The Newark star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1909, 1909-09-24

LII III III y -
act went into effect when adopted by
the various counties throughout the
state. 1t has been adopted in New
Brunswick by a Republican board
which has since repealed IL; In Hud-
son by a Democratic board which re-
tains Democratic officials in power n
in Essex by a board at that time
Democratic. 1t is the general impress
/; sion that this civil service act Is a
. state law and effects the entire state;
as a matter of fact, 1t only becomes
effective when adopted by the munich
nal bodies of the various counties. The
fact is that eighteen counties OF TINS
State have refused 10 take action under
that law.
NV oruosition to this measure con-
sisted in an endeavor to nave twc
amendments inserted in the Dill inc
first provided for the Submission OF ehe
ac, TO the voters Of each county or
municipality for adoption or rejection
at the next ensuing election, and IN lne
event of its adoption thai the act stoul1
be effective forty-live days thereafter.
The second amendment provided tha'
residents of each county should be pre-
Z ferred in the filling of offices In said
county or municipality, over residents
of other counties or municipalities OF
J this State. | felt and l think That the
I Republicans of this county will agree
with me, that the provisions of this
important measure should have beer
submitted to a vote of the people of che
county rather than to have 1t adopted
sbv mere resolution or ordinance Of the
governing body of municipalities.
q V~euuhIfcaus Lost Offices.
If the amendments which suggested
( had been adopted, upward OF 1,000 ex-
perienced Republican employees who
| had held office for many years In this
city and county, but who had tenn
porariiy been displaced by Democrats,
would have been enabled to regain
their old positions and they would have
been protected in their places by the
civil service law. As 1t is now, nearly
L,50o Democratic ofice-holders are per-
m%anently installed In their positions,
notwithstanding a large normal Repub-
lican majority in this county. 1t Is a
fact worthy to be noted hat with the
single exception in Middlesex county
every municipality which has adopted
the provisions of this act has been
under the, control of the Democratic
party at the tina of such adoption by
resolution or ordinance.
! have also been accused of working
against the bill extending direct pri-
maries to candidates for Congress and
Governor and that In so doing l was
working against the measure for which
thu Republican party stood pledged.
The Republican party In this State
has never had a plank in its platform
pledging itself to the extension of the
direct primary system to include that
of congressional and gubernatorial can
didates. The direct primary was ex-
. tended In 1907 to include all county and
municipal nominations. 1t has been
tried but once up to date, and there are
thousands of conscientious Republicans
who feel 1t would be unwlse and
dangerous to extend the direct primary
any further until the present law had
been given a fair and full test. There
IL an honest difference of opinion
among voters generally as to just how
far the direct primary should be ex-
tended. n until public sentiment has
been crystalized, and in the absence of
any platform declaration, I feel hat 1t
Is the right of every member OF the
Legislature to vote on that question as
his best judgment dictates. N
Blames Martin.
l have also been accused of working
against the public utilities bill. There
We're some features of that bill, which
in the opinion OF many staunch Re-
publicans, were open to serious objec-
ton, but every member of the Essex
delegation In 1907 and 1908 voted in
favor of the measure, and the main
reason why We have no public utilities
law today Is because Mr.. Martin and
his associates refused to vote for any
public utilities bill unless Mr.. Martins
particular pet measure was adopted
in It's entirety,
The pledge for the consolidation of
departments and commissions of SINH
lar character was repudiated by the
Governor both In his inaugural adj
dress and in his annual message when
he sought not consolidation of depart
ments of similar character, but segre-
cation, seeking to divide at least one
department into three distinct depart
ments, while he recommended the con
solidation of two departments which
We're entirely dissimilar in character.
Concerning the other platform
pledges, the failure Of which the Gov
ernor appears to put upon the chair
man OF the Republican County Com
mittee, they were already answered
by the vote of the people when the
question of amendments to the consti-
tuition were voted upon September IA.
These amendments while unanimously
adopted by the Legislature of 1908 .,
and strongly urged by the Governor.
were repudiated by the people by a
vote OF more than two to one.
Not Against Party.
| have been accused of having an
peared at Trenton in opposition to bills
for which the Republican party stood
pledged. These statements are with
out foundation in fact. 1t is true that
as a Republican and as chairman of
the Republican County Committee L
have visited Trenton from time to time
during the sessions of the Legislature.
I have not made any secret of this fact.
nor did l hold secret sessions with
members In the rear office of some
State official. l felt that every citizen
of this State, including the chairman of
the County Committee, has a perfect