Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1909-09-23
GOVERNOR FORT ATTACKS PARTY
BOSSES WHO ST|FLE LEGISLATION
Gives His Views
On Political
Situation.
STATE is RULED BY
SPECIAL INTERESTS

Newark, Sept. 23.-In an address de
iIvered to a large Republican meeting
at the New Auditorium here last night
Governor John Franklin Fort scored
the bosses of both political parties and
asked the people of the state to elect
men to the legislature who would en-
act into laws the things the people
demand without dictation from any
source. The governors remarks fol
low:
We are face to face In our state
with the problem of who shall rule 1t
the people or the bosses under the
domination of the special interests.
Two years ago ! was nominated for
governor by the Republican party
upon a platform that was unusually
progressive. In the campaign which
followed the party gave me united
suppc.'t, and during that camgaign In
no uncertain way pledged myself to
the people that II elected | would
keep the platform pledges.
Among other things for which the
party declared In its convention in
1907 were these:
a. For the enactment of a comprehen-
sive civil service measure In the interests
of higher efficiency in administrative af-
fairs.
(2) For an amendment of the federal
constitution for the election of United
States senators by the people and until
that is accomplished the enactment of
some law for the voter to express his
choice in some authoritative way for
United States senator.
90 For constitutional amendment sep
arating national and state from munich
pal elections, with national and state elec-
tions In even years and local elections In
odd years.
a. For a constitutional amendment for
assembly districts.
o. For reform in the petit jury system
and better system of selecting grand
Jurors.
(6) For the direct primary.
Cd For the enactment Of law creating
a public utilities commission with ample
power to regulate such corporations.
go For the consolidation of departments
and commissions Of similar character.
(9) For the correction of abuses in state
departments or institutions and the hold
ing of all officials to strict accountability
The concluding paragraph of the
platform was this:
We call the attention of the people to
the ncompetency of the Democratic house
of assembly to the disgraceful scenes
that marked its proceedings, to its abso-
lutte control by the lobby, to It's refusal to
pass laws for the Improvement of the
civil, service. to pass laws for the reform
OF the grand jury system, to permit the
submission to the public of the question
of separation OF the state and municipal
elections and to the reform measures
passed by the Republican senate.
Accepting the nomination in good
faith on this platform, I promised If
elected to carry 1t out If could.
Governor Stokes In his last message
to the legislature in January, 1908, ad-
vocated the separation of state from
local elections, the assembly district
system, judiciary revision, civil serv-
Ice, grand jury reform, purity Of the
ballot and the consolidation of state
boards.
In my inaugural address and first
message / spoke in as clear and force
full terms as l knew how on all the
matters contained in the platform on
which / was elected. In the face of
these facts 1t would seem as If the
party was committed to all this benefi-
cent leSlSidtiOn, out WHat nave we
done?
Civil servies Bill Passed.
At the end of the session Of 1908 we
did get a moderate civil service bill
and at the end of that of 1909 coun-
ty committee primary bill. But how
did we get these? Only after one of
the hardest fights with the 80 called
leaders of the party that have ever
occurred at Trenton. Because l ad-
vocated these laws these men have
separated themselves from the execu-
tive as though he had been false to
the party and the people. SO far as
now recall, every one Of them has op-
posed every law introduced to carry
rt anv Of the party pledges. Sen
CONTINUED on page 100