Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1906-08-20
WEEK
WAS ENDED
SATURDAY.
FOfdyCe Campaigners Spoke for
Their Cause at SaVeViIIe
Had a Good Meeting.
BLOOMFIELD TALKED.
Told the People About the Bridge
and Was Received With
Much Enthusiasm.
Fordyce campaigners ended a busy

| FOrdyce campalgnerS ended a busy
week with a highly successful meet
ing at Sayreville, Saturday night.
| The meeting was held in Fishers
hall, and the music incident to it
was furnished by the st. Mary's Fife
and drum corps. The speakers were
Col Fordyce, Charles A. Bloomfield
and Hon. George j. Corey.
The most representative citizens
of the town were present, and the
entire audience gave intelligent heed
to the facts laid before it by the
speakers. Col. Fordyce made it plain
to his hearers that their interests
are at stake in this campaign, and
that 1t Is their duty to turn out at
the primaries and deal the iniquities
of bossism in Middlesex a death
blow. Bossism, he showed, was but
1.-THE shield of graft. Lobbyists don't
serve corporations for the mere
shame of it, he reminded the audi
ence.
Col. Fordyce reiterated his pledge
to stand by the people and the re-
enthusiastically applauded.
Charles A. Bloomfield, "the man
who dare not go into the bridge
zone,' as the Strong organs claim
but does nevertheless freely risk his
scalp and as freely come away, spoke
of Boss Strong's jugglery with the
Amboy structure. Strong, he said,
was glad to see the iniquitous graft
ing of the old board of freeholders
exposed because it aided to elect the
new board of freeholders. That done,
he had no further use for exposure.
fulness, for the districts which were
represented by the biggest rascals
in the old board, had given the big
gest majorities for his candidates on
| the new. 1t was then up to Strong
and Brother Alan to gratefully draw
the curtain on the bridge scandals.
When they could not shut off Bloom
fields probe, the bill to legalize crime
was put through the legislature. Gov.
Stokes did not want to sign the
measure, and he kept it pigeonholed
a long time, waiting for the oppor-
tunity to veto it. But Boss Strong
refused to allow the Amboy bridge
to be opened till the crimes commit
ted in its erection had been legal
lied. So long as the governor re-
fused to sign the bill the boss re-
fused to let the bridge be opened.
| n 10 n
hurry All he had to do was to
charge the delay on the Bloomfield
proceedings. Mr.. Bloomfield said he
had no objection to the opening. But
the bridge still remained closed.
In desperation, the governor final
| ly got an opinion from the attorney
general which permitted him to ap-
prove the bill to legalize crime with
out incurring the charge of meaning
to approve such intent. The next
day Boss Strong, having scored his
boint, opened the bridge. Then he
paid the balance the contractor
claimed, and gave orders for a new
piece of corruption, the building at
what will probably be an exorbitant
price of three spans demanded by
the war department.
Mr.. Bloomfield's expose of the
game was received with great enthu-
siasm.
Mr.. Corey closed the speaking
with a splendid appeal to the man
hood and intelligence of the citizens,
who were asked TO turn out on pri-
mary day and end the saturnalia OF
political corruption which acknowl-
hedges Boss and Lobbyist Strong as
its head and front