The Penn's Grove record., 1919-03-14
SENATE FAILS
To VOTE DRY
Ratification Resolution Gets Only
Eight Favorable Votes and
Author WithdraWS It.
EDGE JOLTS LAWMAKERS.
Sends in Special Message That Con-
dennis Pending Bills to Increased
Salaries = House Gets Bill
on Its Merits.

trenton, March ll.--hacklng three
votes the senate refused to- ratify the
prohibition amendment to the federal
Constitution. The vote was s ayes to
10 nays, Senators Haines of Camden
and Case of Somerset failing to vote.
When Senator Wells of Burlington
found that he could not command the
required votes he had the resolution
laid over, and it is not believed that-i
can get through at all at this session.
Until a few weeks ago it had been pre-
dicted with varying degrees of conf
dence that the senate would ratify, al
though it was certain the assembly
would reject it.
Senators Allen, Bright, Conrad.
Ffthian, Hammond. Runyon, SturgeS
and Wells, all Republicans, voted for
The resolution and Senators AckersOn,
Barber, Brown, Edwards, Rays and
Martens. Democrats. and Mackay, Pill
grim, Smith and Whitney, Republicans
opposed it. II was regarded as rather
significant that Senator Mackay, au-
thor of the local option bill of last
year, stood with he opponents of rati-
ication. No one uttered Il word in OPP
position to the resolution when it came
on for debate on third reading, all the
discussion coming from the other side.
Senator Wells opened the debate by
stating that the purpose of tie resolu-
ton was to put New Jersey in line with
the other states that has ratified. He
admitted that some of the pep" had
been taken out of the effort to put the
resolution through because the amend
ment already was a part of the law OF
the land, but insisted it would be a dis
grace for New Jersey not to adopt the
resolution. He refused to debate the
point that the amendment was an
abridgement of the rights of personal
liberty, declaring that no II could
traffic in liquor without the specified
license of the community and there its
sale was concerned there was no such
thing as personal liberty.
Hammond and Runyon Speak.
Senator Hammond followed the Bur
Iington Senator and went into the
question of the right and wrong of
the liquor problem. America. he said.
NiS DdSSluS lIOuSu d uCN ItSlilC anu
the abolition of liquor was part of
the new order. He realized that the
mere enactment of the amendment
would not make the nation dry after
January 16, 1920, but it would take
something more. He declared that he
would dedicate himself to the prob
hem of providing that something for
eR,ca vrho hnUn mood of tho fnurnua
and companionship that drink and
drinking places have given them.
President RunyOn left the chair to
express himself in favor of the resOlu-
ton. He would not agree to the propO-
sition that it vas not important how
New Jersey expressed itself. He felt
that it was important whether New
Jersey casts it's lot on Gods side or
on the side of the Prince of Dark
ness" The senate president rose to
very dramatic heights in his speech
and declared that the state had as
much right to legislate against rum
as it has to %legislate against dope and
drugs. He took the position that even
drug fiends felt that their personal
liberties were being interferred with.
and, speaking strictly as a Republican,
he said that the Republican platform
declared emphatically for the ratifica-
tiOn of the amendment. He felt that
If he did not vote for the resolution
he would be false to his party trust.
81 feel I am doing nothing more as
a Republican" he said, than keeping
the faith In a dramatic close, the
senator quoted part of the Lords
PRAYER, LEAD us not into temptation"
IT believe" he continued, land | be-
lieve honestly, that | am being asked
by God tonight to so vote that | Will
guard the men, women and little hill
dren from the temptation of this evil
Edge Opposes Salary Raises.
The week was opened with a jar
from Governor Edge on the proposal
70 boost salaries, sundry bills for
which are pending. While the execu-
five communication dealt especially
with the proposed increase in the
pmoluments of the judiciary, his note
IS interpreted to mean that he may
have something to say or do upon sim
liar measures affecting other officers.
Among other things he said:
One of the measures to which l
refer provides, in a single BILL for
certain specified increases in the sal
aries now paid the chancellor and
.hief Justice, the vice chancellors and
associate justices and circuit court
Judges. I seriously question the adj
Instability of this proposed blanket
method" of increasing salaries. 1t
,oyors too much of the rider" eX-
elder whereby undesirable legisla-
ion frequently travels through on the
mex of legislation that is desirable
and popular. -,
Some of the increases authorized ny
his bill, if it passes in its present
form. might be merited and others
mite the opposite, so that when IL
coached the governor he would Do
obliged either to approve all OF tne
increases in order to enact those