The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1917-02-24
GRIND OF THE
LEGISLATIVE MILL
SEVERAL BILLS OF LOCAL IN
TEREST INTRODUCED BY AS
SEMBLYMAN WHITMAN.
Trenton, N. j., Feb. %, 1917.

Developments of this week make it
practically certain that two of the adj
ministration bills will be passed-the
increase in utility tax and the State
Highways System measures.
The franchise tax bill was revised
at a conference held in the Governors
Office 80 that it exempts from the tax
all electric light, gas and water COM
panies having annual gross receipts
less than $4,000. This will naturally
let out all of the smaller companies
particularly in South Jersey that have
been Directing so ~strenuously to the
bill on the ground that it would make
operation impossible for them. 1t will
include the Public Service Corporation,
the telegraph and telephone compa-
MES.
The method of increasing the tax
has not been changed from it's origi-
nal setting forth in the Oliphant bill.
The tax will go from 2R% to $50 the
first year and one point each year for
the next two years. 1t is estimated
that even with the exemption of the
smaller companies there will be added
to the revenue of the state almost one
million dollars. In view of the ire
mendous opposition to the bill at the
several hearings it was thought that
it would not be passed without some
radical changes, but all such opinion
has been swept aside as a result of
the conference of the leaders this week
with the Governor.
The State Highway bills were favo-
rably reported in the Senate with sew
eral important amendments which will
satisfy whatever opposition has been
shown to the One amend
ment authorizes the State Highway
Commission to lay out additional
routes when deemed necessary with
out going to the Legislature therefor.
Senate bill No. 8, which creates a
new State Highway Department to be
managed by a non-salaried commits
sion of eight members, is amended to
permit the new State Highway Engi-
neer being chosen from outside this
State if necessary; by removing the
limit of $4,000 to the salary Of the
Highway Engineer and permitting the
Commission to fix the salary; adding
a new section that the terms of the
present State Road Commissioner and
of the present Highway Commissioner
shall terminate in 80 days after the
act takes effect, and making minor
changes.
Senator Hates and Assemblyman
Pierson this week introduced bills that
will repeal the famous "Seven Sisters"
that were passed under the Wilson
Administration. The ineffectiveness
of these laws has been so fully demon
strated that there has appeared to be
little or nothing to be said in favor of
keeping them on the New Jersey stat
ute books.
ssemblyman Whitman has nitro
duced a bill to relieve hunters Of any
suspicion that a forest fire may bene-
fit them. and also to eliminate the
danger of fire fighters being skot
while working a forest fire. He has
also introduced a bill for the preser-
walton of cells, fixing a penalty of $50
for catching them by means of a
dredge, rake, spear or other device
attached to or drawn by a boat or
vessel. He also introduced two pen
sion bills-one for firemen and the
other affects officials of cities. An
other bill by Assemblyman Whitman
would provide for the suppression of
noise in the operation of motor boats.
Some Democratic newspapers in the
state are already proclaiming that the
Republicans will not redeem their
platform pledges. 1t seems a trif1e
early for such a statement particular
ly in view of the fact that bills have
been introduced and are we'll on their
way for the fulfllment of every plank
in the platform. Republican platform
pledges have been kept in the last
three sessions of the Legislature and
the 1917 session will not prove an ex-
ception.