Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1907-10-30

on the bill when he saw it in the pos
session of the governor, which men,
orandum stated that 1 had request ed
the governor to sign the bill. have
got copy of this memorandum from
Mr.. Willard P. Voorhees,, which he
said he took from the BILL and this
is it:
g This bill was drawn in accord
ance with suggestions of Judge Fort
and was signed by the governor after
receiving opinions from the attorney
general that it did not validate any
wrongful acts on the part of those
connected with the construction of
the Perth Amboy bridge. 1t validates
the bridge and the bonds, and the
bonds have been taken in good faith
"Of course / never saw that men,
orandum, and the governor advises
me that the opinion of the attorney
general contains some reference to a
decision of mine in connection with
the bridge, which was the cause of
his making the statement in the me-
morandum attached to the BILL.
81 find that on January 20, 1905,
when allowed the original certiorari
in this case, which was subsequently
determined by the Supreme Court,
wrote a memorandum giving my rea-
sons for allowing the writ, and in
that memorandum | used this lang
uage, which suppose is the language
the attorney general quoted:
In the matter of an application
for a certiorari to review the award
ing of the contract for the approaches
to the Amboy bridge, have con-
cluded to allow the writ. l regret
that the state of the statute law upon
the subject seems to require this ac-
tion. 1t cerainly is in state Of much
uncertainty, and some of the statutes
seem of doubtful constitutionaltty. 1t
would seem as if some curative legis-
lation was imperative.
1T is evident that this is the quo
tation to which reference was made.
and as that was written six months
before the bill was ever introduced
into the legislature, it is equally evil
dent that it could have had no refer
ence to anything that | could have
said to the governor with relation to
the bill at the time it was before him
for approval.
''Now this matter is settled, and
don't intend to refer to 1t again.
Ovation for Candidate.
Mr. Fort also referred to the other
issues of the campaign and his whole
address was warmly received by the
audience which packed Washington
hall
He referred to Perth Amboy as the
first city in MiddleseX County ana SAID
that he had never known city to pros
i,,t 20, a his CITY had
in the the ten years past He salu re
wants to be elected only if .tsa people
believe it would be best for the state.
He then got down to the Amboy bridge
matter and said be would speak about
1t for the first time in public and that
he wished to make an open, frank
and manly statement
The subjects of school tax relief. good
roads and bossism We're then touched
upon.
If elected" Mr. Fort said. II am
going to be governor myself. | got
into the habit when | was Judge and
m not going to get out or 1t. Some
times, when on the bench. | got so
didn't believe the lawyers on either side
and maybe I'll get so | can't believe
republicans or democrats. ! won't be a
partisan governor, and ! serve notice
on the republican party that | will. If
elected, be governor for all the peo-
pie. / am opposed to all bosses, and the
people know what I'll do. I would
punish republican wrongdoers quicker
If anything, than democrats, because
republicans. ought to know better"
This and every telling point in his
address met with thunderous applause
and cheers. and. when Mr.. Fort. several
times, would have to hurry, to
get to the ! 1way meeting, there were
cries of f'"NoS1 p.''
He finally ID with, you have
Cont paGe 2.