The star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1908-1909, 1908-12-24
D|CK|NSONS
SIDE IN FIGHT
OVER REPORT
Secretary of State Defends Re-
jected Document and Ex=
Governor Stokes.
THOUGHT HIS VIEWS
WOULD INTEREST FORT
Nobody Else Had a Hand in Mat
ter-Stokes Makes Tart
Statement.
From a STAFF Correspondent /.


TRENTON, Dec. 24.-The voting ma
chine controversy had another chapter
added to it today by Secretary of State
S. d. Dickinson, who issued this state
ment relative to his report, which was
rejected by Governor Fort:
1.-THE act of 1907 charged the secre-
tary of state with these duties which
were formerly performed by the Vot-
Ing Machine Commission, among which
was the explicit provision that a re-
once a year to the Governor. In COM
pliance with that statutory injunction
the report of the entire division of
elections of this department was pre-
scented: 1t Is my duty to tell in "a
comprehensive way, and | believe the
public is not only entitled to know, but
will be interested in knowing, what
the department is doing.
1--WE have gathered much experience
which / conceived would be of interest
and profit to the Governor, to the Leg
islature and to the general public.
Further than this, the contact of the
department with the practical work of
conducting elections had brought to 1t
"a large fund of information which |
believe it is my duty to present to the
public in as concise a form as possible.
with these ideas in mind this report
was prepared and presented to the
Governor in the same way that our
report on the same subject was pre-
pared and presented last year.
The policy of the State department
has always been to render the greatest
possible, not the least possible, service
to the public, to take h public into
its fullest confidence, to assist citizens
and legislators alike by either sugges-
tons or service, to pursue a policy Of
straightforward publicity.
I'm this spirit the report was written
and presented. With it the work of the
department ends, 1t being the privilege
of the Governor. the Legislature and
the general public to make such use
of it as they deem best.
No Outside Suggestions.
1.-The statements of fact contained in
the report are absolute and are all ca
pable of complete v~erification. The
statements that the report was not the
actual product of this department, but
was influenced by outside interests, or
by persons not connected with the de-
partment, are incorrect. Every word
Of the report was prepared in this office,
from facts on file, or information gath
cred by members of the department,
without the least suggestion from any
outside source.
Notwithstanding the communication
which has been referred to, the report
has been formally presented in accord
ance with law, and in accordance with
law has been legally fled"
Former GoveNlor E. C. Stokes, in a
statement concerning the alleged charge
of Governor FortNthat Mr.. Stokes had
inspired at least part of the rejected re-
port of Colonel Dickinson, secretary of
state, relatives to voting machines, d.
rect primaries, blanket ballots and other
important matters, denies most en-
phatically and absolutely that he had a
hand in the preparation of the report.
Mr.. Stokes says:
Il did not write or prepare a line of
the recent report of the secretary of
state in question. .
II have already discussed in my mes
sages as Governor most of the questions
contained therein, and If l had wanted
to say anything on the subject, [ should
say it in a statement of my own or as a
member of the commission appointed
by Governor Fort to offer suggestions in
connection with the primary and cleo
ton laws.
'"There is not the slightest reason for
the use of my name, either officially or
personally, in connection with the
matter"
Leaders See Hot Time Coming.
This, 1T is believed by politicians. is
not the end of the pitched battle be-
tween the Governor and the Republican
organization. Leaders say the conflict
will be continued throughout the legis-
lative session, hen reprisals between
the Governor, with his Colby sup
porters, and the organization leaders
are expected as a result of the present
strife.
The matter stands with the secretary
of state holding the executive receipt
for the report and receiving back a
copy Of the report, which Governor
Fort refuses to accept.