Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1917-02-23

Iule plank In the platform of the party.
Senator Hammond of Mercer declared
that every trick, a~rtifce and chicanery
known to the ways of corruption were
resorted to by those who were opposed
to him in the last election. IF the OPP
position to this measure does not cease"
he stated, we may have prohibition in
the United States wen before we have
local option or prohibition in New Jer-
sey. | could not go home tonight and
look my wife in the eyes and tell her l
had not voted for this BILL"
What Bill Provides.
MI. McCran, the majority leader, was
the first to speak in opposition. He re-
ferred 10 the assertion of Mr.. Osborne
that he had been sent to the body pledg-
ed to support local option and that 9th
er speakers acting for their constitu-
ents made the senate an undeliberative
body on their particular bill. No force
or argument could change tn vote of
the senator's from Essex, Gloucester or
Bergen, he asserted.
Passaic county, Mr.. McCran stated,
u Il dOnh iOIdi OPtiOh III bhC
last election, and he expressed the hope
that all the senators would adhere
strictly to the mandate of their par
ticular constituencies.
The local option bill as passed pro-
vides that on a petition Of at least 20
per cent of those who voted at the last
general election the governing body of
the municipality shall provide for a
ballot on the liquor question at the
mex general election. If the petition is
signed by 30 per cent or more of the
voters a special election may be called.
At the end of two years another bal
lot may be taken if the same percent
age of voters sign the petition to vote
on the question of whether the munich
pality shall say wet" or "dry." Pro-
vision is made for licenses that have
been granted before the adoption Of
the act. They will be allowed to run
until their expiration. If the license
has been granted after the adoption Of
the measure it is Immediately forfeited,
but the fee is returned.
Utility corporations with gross re-
ceipts of $4,000 or less will be exempt
ed from the provisions of the franchise
tax bill under an amendment incor-
porated into the measure. The bill has
been reported out following a confer
ence of the majority, and a final vote
will be taken next week.
Many Of the corporations complained
that they would suffer bankruptcy I'M
der the law as originally planned, and
the elimination scheme vas decided
upon. In commenting on the sugges-
tion that the exemption might open
the entire law to an attack on the
ground of unconstitutionality, Majority
Leader Oliphant said that considera-
ton had been given that point, but the
leaders believed that such a tax could
be resisted. AS a precautionary stop
the bill will carry the proviso that If
any feature is declared unconstitution-
al the remainder shall not be construed
as invalid.
Would Repeal "Seven Sisters"
Reform legislation enacted when
President Wilson vas governor, the so
called "seven sisters corporation acts,
have outlived their usefulness in the
opinion of the Republican commission
named a year ago to revise the corpo-
ration laws of the state. With n ex-
ception they have wrought harm, the
commission believes.
With the reports submitted to the
legislature were two bills, n of which
would repeal six of the "seven sisters"
The exception is the act designed to
prevent discriminatory practices on
the part of corporations. The bills were
given to Senator John B. Hates of
Camden for introduction, and he label
ed them "By request"
This wording is used when the intro
Queer does not care to assume respen-
points out that the policy of the state
In dealing with corporations has been
to business without any de-
sire to sanction wrongful or harmful
enterprises" That certain abuses"
crept in under cover of the laws of the
state is admitted, but it is held that
most of these could have been RENE
died by ecourse to the courts.
The commission favors applications
to the courts to handle such questions
rather than to the legislature, on the
theory that a law which seeks to rem
edy an evil is apt to not only root out
the evil, but also destroy the good. In
suggesting the repeal of the six laws
the commission is of the opinion that
federal legislation such as the Clayton
act has superseded them, as corpora
lions desiring to organize in the state
would be of such proportions as to en-
gage in interstate business.
Bar on Heart Cults.
Final action, it is expected, will be
taken next week on the highway bill.
This will include both that of Senator
McCran designating the routes to be
followed and the n by Assemblyman
Oliphant providing for a state tax.