Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1909-06-03
GOV. FORT J0LTS THE BOSSES.
In His Speach at New Idea Dinner.

GOV. FORT J0LTS THE BOSSES.
In His Speach at New Idea Dinner.
Governor Fort of this State, was
enthusiastically greeted last Thurs
day night at the Kruger Auditorium,
Newark, when he made speach at
the New Idea Republicans dollar din
ner The greeting was especially
warm, as the New Jersey executive
voiced new idea sentiments for the
time openly denounced boss rule and
shook off the last semblance of the
Republican regularity that elected
him a year and half ago.
At the same time Assemblyman
William Parmenter Martin, of Essex
County, was cheered in accordance
with a boom for him as nominee for
Governor while Everett Colby, found
er of New Idea Republieanism, was
vociferously greeted. The dinner
was testimonial to the Assemblymen
who supported Governor Forts re-
I form policies and incidentally those
of the New Idea during the last ses-
sion of the New Jersey Legislature.
They were William p Martin, Elliot
G. Ford, Austen Colgate, BENJAMIN
Grossly, Henry c. Hines, James G..
Blauvelt AMI Isaac T. Nichols
The State is facing several inn
portant problems, 2 said Governor
Fort. Political parties are at the
crucial point in their relations to the
people, The independent element
control the elections and principles
count far more now than ever before
in this State. The Republican party
is fortunate in that the people have
no confidence in the Democracy, and
hence, even with our faults, they are
not likely, from choice, to go to the
Democracy.
BOssism Curse OF Times.
1.-The curse of modern political bos-
sism. We must have parties and we
must have leadership, but neither of
of these necessary things requires
that we shall have individual doml-
nation to the overthrow of popular
rights No one is more strongly in
favor of organized political move
ments than l. But there is wrong
impression abroad as to the duty of
what we call political organizations.
They are simply to manage the cam
paign, not to control the representa-
tives elected by the people. Men
Competent to act upon legislation
elected to the Legislature should be
that is demanded by the people with
out being constantly told what they
should or must do. For my part, |
am convinced that if they were left
to legislate as their judgement and
conscience dictated there would be
no difficulty about the passage of
measures which the people demand.
1.-THE thing to be most criticized at
Trenton in our time is the dictation
by men who control the organizations
in the counties and seem to think
they have right to demand of the
representatives that they shall only
enact such legislation as they approve
This would not be so bad if it were
not for the fact that many of these
local leaders seem never to favor any
measure that certain interests oppose.
1.-The evil of the present system is
in the support by those leaders of
self-interests only. The question is
never asked by these men: Is this or
that measure for the benefit of the
Slater but rather, Does this or that
interest favor or oppose it?'
Some of us have old-fashioned
ideas as to what a political committee
is for. We have no idea that such
committee, or more Objectionable still,
its chairman, is to tell the represen-
tatives of the people what they are to
do or how they shall vote after they
are elected.
'Just here lies the difference be-
tween the line of leadership and polit-
ical bossism.
Regularity is Defined
1--WE are hearing these days criti-
cism whenever any one suggests any
right in representative to think for
himself. This naturally leads to the
question, What is it to be politically
regular?' The definition of regulars
in politics, it seems to me, must be
members of a party who adhere to
and support the platform adopted for
the party by the body having the
right to speak for it. He who opposes
the principles thus declared for must
beirregular. He surely is not
good party man.
: After outlining the promises of the
Republican party in their last plat
form, Governor Fort continued:
I'VE have passed the civil service
law and extend the primary election
law to county committees only
through the defeat Of these gentle
men, and by the aid of a few of the
patriotic Democrats in the Legisla-
ture, who think more of the rights of
the people than they do of the party.
Were these gentlemen regular when
they approved these things, or were
those regular who advocated them?
Let the people decide.
"The things remaining to be done
pledged to the people of this State in
the platform of 1907 must be fulfilled.
1t is just as dishonest not to keep
faith with the people in politics as it
is in business.
when our party declares that it.
is in favor of an effective and author
itative board for the regulation Of
nnhlic utilities. ii means what ii SAYS