Perth Amboy evening news., 1920-04-22
BILL
RECEIVES VETO
Governor Does Not Sign Pier
son Measure for Voting of
Straight Party Tickets.
By Special Correspondent.

TRENTON, April 22-Striklng out
for the integrity of the election laws
of the state as outlined in the Geran
act, Governor Edwards has sent TO
the legislature a veto of the Pierson
election revision bill. 1T facilitates
the voting of straight party tickets"
said the veto message, "and in my
opinion makes il difficult for the ex-
preston of Independent thought. The
present ballot and the present cleo
tion law have been found to work
satisfactorily, and l do not believe
there is any need of making such
radical changes. There has been no
public demand for any such change
and j am convinced the people are
satisfied with the present system"
The governor also said the bill
would take from his office the ap-
pointment~of of the important county
boards of election. He pointed out
that 1t would reestablish the old
party column system of balloting
which the Geran act vanished. The
bill was backed by the State Cham
ber of Commerce.
Another singing veto went in on
the Republican bill to create a COM
mission to value the properly of the
Public Service and other utility cor
porations for the purpose of rate
making. First, was ii disapproved
because the valuation proposed In
the bill was limited to the street rail
way property.
Therefore. the properties of the
Public Service Gas Company, the
Public Service Electric Company,
and other similar utilities would es-
cape valuation" said the governor.
Secondly, because the scope of the
investigation and valuation is limited
to the physical property including
every proper and lawful element
a
veto said that the administration bill,
introduced by Assemblyman Gaede.
of Hudson, specifically provided for
not only a valuation of property but
"the amount of capital stock, bonds,
scrip, certificates of Indebtedness,
notes or other securities or obliga-
tions issued by said public utility or
by any lesser subsidiary, predecessor,
or underlying company, and the
amount and character of the consid-
Grafton received or paid therefor
The wording of the Republican
measure, the governor said, would be
an Invitation to litigation Thlrd,
he vetoed It because II might develop
that under the constitution he could
NOT serve as O. valuation commission
er, which would leave the work III
the hands of the state treasurer and
state comptroller only. The governor
pointed out that the vote of last fall
indicated the peoples desire TO vest
this authority in the governors ONCE.
Because of defects In its FORM anu
makeup the Blair bill TO provide
for a standard weight for bread at
16 ounces to the loaf was vetoed by
the governor. Other bills vetoed fol-
low:
Mr.. Pierson: Places responsibility
for the payment of the school, county
and state taxes upon the governing
body, which body alone has the au-
thority to borrow money for such pay
ment. Vetoed because 1t would place
an unnecessary burden upon munici-
Mr.. Pierson: Regulates the issuance
of licenses to accountants by the state
commissioner of municipal accounts.
Vetoed because il failed to give the
license a fair deal under certain sit
uations.
Mr.. Plerson: Amends budget act to
allow borrowing on uncollectable tax
es Disapproved because there should
be no changes in the act for some
time to come and until II has had
fuller chance to operate.
Mr.. Rowland: Prevents the dismiss
sal from Office for political reasons
of the secretary and other clerical as
boards of taxation. Because the sec
retaries occupy a more or less con-
fidential position and In order to re-
tain efficiency the boards should have
the power to dismiss them. Other
wise the theory of the bill is good
so far as other assistants are con-
cerned.
Senator Allen, authorizing supreme
court justices to grant to common
pleas judges in counties bordering on
the Atlantic ocean with less than go
900 population an additional salary or
thirty-three and one third per cent.
of salary fixed by law. Vetoed be-
caused it confers legislative preroga-
tives upon the judiciary
Senator b. II. White: Permitting
municipalities to present. mementoes
to soldiers and sailors who served in
the world war. Because the construc-
ton of the bill was defective.
Senator Pilgrim: Permitting Pas
sale Valley Sewerage Commission TO
have contracting work done either by
days work or cost plus plan, through
contractors change being made because
of high bids now being presented. Dis
approved because settled policy of the
state is to let contracts by competi-
ton and without intention to reflect
upon the integrity of the sewerage
Commission members there should be