The Penn's Grove record., 1917-03-09
STATE CAPITOL NEWS
What The State Officials Are
Doing. What The Political
Leaders Are Talking
About

EEEE AA4+
The Republican administration State
highway legislation viii be enacted info
iaw. The Assembly yesterday afternoon
passed the two Senate road acts and
they now go to the Governor. who IS
sure 10 sign them. as they are a part
If his program for the session. They
are Senate No. , establishing the State
highway system Of fifteen routes and
providing for their construction. and
Senate No. 3. -re-0reanizing the State
Road Department. This measure rad
ieallr changes the State Road Depart
ment from the single headed commits
sion which for many years has directed
road affairs in this State. 1t creates
a non-salaried state Road Commission
# eight men to be appointed by the
Governor and confirmed by the Senate
and turns over to this Commission the
entire control and regulation Of the de-
nartment. This Board is to appoint a
State Highway Engineer who viii take
he place Of the present State Road
Commissioner. the term being FIVE years
and the salary to be fixed by the Board.
The Board will also have the appoint
ment Of all the other necessary officers.
The Highway Commission is to be nom
Q taE A4NGL AH "a a. AAN GEhA AA5
are concerned. hut the act makes the
Governor ex-ofieio a member TO east
be deciding vote. 50 that to all prae-
fical purposes it VIII be a Republican
Board now and a Democratic one when
he State has a Democratic Governor.
The Republican plan as this letter is
written is to take mp the highway tax
1Il lafer today "wednesday and pass
- Frg-. r-.H ole Ia a-,.r,raF L~ CO
rnnr Edge. completing the series IF
State road laws. The Democrats in the
Senate viii oppose the tax bin. but the
Republicans have it slated to go through.
.iazernar Edge. Senators Gaunt. Me-
Gran and Richards and Assemhlymen
Sehaen and Oliphanf had a long confer
nee on this bill yesterday. due partly
to the renewed attack made upon It BY
A~ssemblvman Geran. IF Monmouth. the
Democratic House leader. Mr.. Geran
till insists the measure exempts rail-
road property from the tax and has
atber defects.
The Republican leaders called into
eheir conference Attorney General Wes-
colt and Assistant Attorney Generals
I Roggs and Backes. At the close Of the
meeting. Governor Edge stated that the
Z nv department MA dNSAIfA AuNn4 that
railroad property was covered by the
measure. As to the objection that the
tax raised under this bin on main stem
railroad property cannot go for State
highway purposes. as under other laws
It must GO to the public schools, the Re-
publicans say they are content for the
present to let it stand that way, as vo-
aational training and other school ex-
$500 - - 1000
them. In view of all this. the Republic
cans viii pass the bin as it is, claiming
hat it is all right.
The members Of the State Senate
cave a complimentary dinner to Senate
/ President George W. L. Gaunt. Of Glou-
eester. at the Chelsea Hotel. Atlantic
City. 1t was purely a social function.
with no politics in evidence. This din
ner te the President Of the Senate is an
annual event.
This State viii receive during the
next ten years. Sl.2430o0 from the Fed
eral Government in aid Of its vocation
III education. as the result of the en-
actment Of the Smith-Hughes bill by
Congress. The bin was recently sign
ed by President Wilson. The amount
to be received by this State has been
worked ont hy Assistant COMMISSIONS
IF Education Carris. who is in charge If
vocational training in this State. The
money win he available July /. next,
and the amount to he received the first
year. that is for 1917-191S, is $4255s.
Among the bills passed in the Senate
this week were; Aparopriating $500
for the expenses Of continuing the probe
# the State Prison and other penal in
~stitutions of the State; making it a mis-
lemeanor to refuse to serve persons in
he uniform Of the United States in any
theatre. restaurant. etc: appropriating
$4,000 for improving conditions at the
Prison: providing additional free sebol-
arships 1T the State Agricultural Col
lego at New Brunswick.
The Senate in executive session con-
lirmed the appointments made by Gov
ernor Edge last week. including: ", IL
Jeffrey. of Toms River. as Judge Of
Ocean county; Richard Plummer. Of
Lakewood, Prosecutor Of Ocean Coun-
~; Superintendent If Weights and
Measures. Frank Wanser, Of Vineland;
Ocean County Tax Board. Z. s. Grant,
of Toms River; Cumberland County Tax
Board. W. ii. Robbins. Of Commercial
township: burlington County Tax
Reard. r. Howard Aaronson. Of Ber-
ieutown. All are Republicans and sue
seed Democrats.
Failure came to an attempt in the As
semhlv Yesterday afternoon to force
through the tia bg Assemblvman Rob