Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1916-03-03

classes of citizens, is to promote not peace
and prosperity, but discord and dissension
in the state.
IL Is time for plain speaking about this
matter. Every member of the legislature
knows, Notwithstanding the good motives
actuating those who are promoting 1t.
mat this Bible bill, since its first intro
auction a few years ago, has served to
arouse an extraordinary feeling for and
against certain religious sects, a feeling
that is most dangerous to the peace and
good will which all thoughtful and toler-
ant persons should seek to conserve
among our citizens. This feeling is all
the more dangerous because it is largely
concealed from public view. Every man
mere, however, knows it exists, and all of
us, | hope, deplore it. And it is plain that
the passage of this bill will but intensity
rather than put an end to this bitter con-
fict of sentiment.
Hennessy's Argument.
My friends who so ~strenuously urge the
passage of this bill are no doubt sincere
IN the desire they profess to bring the
word of God and the lessons of morality
to the school children of the state. But
Jews and Roman Catholics are here to OPP
pose this bill representing hundreds of
thousands of the states citizens, and
surely it will not be contended that they
are antagonlstic to the word of God or to
the teachings of morality. The injunction
to do justice, to love mercy and to walk
humbly before God; the teaching that you
should love your %neighbor as yourself and
do to others as you would nave them do
to you, all nave their origin in the Jew
ish Bible. And no Christian sect, | am
sure, has higher standards of moral teach
ing than those claimed by the Catholic
church. 1t cannot be. therefore, that those
people are opposed to merely moral teach
inc in fhn rt1h1ta sol4@1a Tlalr ~-DArI
ton rests, l am convinced, upon the
ground, also taken by thousands of Prot
e%stants, that religious exercises that even
suggest sectarianism have no place in a
school system supported at public ex-
pense by taxes levied Upon people of all
kinds of religion and of no religion at all.
The senate. in the face of strenuous
opposition by several members, passed
a bill by Senator McCran of Passaic
compelling all drivers of automobiles
to report any accident happening on a
public road in which they are in
volved. Senators Rathbun of Morris
and Colgate of Essex thought the
measure was too sweeping and that
drivers might be compelled under it to
report accidents so trivial as the blow
ing out of a tire, under penalty Of los
ing their license. Senator McCran, sup
porting the bill, maintained that it was
for a worthy purpose, to keep the COM
missioner Of motor vehicles informed
as to the name in which men were
driving, and that it had to be drawn
as it was in order to accomplish the de-
sired end.
Water Measure Passed.
The senate passed Senator Hennes-
sy's bill to allow municipalities to
make contracts for water connections
with the mains of private companies
without the consent of the board of
public utility commissioners. Payment
of damages to abutting property own
ers where the grade of a street is
changed is authorized under a bill by
Senator Hutchinson of Mercer, which
was passed.
The peculiar spectacle of a member
of the house advocating a bill and then
messed in the assembly when Assem-
blyman James T. Alderman, Progress
sive-Republican, of Bergen, voted mo"
on his measure Incorporating the bor-
ough of East Paterson, in Bergen coun-
ty, after speaking in its favor a few
minutes before. Alderman had no
one voted than Majority Leader
Hates was on his feet.
"Do l hear rightly?' queried Mr..
Hates. "Did the gentleman from Ber-
gen vote against his w bill? Where
are we being led?'
81 received this bill and introduced
it in good faith, but l have received
protests against it," Alderman replied.
He then asked to withdraw the bill
from consideration of the house, which
he was allowed to do.
With only one vote against it the bill
of Assemblyman Wolverton of Cam
den permitting a jury after finding a
person guilty of murder in the first de-
gree to recommend a sentence of life
Imprisonment, in which case no death
penalty shall be imposed, passed the
house of assembly. Assemblyman Oil
plant of Mercer cast the only negative
vote.
School Legislation.
A similar measure is already the law
in twenty-four states. Assemblyman
Persons measure allowing school
boards to commence the erection of
school buildings before selling bonds
was passed by the house. 1t is design
ed to permit of a sale of the bonds
when the market may be advantageous.
A bill by Assemblyman Dalrymple of
Passaic to permit the exemption of
property of the turn yerein associa-
tions from taxes was defeated by the
assembly. A bill by Assemblyman
Whitman of Atlantic making it unlaw-
full for persons who are intoxicated to
go hunting for game was passed by the
lower house. And another by Mr.. Her
rick of Warren compelling persons
hunting for deer to white coats
and hats was passed.
Mr.. Herrick's bill providing for the