The Penn's Grove record., 1919-04-18
SESSION ENDS 4,
IN new JERSEY
Little Gain for Republicans or
Democrats From Record o.
Achievements.
ISSUES WERE oBscURED
Even Enormous Appropriation
Bill Supported by Both
Parties in Passage. {

Trenton. n. 1.-The one hundret
and forty-third session of the legisla
ture came to a close at 1887 o'clocf
last night. The senate members hat
been for some time singing and walt
, ing for the house to wind up, and INT
house members divided their time be
tween work and play. Speaker fler
son delivered four lectures on the dlg
nifty members should show while lesls
lating for the public welfare" ant
Zach of them was greeted with Sc
much applause that more rapplng loi
order was required. The appropria'
ton bill, which passed the senate III
the morning, went through the house
in the afternoon without the anticipate
ed trouble.
The senate spent most of the late
afternoon killing time and recessed FOL
dinner, but the house was placed I'M
der call, and there was no stop for eat
ing. Actual work on a long series OF
senate bills was concluded about 9:3t
O'Clock. Then a series of formal reso'
Iutions of thanks and praise for va
rious officers was put through.
This kept up until 1888 O'Clock
when a messenger came TO say ina
the governor had no further messages
for the 1919 legislature. The speaker
two minutes later announced adjourn
ment sine die, and the few remaining
members marched Over to the senate
chamber, led by Speaker Pierson and
Clerk Edward ]. Handley, singing
"Auld Lang Syne." This song was re-
heated in the senate after formal adj
iournment. Another feature of the
close was an address to the lawmakers
in the senate chambers by Governor
Edge.
Too Early to Analyze.
It is probably a bit too early to an
alyZe with any degree of accuracy the
general effect of the legislative SEES
sion upon the campaign for governor.
which is to open with supposed vigor
and pep at once 1t has been years
since a session was marked with sc
little of serious moment and sucll
TRANCE absence of partisan politics
Old observers tried in vain to fathon
the strange situation. The mysterious
atmosphere was impenetrable. The
most lucid explanation perhaps was
that zone side was afraid and the 9th
er dasn't."
1t was expected early in the year
that the tie vote in the assembly and
the factional mix in the senate would
5 bring many tense situations, but as
the session got into the very depths OF
action nothing appeared to ruffie the
placid pool. 1t seemed evident thal
the party leaders were bent upon q
course least calculated to arouse ami
mosities and create campaign mate
rial. If they had been in a close part
nership, with a gentlemen's agreement
to stay the partisan hand and lei
things drift calmly on, the result could
have been no more satisfactory.
Some of the Doings.
That there We're trades, agreements
and understandings, some palpably
plain and in the open, others ObscureG
by scenic effects, was evident even tc
first year onlookers unaccustomed tC
the undercurrents of legislation. Fol
a time it looked as though all possible
political capital would be made of the
huIlabaloo over increased trolley, gas
sewage and electric rates. with a spe.
cial drive for the elective utility board
and public ownership bills. but in ne
r+,r~ &c +IncO nYo,Asa1 pAI-o1Itiopa py
changes was there indication of either
side making a bold stand upon the
question.
The public ownership scheme was
smothered in committee, while tht
elective utility plan was given such
scant support as to bury it in oblivion
This plan was sponsored by Senator
Edwards of Hudson, the foremost can,
didate for the Democratic nomination
for governor, and yet he was not giver
the support of his party colleagues il
the senate, and his bill was defeated
overwhelmingly. Under the circum
stances his party cannot go out in the
campaign with that as an issue, al
though the people CT the whole state
have been aroused to indignant protesr
by the apparent ease with which the
powerful utility concerns are able t.
gain increase permits.
In the same category lie the severa
plans for patching up the election laws
The only legislation allowed to ge'
through on these ines was the huge
document of 21S pages revising an(
codifying the present election laws
but making no changes of specifi,
character. Neither side can claim an!
advantage from this legislation, be
cause the bill was drafted by a non
partisan commission and a wholly dis
interested outsider in the person of tn,
secretary of the state chamber of com
merce as its chairman. This measure
which Governor Edge will u%ndoubtedl,
approve, is intended to clarity all tn,
antiquities and conflicts of the exist
ing laws-and they are nCmerous-bu
It proposes no alteration of the ground
work of the original Geran law, passed
I'm 1911, when Woodrow Wilson oper
ed his house cleaning campaign as thu
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