Perth Amboy evening news., 1922-03-24
TUNNEL BOARD
CASE IN DOUBT
Moves III, May Not Play Act
i've Fart Democrats May
Control Body

= TRENTON, March 2i.-Serious
illness of Weller IL. Noyes. of Ten
ally, one of the four Republican
members of the New Bridge and
Tunnel Commission. is likely to
prevent his active participation in
the task of building the Hudson
tunnel and the Delaware bridge. 1t
is learned on good authority. Polit-
ical gossipers about the capitol to-
day were saying that ii Mr.. Noyes
withdraws, Democrats will control
he new commission, in spite of this
years legislatures ripper tactics"
in ousting the old board. There
would then be four Democrats TO
lhree Republicans, it is pointed out.
and the Republican lawmakers
commission would be in h hands
IF the political enemy.
Such would be the result on the
surface, provided John +. Boyle,
Jersey City Democratic member,
stays on the board. Boyle, who was
4 member of the old commission,
said that if that body was given
the air. he would not serve on a
new one. However, he has not re-
fused as yet, and there is at least
an even chance that he has changed,
lis mind.
But observers who dig below the
surface appearances say that when
he Republicans framed their rip
per-" they knew what they were do
ng and that the resignation of one
Republican member will not deprive
hem of at least an even break"
n awarding some $4,000, 900 in
contracts. Boyle, they say, is the
ArJv, 1N &c X1xA 49, INn.1,1ar,t &c xrrt,
will rot act in fairly close harmony
With the Republican members.
Isaac Ferris, Jr., of Camden, and
frank L. Suplee, of Gloucester
sounty, are classed here as friendly
TO the South Jersey Republican or
g~anization of former United States
Senator David Baird. The new COM
mission was named by Republicans
n a partisan bill, and the SUPPOSE
ion is hat Senator Baird picked
South Jersey Democrats not objec-
-ionable to him. At the recent or
ganization of the new commission,
MIR. Ferris nominated a Republican.
John Il. Hates, as vice chairman.
The fourth Democratic member.
Robert S. Sinclair, of South Orange,
is regarded here as at least only a
'luke-warm" Democrat.
The conclusion drawn here is hat
even If Mr.. Noyes is forced by ILL
health to resign, the remaining Re
publican members. judge Hates, of
Camden, Thomas j. S. Barlow, of
Burlington, and Theodore B%oettger,
of Bergen, the latter two of whom
The former commission. will be able
20 dominate the situation.
Post-legislative here oc-
casionally takes on a sarcastic vein
when the ripper" bill is mention
cd. One observer wants. to know
how the senate could consistently
pass the custer over Governor Ed
wards veto, thereby removing Sam
uel M. Shay. Camden Democrat,
from the Bridge and Tunnel Com
mission, and then on the same day
confirm his nomination as the next
common pleas Judge of Camden
county. The only reasons given for
the custer were alleged improper
practices by T. A1beus Adams, chair
man of the old commission, and by
Implication of the other t'iree men
removed. The senate. critic re-
marks, could hardly have believed
Mr.. Shay unfit for the commission
Job and also fit for the place on the
bench.
Passage of he ripper created
such a stir that the waves of protest
are not likely to subside for some
time. Another criticism now leveled
At. the bill is it's alleged unconsti-
nationality, entirely aside from the
Democratic charge that the original
custer bill was sneaked in the as
I sembly when that body was not in
session cup the back stairs" after
; the time for introduction of new
BILLS had elapsed.
The latest attack is based on the
tact hat the House judiciary COM
mittee reported two bills. marked
"a and "B" for the single bill re-
f,eived by them Substitute A" Gusts
he old commission and appoints the
new one, while Substitute B" adds
an element entirely foreign to the
original bill, by giving the commits
sion power to condemn streets. The
original reading of a bill when In
troduced was treated was the first of
the three readings required by the
constitution for each of the two bills
actually passed. Now, it is asked,
when was Substitute B. given a
FIRST reading? 1t is contended that
The reading of the original bill can
not serve this purpose, since the
constitution requires that each bill
must have but one OBJECT, n that
expressed in it's title, and that moth
Ing like Substitute B. was read
more than twice. The two mus
stand or fall together. it is declar-
ed, since the legislature voted or
them as substitutes for n bill
though this is a nice legal question
The situation, where two bills were
passed in lieu of one. is absolutely
unprecedented in the history of the
state. according to good authority
and it looks as if a court decision
would be necessary to finally settle