The Penn's Grove record., 1916-03-24
STATE CAPITOL NEWS
What The State Officials Are Doina.
What The Political Leader Are
Talking About.

- 49, ~ 0OHE y AdI EEuU III
later today or tomorrow, the 140th Leg
i~slature has completed its work and made
its record. 1t must be said that the ses-
sion has been characterized by much par
tisanship, but Notwithstanding. consid-
cradle good legislation has been enact
ed, som Of it of a constructive nature.
Some of the biggest things the Legisla-
ture did were to pass the state budget
and state purchasing agent bills; reor-
ganized the State Department of Agri-
culture and consolidated with it several
cognate branches passed the bill for the
regulation of ~jitneys; the bill directing
the reading of at least five verses of the
Old Testament in each class room or as
sembly room of each public school al the
daily exercises enacted the Pierson
municipal finance measures; the bill leg
allzing four-round boxing contests under
proper regulations the resolution of As
semblyman Hammond. of Somerset
County, for the investigation of the work
ings of the civil service law: two or
three bills Strengthening the regulations
Of motor vehicle traffic: passed the Pierce
bill for the compulsory removal by the
X. K. companies annually of one danger
Gus grade crossing for each 40 miles of
track operated the Egan bill for a state
bond issue of 81. O 900 FOR the construc-
ton Of a state system of highways. which
must be adopted by the voters at the
polls before it becomes effective, and the
bill advancing the primary for the cleo
ton of delegates TO the National Con
v%entions from May % to April %.
Several changes were made in the
election laws, and the Democrats dis
pute the Republican claim that these
changes will be an advantage. In fact
the Democrats charge that the Repub-
lieans have deliberately emasculated the
Geran act for their own political adj
vantage, a charge which is Indignantly
denied by the Republican leaders. Just
what these changes are cannot be told
until all amendments have been finally
acted upon in the two Houses this week
and received the consideration of the
Governor. The principal election meas
ures passed were the Joint Resolution
by Mr.. Hutchinson, of Mercer, for a com
mission of three to revise and simplif-
the primary and election laws. and
bill by Assemblyman Pancoast, Of Ca.
den, striking from the Geran act the pl
So I'll tHN I " -AS NtALhA
exact age when registering, merely pro
viding that they prove they are over 81
years old permitting the use of the plus
mark as well as the cross in marking bal
lots: and providing that personal regis
tration shall not be required in munici-
pafities of less than 10000 population.
the bill raising this limit from 5000.
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C-o- -
civil service were authorized to make in
yestigations and report to the next Leg
i~slature, as follows:
The commission to investigate NUM-
cipal finances was continued another
year. with A~ssemblyman Pierson at its
head the present Highways Committees
of the senate and House were continued
as a joint committee to revise and codify
the laws relating to roads built under
the state aid law; a commission was
authorized to investigate the question of
the conservation of the fish supply and
the pound nets; another commission Gre
ated is to revise the laws for the protec-
ton of birds. game and fish.
.
Some of the big bills killed were The
Gaunt local option measure: the bill for
the censorship of motion pictures; the
Colgate workmen's compensation bills,
with one exception: the bills for taxa
ton reform the series of labor bills by
Mr.. FELTON,, of Hudson. the labor mem
Der; eliminating compulsory vaccination
and leaving the matter discretionary with
the school boards the Pierson bill for
military training in the high schools the
Gaunt bill recognizing the State Road
Department.
Governor Fielder has signed a num-
Der of important bills during the past
few days. The list includes the jitney
bill the Barber bill regulating the cold
storage of food; the McCran bill pro-
hibiting the use of "mufier cut-outs'' in
this state; prohibiting intoxicated per-
sons from hunting game; changing the
method of drawing struck juries so they
shall be drawn by numbers; the Gilbert
bin authorizing this state to accept Fed
eral aid for road construction: the bill
permitting boxing contests increasing
the number of volunteer automobile in
spectors from so to 10: the Roberts pure
seed bill; the bill by Mr.. Herrick giving
state aid to townships in the preliminary
Z toSt VI liAHANN Aic u I0duS.
8 =
Several bills were filed by the Cover
nor in the State Library as dead meas
ures. the Legislature not being in session
to receive the vetoes. The most import
ant of these was the bill by Senator
Wells, of Burlington county, exempting
farm laborers and domestic servants from
the provisions of the employers liability
act. The Governor vetoed this upon the
ground that the theory of employers la
bility should apply to all classes of en-
ployees. The Governor said he could
not see why the workmen employed on
farms or women engaged as servants are
not in as much need of this protection as
others.
The appointment of Democratic State
Continued on pare -
I've
The