The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1906-02-14
He Openly ACCUSES the Ad-
ministration Leader of Be-
ing Under the Thumb Of
Party Bosses
RlllEaY DEMANDS APOLOGY
IN A VEHEMENT SPEECH HE De
MES THE ESSEX MANS ALLIE
CATIONS, BUT HE FAILS TO
SECURE a RETRACTION.
Special to ''The Jersey city .News.')


they pass by. Until few days ago they
were the best of friends, notwithstand-
ing that Hiliery was the leader of the
administration forces in the Senate and
Colby the mouthpiece for the Record-Fa-
gan-Colby faction, or anti-State House
ring. The parting Of the ways between
them was reached yesterday when MIR.
Hillery took Mr.. Colby to task for in
timating in the course Of a Record-Fa-
gan-Colby campaign speech at Morris
town last week that Mr.. Hillery had no
back bone and was the creature of po-
litical bosses. Mr. Hillery emphatiealy
denied the charge and Mr.. Colby refused
to apologize or retract anything that he
had said about the Morris County Sena-
tor, but piled on the agony by stating
that Mr.. Hillery should have cleared
himself of the Indictment at the time
when he, as we'll as other members of
the Senate, frequently acted upon meas
ures without regard to their merit. mere
" at the suggestion of their political
bosses.
The clash between the Morris and Es-
sex Senator's was entirely unexpected
and came at time when it was thought
that nothing except the most good ma
tured and friendly of feelings existed be-
tween them At the opening of the SEN
ate's session yesterday, Mr.. Morris arose
to a question of personal privilege,
which being granted he read portions of
the published reports Of Mr. Colby's
speech at MorrisItown. in which the Es-
sex Senator referred to the necessity of
electing men to office who did not bow
to political bosses. He mentioned the
member from Morris as man without
backbone to stand by his CONVICTIONS
but a subservient tool of political BOSSES
Mr. Hillery asked Mr. Colby whether
or not he made this statement. The Els
sex man replied that he did, not know
that he was called upon to answer such
a question. He said he did not reflect
upon the integrity of ''the gentleman
from Morris but that he had always
advocated and would continue to advo-
cate the election to office of men abso-
lutely free from political bosses.
s.'Had you me in mind when you said
these things?'' asked Mr.. Hillery.
''Well.n replied Mr.. Colby Il never
felt that YOU were free to act on your
own absolute intelligence.
If bomb had been thrown at Mr..
Hillery it could not have staggered him
more than this remark. ItAwas frank
and emphatic statement from the Essex
Senator that he was under the orders of
a political boss. Mr. Hillery was prompt
to deny the allegation. He stated that
he was not subject to the control of any
political boss, and called attention to the
fact that he was elected to the Senate
against the wishes of some of the party
leaders in Morris County.
.'We have no boss in Morris County,
said Mr.. Hillery. There is man of the
highest integrity who is regarded as a
leader, but he has never entered this
chamber nor asked me TO vote for a
measure against my convictions.
IF we accept the statement of the
press, the gentleman from Essex ac-
knowledges that he had boss, but
unhesitatingly proclaim / never had a
boss. leave that to be judged by 9TH
ers. When the political bosses learned
that I was opposed to the Morris Canal
Abandonment bill two years ago, they
used their influence so as to prevent me
being elected leader Of the House two
years ago, but supported the gentleman
from Essex and he was elected.
- have my independence. was not
bequeathed fortune but was bequeath-
ed personal honor and that will main
tain. believe that any man who rides
TO political honor BY tramping upon the
integrity Of his fellow man is political
pirate
This last statement was too much for
Mr. Colby. He was forced to explain
what he meant BY his Morristown speech
and to assure his Senatorial colleagues
that he meant no discourtesy when he
referred to the Morris Senator in such
uneomplimetary terms as had been al
legged
= never knew that ! referred 10 nv