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

Have Telephone Rates Probed.
Especial correspondence
Trenton, March 1.-Concurrence of
the house of assembly was given to
the bill by Senator Edge creating a
state central purchasing bureau. The
measure will now be sent TO the gov
ernor for his signature. Under its
terms a state agent will be named to
buy quantities of goods for different
state institutions and departments. He
will be under the direction of the
statehouse commission.
1t is believed that large savings will
be made by purchasing goods in bulk.
All sales excepting those involving
articles of a perishable nature or those
that can be procured more advanta-
gedusly in the local markets will pass
through the hands of the purchasing
agent under the proposed statute.
After a vigorous debate Senator
Hennessy of Bergen succeeded in hav-
1US d Dlll ny oCldIOl hl1Slah VI 10
sale providing for a commission to
codify the laws relating to municipali-
ties amended so that it contained an
instruction to the proposed commits
sion to report on the manne in which
home rule could best be secured to
municipalities and also to the enact
ment of laws under which they might
operate public utilities.
Governor Fielder's communication TO
the senate on it's failure to confirm the
nomination of Grover c. Riehman as
prosecutor of Gloucester county was
referred to the senate judiciary COM
mittee without instructions, after the
Democrats attempted to have a resolu-
ton passed compelling the committee
to take action IN the nomination.
Insurance Trust Hinted.
The assembly passed a resolution by
Mr.. Godfrey of Atlantic requesting
the department of banking and insur-
ance to inform the house. as to condi-
tons in the insurance business. 1t is
claimed by some members that there
Exists what is practically a trust
among the insurance companies and
that rates are exorbitantly high.
The Iobst Bible bill to compel the
reading of the Bible in public schools
was bitterly attacked at the hearing
before the senate committee on educa-
ton. The opposition was led by He
brews, who contended that it was in
Producing religious ceremonies into the
public schools, contrary to the consti-
tuition of the state and contrary to the
beliefs held by them. Ministers of va
riOus denominations and members of
patriotic societies from all parts of the
state defended the bill. Because of
the great interest in the bill the gal
lery was crowded with interested lis
tenerS.
Rabbi Silberfeld of B'nai Abraham
synagogue led the opposition to the
measure, the opponents of the bill
speaking first, contrary to custom. He
claimed that Bible reading would be a
religious ceremony and should there
fore be excluded from the schools I'M
der the constitution. He pointed out
the terrible struggles that had taken
place in Europe over the question of
the union of church and state and
claimed that the Bible bill was in real
ity such a union.
He thought the passage of the meas
ure would be a backward step for the
state. Other speakers against the
measure were former Assemblyman
Myron G. Ernst and Isaac f. Golden
borp 20 T1rc1- Ciku GoInnonn Jocfa. Of
Newark, Rabbi Lewis j. Goetz of Pat
erson, Rev. Anthony II. Stein of st.
Mary's Catholic church of Paterson
and David Smith, a Hebrew, president
of the Paterson board of education.
Pleas Made For Bill.
Those who favored the measure
claimed it was not a religious practice
that was sought to be introduced in
the public schools, but one that was
calculated to raise the morals of the
state. Rev. Charles S. Campbell of
Railway said that Bible knowledge
was necessary and claimed that there
wal no danger of any sectarian difficult
ties arising through its reading in the
public schools.
He was followed by the Rev. Henry
]. Iobst, the introducer of the bill, who
declared that sectarianism should be
wiped out in America and that such a
state would be helped rather. than him
dered by the reading of the Bible.
State Vice Chancellor Harker of the
Junior Order of United American Me-
chanics also spoke in favor of the
measure.
Particular interest was added to the
debate on the bill by the opposition Of
fered to it by Senator Charles O'Connor
Hennessy of Bergen county, a candi-
date for the gubernatorial nomination.
In an eloquent address he urged that
the measure be defeated. He spoke in
part as follows:
The bitter and intense opposition to this
bill manifested by the representatives of