The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1920-03-26
AWMAKERS SLOW
WITH LEGISLATION
Both Houses Wait on Governor
Who Keeps Back His List
of Appointments.
BIG MEASURES DEFERRED.
Assembly Joint Resolution No. Pro-
vided for Appointment of Commits
sion-$5o,ooo Appropriated for
Camp Merritt Memorial.

Trenton.-The house of assembly by
a vote of 20 to 80, killed the Joint
Resolution No. 8 introduced by Assem-
blyman Tozer of Bergen, and provld-
ing for a commission to investigate
rent profiteering in New Jersey.
The adverse vote on the measure
was surprise to many representatives
of rentpayers' organizations who have
been lobbying in Trenton. The reso-
luton called for commission OF two
members of the senate and three OF
the assembly to be appointed by Gov
ernor Edwards with power to investi-
gate housing conditions and consider
the matter of "so-called rent prOfiteer-
ing in the state" The recommends
lions of such committee were to be
presented to the assembly during the
present session.
Some members of the house who
voted against the resolution declared
that their action did not show their
disapprovaI of legislation to curb
greedy landlords, but the appointment
Of the commission provided in the
resolution at this time when the ses-
sion is nearing the end of its session
would not have given the body time
enough to formulate adequate recon-
mendations to meet the situation.
Other anti-protiteering landlord bills,
it is anticipated, may receive different
considerations on the part of the as
semblymen.
The session of the senate did not
get under way until nearly 8 o'clock.
Chaplain Read in his invocation pray
ed for the preservation of the Ameri-
can Sabbath, and that the senators
would take no action to bring about
it's commercialization.
Among the bills passed in the senate
were Senate 10S by White, which al
lows a voter remaining at the same
address from which he registered at
the preceding election to register with
the municipal clerk, and Senate 81 by
Pilgrim, increasing from $1,000 to ST.
600 the salary of district court depu-
ties.
The house passed Assembly ITO by
Assemblyman Tozer of Bergen, which
provides for an appropriation of $780,
900 in order to establish "a permanent
memorial of the camp and the supreme
sacrifice of many of the men who pass
ed through Camp Merritt" The money
will be used in erecting a suitable
monument at the intersection of
Knickerbocker road and Madison ave-
nue., and the Bergen County Board OF
Freeholders will be custodian of the
memorial.
The house passed Assembly 204,
which provides that corporation coun-
sci in first class cities may have the
power of naming their assistants.
House 80 was lost by vote of % to
%, it requiring 81 votes to pass
measure in the house. 1t was later
reconsidered and recommitted. 1t pro-
vided that clerks of County Boards of
Taxation be given protection under
tenure of office. House At regulating
salaries of district court clerks was
passed.
Assemblyman McAteer introduced
two bills by unanimous consent. One,
No. 522, provides for creation of
State Industrial Museum, and No. 523
appropriates $4,000 for its mainte
nance.
Not the slightest movement of Gov
ernor Edwards prize bag was visible
as the eighth week of the legislative
session opened. Of all the long list of
important appointments to be made,
none has yet emerged from the eXecu-
tive office.
1t is reported, however, that the
governor has no intention of opening
the bag until the last week of the SEES
sion, which now appears to be due
about the first week in April With
woman suffrage and beer legislation
finally disposed of and no prospect of
immediate action upon the pending
utility measures, interest ebbed to a
low level and the members of both
houses appeared listless.
Assemblyman Warner of Union failed
to corral enough votes to put through
his resolution providing for commits
sion composed of three assemblymen
and two senators to investigate and
report at this session on housing con-
ditions and rent profiteering. Demo-
cratic Leader Barrett opposed the res
olution on the ground that there is
pending a bill, suggested by the gov
ernor, providing for the appointment
of a commission to conduct such an in
vestigation and there would be no
time for such inquiry during the SEES
sion. Others joined the opposition,
and the Republicans being divided, the
measure was defeated.
County Tax Clerk Protection.
There was another political scrap in
the house over Mr.. Rowland's bill in
tended to keep the secretaries of coun-
ty boards of taxation in their jobs de-
spite political changes in government,
Leader Barrett leaped on the bill for
the Democrats, declaring it was poor
craftsmanship, in view of the fact that
a Democratic governor has the power
to make these county boards become
Democratic and they would no doubt
choose secretaries of their own party.
Mr.. Rowland said the members of the