The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-10-29
HITS
MURPHY AND
FORT HARD
CONTINUED from First Page.)


country, but, I hope, to the world for all
future time. 1t was that which gave
promise that IN due time the weight would
be lifted from the shoulders of all men,
To my mind since the time of Christ nobler
words nave not issued from the mouth of
man! That the weight should be lifted
from the shoulders of all men. This is
the sentiment embodied in the Declaration
of independence he continued. Can this
country be saved pom this basis? My
friends, If 1t cannot, 1t will be truly awful.
But If this country cannot be saved with
out giving up this principle, l would
rather he assassinated on this spot than
surrender IT.
think what must have been the I'M
preston made upon the friends who sur
rounded Lincoln and who knew, as the
audience did not, that the speaker took
his life in his hands by continuing his
journey to the capital. l quote these
various sayings Of Lincoln in the effort to
impress upon you how far we have de-
parted from the real democracy of Thomas
Jefferson, who passed the torch Of liberty
on to Abraham Lincoln.
THE altar fire burns low today in the
great party which Lincoln founded. What
hope can we have from a shrine whose
fires are tended by Dickinson and Voor-
hees. by Baird and Murphy? The game of
the bosses by which the corporation grip
on the State is maintained is exceedingly
simple. The political bosses, who are
merely agents OF the corporations, name
the Governor. and he in turn names them
to fat offices. We know by actual trial
when Tom McCarter named Major Lentz
for sheriff Of Essex County that the boss
cannot secure the office when 1t is elective
and not appointive.
Can you question the corporate control
of our State government when 'Davy'
Baird. of the Public Service Corporation,
and boss Of Camden County; 'Dory' Strong.
OF a law firm which represents the Penn
sylvania Railroad and boss Of Mlddlesex
County, and Major Lentz, longtime boss
Of Essex County, are regularly appointed
by the Governor on State boards of taxa
ton or assessment, while Major Briggs,
treasurer of the Roebling Wire Works and
boss OF Mercer County. is regularly made
State Treasurer until he becomes United
States Senator, and his job is then
promptly turned over to Uncle Dan
Voorhees,, boss of Morris County?
Can you doubt the corporate control of
our State government when the office of
Acknowledgement becomes a fixture In one
family, only surrendered by the former
Senator and Judge when he becomes presi-
dent Of the Public Service Corporation,
and Immediately passed on to the counsel
of the LackaWanna and Lehigh Valley
railroads? Finally, can you question the
power which lands Colonel Dickinson in
the chair OF Secretary of State and holds
him there despite the protest of the moral
sentiment of the whole State?
"How the business bosses behind the
political bosses pull the wires was clearly
shown by Governor Hughes in the insur-
ance investigation. Mr.. Hughes made 1t
perfectly clear that, through the payment
Of campaign contributions, our financial
masters control the machinery Of both
political parties.
I'm the circular, The Demon of Party
Spirit | suggest a plan for the payment
of all election expenses by the govern
ment, which has been approved by Presl-
dent Roosevelt, and which will make 1t
possible for the poorest man to run for
public office without placing himself under
obligation to any man or group of men or
to any party machine. If adopted, l be-
lieVe this would drive the explorations out
of politics into their own legitimate field
of business.
f"If democratic institutions are to sur
vive In this country and State. 1t is inn
perative that we drive the money-changers
out of the civic temple and make impos-
sible henceforth such scandals as the
lobbying carried on by the Public Service
officials from the Office of the State Treas
urer in the Capitol on the last night of
when the public utilities bill was done to
death. When election expenses are paid
by the State, instead of out of corporation
funds diverted from the stockholders, the
president and directors of public service
corporations will not take so great an in
terest In State conventions nor beam so
complaeently upon the returns of prodigal
sons to the regular fold and to the support
of gubernatorial candidates favored by the
corporations.
''If / had more time I might tell the
story of how a Standard Oil Company
magnate Is endeavoring to hush me up on
the subject of Judge Forts record as a
lawyer and a judge, or / might rehearse
the efforts to suppress that record and
Judge Forts failure during twenty-one
years to answer the series Of grave charges
brought against him and how he has thus
far failed to keep his word, given to the
reporters on the pier at Boston, where he
promised to answer the Bloomfield charge
as soon as he resigned his judgeship.
II viii close with a word In favor of the
Citizens candidate for Alder