The Penn's Grove record., 1916-02-11
SENATE ENDORSES
LOCAL OPTION
Gaunt Bill Passes BY Vote of
II to 9
WILL BE SLAIN IN ASSEMBL
Colgate and Edge Antis-Republican
Candidates Against Measure
Democrats Support
The Bill.

Especial Trenton Correspondence.
Trenton.-Once more the Gaunt
Local Option bill passed the Senate,
The vote was II to 9 without politi-
cal division. The absentee was Sena-
tor Stevens, of Cape May, who was
unavoidably detained and wrote a re-
Guest to be recorded in favor, but no
action was taken upon the request.
Incidentally sundry booms for Cover
nor figured in the long fight, which
occupied the whole session of the
Senate, and two Of the Republican
candidates, Senators Edge and Col
gate were recorded against the meas
ure, while one Democratic candidate,
Senator Hennessy, was on the other
side. The vote was as follows:
For-Ackley, Allen, Gaunt, Hennes-
sy, Hutchinson, Martens, Mathis,
Pierce, Rathbun, Smalley and Wells.
Against-Ackerson, Barber, Coz
gate, Edge, Egan, Florance, McCran,
Munson and Read.
1t was generally known that the
bill would pass the Senate again this
year and by an increased vote over
that of last year. but it is as general
ly known that it cannot get by the
House because of the solid vote of
Essex and Hudson, the largest two
counties, which have "a members.
two counties, which have "a members.
The bill had but 10 favorable votes in
the House last year, but will have
more this time, perhaps 20.
Senator Gaunt, of Gloucester, in
PRODUCER of the measure, was the first
to take the floor in it's favor, and it
seemed as If the bill were going to
be disposed of with no other speech
on either side. This has not been the
history of local option measures, and
there was a murmur of surprise when
President Read asked if there were
any remarks on the bill, and no re-
spouse came. AS Secretary Davis
proceeded with the roll, however, the
Senators took advantage of the op-
portunity to present their views in
explaining their votes.
In urging the passage of the bill,
oChdlOl 0duAI Sdlu Indl III was IuOT6
in favor of local option than he was
eve last year. He said since the
last session of the Legislature he had
visited 80 different States and has
studied the liquor laws under which
those States were operating. The
States that were dry, according to the
Senator, were the ones which to his
mind, had the finest class of citizen
ship. The Senator said the people
Of New Jersey were not giving as
much attention to the boys and girls
as the stock raisers of Wyoming gave
to the cattle.
Senator Ackerson, of Monmouth, the
first on the roll call, said he had voted
against the measure last year, and he
saw no reason why he should change
his mind this year, that nothing had
happened to show that the people of
his country felt any differently.
When Senator Colgate, an avowed
candidate for the Republican nomina.
ton for Governor, was reached he had
a statement prepared which he read.
He said that a test of the local option
sentiment in Essex county was made
at the last election, and it showed
that there was little, if any, demand
for such a law. Montclair, one of the
conservative centres of the county
voted directly for or against saloons,
and the saloons won In discussing
the recent stories that he and Senator
Edge were afraid to go on record on
the bill, the Essex Senator said that
both Senator Edge and himself always
voted as they thought right.
Senator Edge, the other aspirant fol
Governor. also took occasion to de.
clare his position. He was against this
bill, and said that he would be false
to the electorate of his county if he
took n other stand.