520 



NEW JERSEY. 



ordinary disbursements amounted to $1,501,- 

 439.11;* the extraordinary, $341,103.49; special 

 appropriations, $43,364.64; total net disburse- 

 ments, $1,885,917.24. Balance on hand, Nov. 1, 



1893, $724,038.12 ; balance on hand, Oct. 31, 1894, 

 $986,855.91, the largest balance yet shown. The 

 amount of the State fund at the end of the fiscal 

 year was $2,014,343.02. The estimated resources 

 for 1895 are $3,029,725.91 ; estimated disburse- 

 ments, $2,017.605.86; outstanding appropriations 

 and undrawn balances, $171,306.74; estimated 

 balance, $840,813.31. 



The condition of the school fund is shown as 

 follows: Total amount of securities, Oct. 31, 



1894, $3,508,725.80; securities, Oct. 31, 1893, 

 $3,438,411.10; increase in school-fund securi- 

 ties, $70,314.70. The cash balance, Nov. 1, 1893, 

 was $255,210.12; gross receipts during the year, 

 $330,057.56 ; gross disbursements, $367,059.78 ; 

 balance, Oct. 31, 1894, $218,207.90, out of which 

 sum there must be reinvested in school-fund se- 

 curities $66,039.28. By an act of the Legislature 

 passed in April, repealing an act of 1890, all re- 

 ceipts from riparian sources are to be credited to 

 the school fund. The sum of $5,830.75 was so 

 credited this year. By another act the Legis- 

 lature transferred from the State fund to the 

 school fund all riparian leases credited to the 

 State fund since 1890. This increased the school 

 fund $105,441.73. 



During the year, $102,000 of the principal of 

 the war debt was paid, the balance unpaid being 

 $735,400. To enable the Treasurer to make this 

 payment $50,122 was loaned from the State 

 fund to the sinking fund, of which $20,000 was 

 returned to the State fund. At the close of the 

 preceding fiscal year the sinking fund owed the 

 State fund $104,697. It now owes $134,819. 



The abstract of ratables, as returned by the 

 County Boards of Assessors, shows the total as- 

 sessed'valuation of real and personal property in 

 the State, exclusive of railroads and canals, sub- 

 ject to taxation for 1894-'95 to be $774,398,332, 

 an increase over last year of $6,103,057.50. The 

 State Board of Assessors values the 118 railroad 

 and canal properties in the State at $222,059,- 

 373, an increase over 1893 of $3,653.308. The 

 tax thereon, payable in 1895, is $1.518,631.25. 

 On the 4,146 miles of railroad track in the State 

 1,718 people were injured during the year. Of 

 these, 278 were killed. 



Legislative Session. The session of the 

 Legislature began Jan. 9, and at dawn of May 

 26 adjourned until Oct. 2. On that day it con- 

 vened and adjourned without transacting any 

 business. For two months and a half at the be'- 

 ginning of the year legislation was blocked by 

 the existence of 2 bodies, each claiming to be 

 the Senate of New Jersey. The State Senate is 

 composed of 21 members, and each holds his 

 seat for three years, the terms of some of them 

 expiring each year. In 1893 the terms of 8 

 Senators expired, and 8 new Senators were 

 elected. Of the 13 Senators whose terms had 

 not expired, 4 were Republicans and 9 were 

 Democrats. On Jan. 9 the 9 Democratic Sena- 

 tors, with the Secretary and the sergeant at 

 arms of the preceding session, and others, met 

 in the Senate Chamber, when the Secretary 

 called the Senate to order and called the roll, 

 after which a president j>ro ti'inpore was elected. 



The 4 Republican hold-over Senators did not 

 answer to the roll call, and protested against the 

 organization. A resolution was then passed that 

 all certificates of election or other credentials of 

 those claiming seats in the Senate by virtue of 

 the election held in the preceding November, 

 together with all protests, be referred to a spe- 

 cial committee of 3 to be appointed by the Presi- 

 dent of the Senate, which committee should re- 

 port to the Senate thereon. While this resolu- 

 tion was pending the certificates and oaths of 

 office of the newly elected Republican Senators 

 were offered to the Senate. This action was 

 declared out of order, whereupon certain of these 

 Senators attempted to take their seats, but were 

 prevented by the sergeant at arms. All the 

 Republican Senators 11 in number then with- 

 drew to a committee room, where the credentials 

 of the new Senators were presented and received, 

 and an organization was at once effected. 



In the meantime, in the Senate Chamber, the 

 1 Democratic Senator-elect had presented his 

 credentials, which were referred to the commit- 

 tee appointed under the resolution above men- 

 tioned, which reported favorably upon them ; 

 the oath was then administered to him, and he 

 took his seat. Officers of the Senate were next 

 elected and sworn in, Robert Adrain being chosen 

 president, and the Governor was notified that 

 the Senate was organized and awaited his pleas- 

 ure. In reply the Governor sent to this body 

 his annual message. The Republican Senate 

 organized with Maurice A. Rogers as president. 

 When it notified the Governor that the one 

 hundred and eighteenth Senate was organ- 

 ized he replied that he had already rec- 

 ognized a body called the New Jersey Sen- 

 ate, that he would take legal advice, and 

 that, if he should have any communication to 

 make to the second body, he would do so later. 

 On Jan. 12 the Attorney-General advised the 

 Governor that the Democratic was the legal 

 Senate ; that the Senate was a continuous body ; 

 and that it was the sole judge of the right of 

 newly elected Senators, and could receive or re- 

 ject them at its will. On Feb. 22 qno inirrtuiio 

 proceedings were begun in the Supreme Court 

 to determine which of the presidents of the two 

 Semites unlawfully held the office. Argument 

 was made before the 9 justices of the court, and 

 on March 22 a decision was rendered, in which 

 all but Justice Abbett concurred. The court 

 decided that the position taken by the Demo- 

 cratic Senators was not in accord with the State 

 Constitution, and declared that Senator Adrain 

 had no valid title to the office of President of 

 the Senate. It further decided that Senator 

 Rogers was the constitutional and valid presi- 

 dent, and had been, since he was elected by a 

 majority of the 21 Senators. The contention 

 that the Senate is a continuous body was de- 

 clared to be novel and not in accord with the 

 Constitution, and the practice in organizing the 

 Senate for so many years was an evidence that 

 the new method was wrong. 



During all this time the two Senates had re- 

 mained in session, each had passed laws, and tli^ 

 Republican Senate had been recognized officially 

 by the House, and. with its co-operation, had 

 appointed a Treasurer and ,\ Comptroller. No 

 commissions had been issued to these gentle- 



