Perth Amboy evening news., 1906-05-01
NORRIS co., TO
GREET COLBY.
Bic Meeting Being Planned in
ROCkaWay Township for Essex
County Senator.

ROCKAWAY, May PLANS for
the extension of the Colby limited
franchise and equal taxation into the
political Businesses of Morris county
are being prosecuted with great Wig
or, and it is said that the people of
that section are about ready to give
the Colbyites an enthusiastic well
come. The movement seems to CEN
ire in R~ockaway township, where the
people have a bitter grievance against
the machine.
This part of Rockaway township is
the home and agricultural section,
there being no manufacturing estab-
lishment in the entire district, while
the other two districts contain min
ing and manufacturing interests.
The southern district has been try
township and form the township of
Denville. Senator Hillery received a
bill early in the legislative session
making such a change. The petition
ers were said to represent 80 per cent
of the affected property e
Senator Hillery introduced the bill
all right, and it was referred to the
committee on %boroughs and borough
government, consisting of Senators
Wakeless, Frelinghuysen and Plum
mer. Then a committee went down
to prod the bill through, and very
soon discovered that something's was
holding it back. The committee went
to see Senators Wakelee, and Plum
mer, and YER told by them, SO it is
said, that they would report the bill
at once If Senator Hillery would say
the word.
Then, they say, they tried to get
Senator Hillery to remove the embar-
go which was placed on the new
township, but in this they failed. 1t is
said that some of the DIRECTORS we're
new officeholders who would lose
their jobs If the new township was
created, and they were said to be
powerful enough to get the county
machine on their side. Augustus
Mason, Superintendent of the Whar-
ton iron interests, and James A. Ar
thur, superintendent of the Thomas
Iron ConfWany. who claimed that
their taxes WOULD be raised under the
new arrankement, were also credited
with being in a measure responsible
for the holding up of the blk
The citizens committee then told
the senate tommittee that they did
not think the interests of the 80 per
cent Of property owners should be
considered as beneath the influence
of the min6rity and they asked to
have the bfIf passed.
Despite this, the bill remained in
committee, and the citizens commit
tee making further inquiries was told
by Senator Wakelee, SO it is averred,
that it wouldsbeMeported as soon as
Senator H~aIefytso requested. The
bill was not reported, however, and
the people lof Rockaway believe it
was held up at the instance of the
machine because the two mining in
~terests which opposed it are so pow
erful in Morris county politics, and
have the power to make and unmake
legislators and other officials.
Senator Hillery takes a different
view of the matter. He is quoted as
saying that the only reaso why the
bill was not reported was that there
was much opposition to the plan from
the citizens affected. The Denville
people are nevertheless very angry
and believe the county republican ma
chine deliberately sacrificed them to
corporate interests, and they are
therefore, prepared to welcome the
Colbyites and do all in their power to
overthrow the present county ma
chine. 1t is said that the two hun
dred and fifty citizens who signed the
petition for the new township stand
ready to join any breach of the Colby
movement which may be organized in
the county and work for its success