The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1906-03-03
COLBY DENOUNCES
FOES OF REFORM
he Says They Oppose Truth
Tellers and Calls Them
Unpatriotic, Unsafe and
Radical
WHO CONTROLS THE COUNTY

:
CERTAIN MEN RULE IT WITH A
ROD or IRON AND ENDEAVOR
10 DOWN ALL WHO WORK FOR
A HIGHER CODE OF POLITICAL
MORALS.
Senator Colby denounced the foes Of
reform at banquet at Plainfeld on
Thursday night He said
patriotism cannot live in an atmo-
sphere of corruption. nor can it breathe
the air of commercialism that barriers
in exchange the ideals and principles
that are and should always be the foun-
dation of our ment-freedom of
sueech, freedom Of thought and freedom
to do as you please until you infringe up
on the rights Of your neighbor.
In Essex County. where | live, free
dom of speech and freedom Of thought
have in al arge measure been curtailed
through fear. Il he Jonly men who seem
willing to tell the whole truth are the
ministers of the gospel and some indie
pendent editors The Essex County bar
though composed of many high minded
splendid and able men. as an organiza-
ton to influence public opinion hasn't the
courage Of d robust clam when it comes
to a fight in the open. If it wants to
oppose some nomination, it goes dwon in
the cellar and sends a second cousin of
a brother in law, who won't tell you
from whom he comes. rather than come
QUITO in the light of day.
ssNow why is this? Because certain
men control the business of thee ounty
and have it in their hands to make and
unmake the prosperity of thounsands of
men, 1t is not case Of actual eorrup-
tion 1t is not case Of open threat, but
it is the power to prevent the man from
developing his own resources by his own
endeavor. In the case of those who are
striving hard to make living it snat-
ural that they should guard their inter
ests by the sacrifice of Independent
speech. would all do the same but
in the case of men who can make liv-
ing without the aid Of certain Influences
see little excuse for shirking the respon-
sibilty Of hurting out the truth.
ssBut what happens when a group of
men try to do this? They are said to
be unpatriotic, radical and unsafe. They
started out to make the railroads pay
their fair share of taxes. Is that radi-
calism? They attempted to secure the
passage of law to limit the period for
which cities and towns should grant
special privileges to corporations. Is that
radicalism? They are trying to restore
government by the people, so that a
young man in this free country can seek
public office without contributing to a
campaign fund, asking leave Of a politi-
cal boss or calling at the office of cor
poration. Is that radicalism? Or is that
the old-fashioned way of doing business
that was inaugurated by our fathers?
.'As a matter of fact, patriotic radical
ism is a good thing, if tempered with ed
ucotion. Radicalism gets up steam; edu-
cation confines it and guides its power in
the right direction. Radicalism puts life
into fossils, upsets foolish and ridiculous
customs, stirs the sluggish pulse and
starts the circulation of the body politic
while all the time our splendid public
schools act as d safety valve and check
to the enthusiasm of the radical. 1t is
true, however, that the work of the rad
ical should be done in the spirit oftrue
patriotism. Patriotism knows no spite,
revenge or intolerance. It seeks to injure
none, nor harm the innocent. It demands
but Justice to all, freedom for all and
trust for all.
At the outset Of his remarks Mr., Colby
reminded his hearers that the occasion
did not mark his first visit to this city,
for that he was candidate here once
6and then he didn't care what the politics
here was His wife, formerly Miss Edith
Hyde, Of PIainfeld, was sitting in bal
cony, and a hearty outburst of applause
greeted the remark
OF the Governor he said Although
We NAL not all agree with him, vet if his
life work should end tonight there are
three monuments to him-the school syse
tenn, the primary law and his last mes
sage, which | think should be fled with
the State papers,