Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1917-03-02

Gaunt-Mackay bill by allowing the
voters to say how the saloons shall be
regulated. Provisions even to recon-
pense proprietors of the establishments
for the loss of their business might be
Incorporated into the ordinance.
Mr.. Hates described the bill as one
for genuine home rule and did not
place much credence in the suggestions
of Senators McCran and Richards that
the statute might be declared u%nconsti-
tutional. He stated that he had as
surance from many house members
that they would favor it, and he
thought it had a good chance of getting
through. Representatives of the Local
Option league are of the same opinion.
Local option had its inning in the
house Monday night, but was voted
down in a tally of 80 to 10. The largest
gathering of spectators in the building
this year crowded the galleries and
even the aisles around the members
desks. Applause followed addresses
for and against the measure, and there
were some Kisses by the opponents
when criticism was directed at their
method.
One of the surprises of the vote was
the recording of Dudley Bramhall, an
Essex member, in the affirmative. His
vas the first ballot ever east in favor
of such a measure by a representative
in the house from his county. In the
senate, however, Senator Osborne, who
represents Essex, advocated it and
was elected on a local option platform.
Steam Roller Used.
Speaker Schoen used the steam roller
effectively on several occasions when
Hudson members challenged the Re-
publicans to go into caucus and make
the local option bill a party measure.
Assemblyman Colgan declared that If
the Republicans would act unitedly in
favor of it he was ready to promise
that the Democrats would make the
vote unanimous.
He even moved for a recess of fifteen
minutes to allow the Republicans to
place themselves on record, but Minor
ity Leader Oliphant declared that he
was not speaking on the question, and
Speaker Schoen, remarking that the
point was well taken, declared him out
of order.
The Rev. Harry J. Iobst, assembly
man from Hunterdon, made the pre-
diction that the next governor would
be a Prohibitionist and said that Gov
ernor Edge would sign the bill if passed.
He described the governor as "a wor-
thy successor to President Wilson and
one getting bigger all the time"
Mr.. Iobst characterized the session
as a farce, as he said the discussion
would not change a single vote. He
urged the members of his party, the
Democrats, to be real Democrats and
place the responsibility of the farce
where it belonged. Assemblyman Run
yon'said he could not agree with Mr..
Iobst in r%idiculing the procedure and
said that the step was one in the right
direction.
Not discouraged by the rebuffs they
experienced in advocating the bill to
place two women on the boards of man
ayers for the state hospitals. the com
mittee representing the Federation of
Women's Clubs of the state have good
chances of accomplishing this object.
The bill introduced in the senate for
them by Senator Osborne provided that
two women should replace men, but
when the measure got to the house a
committee substitute was reported for
it. This allowed the women an adj
visory board of their own.
Such an arrangement, however, was
unsatisfactory to the clubs, as it was
maintained that it did not carry any
more privileges than are now enjoyed
by all the citizens.
More than a score of the women
spent Monday afternoon in the state
house urging support for the original
bill. Their arguments were effective.
and the bill was taken UP again in Re
publican caucus yesterday afternoon.
1t was then decided to make the board
of managers to consist of ten instead
of eight members, and the women will
be given the new appointments.
Geran Law Changes.
Sweeping changes are made in some
of the provisions of the Geran and gen.
eral election and primary laws by the
commission named last year to revise
these statutes. The commission con-
sisted of former Senator McGinnis of
Paterson, Frederick r. Brace of Tren-
ton and John B. Woolston of East Or
ange. The bill carrying out their sug-
gestions was introduced by Senator
McCran. 1t provides for the restora-
ton of the party columns on the bal
lot at the general election. Each party
will have a column, the Democratic be-
ing first, the Republican next, and the
others following across the blanket bal
lot.
To vote a straight ticket, however,
an tx" will have to be placed in front
of the name of each individual in the
party column. The questions asked the
voter on registering regarding his age,
business. property and the part of the