,
but Majority Leader Runyon said he
felt 1t was not incumbent upon him
to move the bill at that particular
time.
Assemblyman Hughes, OF Passaic,
injected the only life that appeared
in the afternoon session, in rising to
a point Of personal privilege regarding
his resolution calling upon the speaker
to appoint a committee to investigate
telephone rates in the State. Mr..
Hughes had met with considerable
opposition to his resolution from per-
sons working in the interest of Tie
telephone company, while on the 9TH
er hand telephone subscribers from all
parts Of New Jersey had been writing
and t~elegraphing him. urging him to
ecure for them, if possible, the relief
they desired.
within a day or two following the
introduction of my resolution" he as
serted, 81 noticed in the lobby of this
House many new faces Of well dress
ed. prosperous appearing men, who
apparently knew everybody and who
were on speaking terms with every
body in Trenton. Some of them, I
am told, were former officials of this
State.
"Here they are" he said, land
ere they have been, winning and din
ing and treating everyone in sight. 1t
was and still is Have a cigar and
Have a drink and Where are you
going tonight?' and How about a lit
tie bite together
These men" said Mr.. Hughes, Il
afterward learned. were paid to come
here in the interest of the Telephone
Trust. These men are not spending
their money with a lavish hand in the
interest of the people.
Il wish to serve notice upon them,
one and all, that l will cali every
member of this infamous lobby before
the bar Of this house and will take
such other action as will herald their
names throught the State-these paid
lobbyists of the Telephone Trust. 1
believe that the Telephone Trust is
the greatest of all trusts now operat-
ing in this State. 1t constitutes the
greatest money-making monopoly eve
foisted upon a helpless people"
In reply to Mr.. Hughes, Majority
Leader Runyon said his committee.
which had the resolution in hand, fail
ed to report it for the reason that the
members had been assured by the
Board of Public Utilities Commission
ers that the telephone companies OF
the State are in the ours of pre-
pairing data covering the same sub
ject. Mr.. Runyon said he thought it
a useless expenditure of money to go
on record as in favor of such an in
v~estigation.
Mr.. Hughes then moved that the
action on the resolution be made a
special order of bushes, ~whereupon
Mr.. Runyon put in a condemnation
that the resolution be taken up for
immediate action. This motion pre-
vailed. and the investigation was voted
down, IA to 20. Before the vote was
announced Mr.. Hughes changed his
vote to the negative in order that he
could bring the matter up for consid-
Grafton again.
BY invoking the rule of fifteen. the
bill providing for a method Of land
registration was forced out of COM
mittee. The bill Is a copy of the New
York law known as the Torrens. and
is designed to simplify the transfer OF
real estate.
There was some opposition on h
Republican side to House bill As, in
troduced by Assemblyman Stevens,
to provide for a supplement to the
compiled statutes of the State. When
Majority Leader Runyon learned that
a COPY was to be supplied to every
members of the Legislature at a cost
to the State of approximately IS per
COPY he objected, but it was to no
avail.
When the jitney bus bill was moved
Minority Leader Agnew offered some
amendments. The bill itself is intend
ed to place auto bus companies under
proper control the same IS other pub
lie service corporations. Mr.. Agnew's
amendments would permits a bus own
er to operate a car without having to
incorporate. Asemblyman Stevens al
so offered some amendments in the
interest. he said, of small owners OF
buses, but these were voted down,
and the Agnew amendments adopted.
Street Cars Can Carry Papers
House No. 722. fathered by Assem-
blyman Frank A. Lolan, of Hudson
county, was placed upon the statute
books and will be known as Chapter
9SS of the Laws of 1915. The bill
permits street cars to carry newspa-
pers.
Antelope Bill Before Governor.
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