The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-10-30

view TIE proceedings OF the board Oh
Freeholders in connection with the
building of the Perth Amboy bridge.
as announced in yesterdays EVEN
ING STAR. The candidate made no
allusion to the subject on his last visit
to this city, when he stopped here
during his tour of the county.
There is one thing in particular I
wish to say to you" he said. "A state
ment affecting my honor, which was
made by a gentleman residing In this
county, has gone over he whole State,
and 1 feel 1t incumbent upon me to
make a manly declaration of my po-
sition." He continued:
"Charles A. Bloomfield, in a speech de-
livered in Newark on August 10, and re-
peated by him on various occasions since,
made the following statement:
Il have criticized no act of Judge Fort
while on the bench. His acts outside OF
that are matters of public criticism If de-
serving 1t, and so far as I am concerned. l
shall not hesitate to speak as l know and
as l feel.
Legislature Of 1906. Senator Jack
son Introduced in the Legislature Sem
ate bill 1852. and I and my attorney anG
several others appealed to the Governor
not to sign that bill, as It would tend to en-
courage crime in public officials and rob
the people of Middlesex County Of tens OF
Thousands OF dollars, as that bill legalized
every act of the Board of Freeholders and
every payment made by them to the con-
tractors. The bill was signed, and to that
bill was attached a memorandum, practical
ly throwing the blame for It on Judge
Fort, and / also received two letters from
the Governor, sent by him, in which he
stated to me that he had signed such a bill
at the request of Judge Fort
The charge contained in the statement
wnI4AI II 80 4v.t - l. - -
do with the signing by the Governor of
Senate bill 262, which validated all the
illegal matters in relation to the Perth
Bloomfield received this information he
has been misled.
II want to make this statement as broad
as It is possible to make 1t.
First never knew of the preparation
of Senate bill 262 or of the Introduction
of that bill into the Senate. I never saw
it, nor was l consulted OF spoken to about
It by any one while 1t was pending in the
Legislature.
'Second-I never saw or spoke or wrote
to the Governor with relation to 1t and
never requested him directly or indirectly
In any way to approve of that bill.
Third never saw the bill or knew that
it had been approved until it was brought
to my attention on an application which,
was made to me on June IL, 1906, to vacate
a rule which 1 had granted on August %,
1905, which rule contained a stay with
relation to the payment of moneys due
uDOn lHG kADlDOy OllhBC.
o the 9th IF October, 1907, Governor
Stokes wrote me a letter, which I have in
my possession, In which he says:
81 have absolutely nc remembrance Of
you asking me to sign the bill In ques-
ton or advising Mr.. Bloomfield that I had
signed 1t at your requDt. l signed the
bill after an opinion of the Attorney
not relieve any one from the consequences
of wrongdoing, and after deliberate con-
clusion that the measure validated the
bonds that had been taken in good faith
governor Stokes also advises me that on
June Z, 1906, he wrote to Mr.. Bloomfield,
and he sends me a copy OF that letter,
and in that letter he states to Mr.. Bloom
"'wnether yoA agree or disagree with
the Attorney-GeneraFs legal opinion, l
am bound to be governed by it SO far as
ia t that his legal statement is accurate,
there would appear to be no objection to
the BILL
H also says in that letter that he had
had a talk with Mr.. Willard p. voorhees,,
and that after such talk he saw no reason
for withholding his signature to Senate
II want to add that I never spoke to
Mr.. Strong, the counsel of the Board. of
Freeholders. nor he ITO me, nor TO Mr..
VOORHEES,, the counsel for Mr..
legislation, and that / in no way took any
part In II whatever.
At the mass meetings here and in Rah-
way the candidate reiterated this state
ment:
"And If I'm elected Governor I will be
Governor, and no one else. l will not
sign a bill Just because 1t may be good
for the Republican party or the Demo-
cratic party. 1t must be good for the
like that kind of thing. but If you elect
me that's the kind of government you are
going to get"
He urged his audience to vote as
their conscience dictated, ndmonishing them
not to sell OF barter votes. In conclusion
he said:
"And il you vote as 1 tell you there will
be no fear for the future of the republic.
The people are always right. I have no
fear of them.9
In this city Prosecutor William Fl.
Speer, OF Hudson, was concluding his
speech as Mr.. Fort entered, and at once
gave way to him. Former Governor Foster
M. Voorhees, was presiding, and with him
on the platform were Senator Kean and
Governor Stokes, both of whom had made
short addresses praising the candidate.
Each made 1t a point to emphasize the
stand that Mr.. Fort is taking in the Bish-
ops law. Former Governor John w.
Griggs, who 1t had been expected would
be among the speakers, was unable to at
tend.
Mr.. Fort when he came to the excise
plank In the platform said:
81 am here tonight to answer any aues-
tons you care to ask as to my position on
any issue. / understand that those who
have preceded me have discussed the ex-
else question, but wish to state that If
/ am elected Governor / will stand for no
letting down of the laws of morality. Two
years ago a law was passed regulating the
sale Of liquor, which is known as the
III Ana = NY n nd An AAAA T -~A-l Il ID not
see what there is In 1t for any one to OBJ
ject to"
Today The candidate went to Roebling, in
Mercer County, for a monday meeting.
He will return to Newark in the evening,
at the Northern Republican Club,
in Belleville avenue; d negro mass meeting
the New Auditorium, a meeting at Har-
burgers Hall and another. at Electric
Park.
TO DISCUSS PURCHASE FOR SCHOOL.
The Beacon Street School Society will
have a special meeting tonight In the