Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1910-04-01
GOVERNORS OWN
COUNSEL IN GRIP
OF WATER-SNAKE
Mr.. Fort Himself Reported as
Ready to H0b=NOb with
the Reptile.
MORAN STILL FIRMLY
BATTLING FOR PEOPLE
Judiciary Committee Reports
Bill, with Van Syckel's OBJ
jectiye Amendments.
[From a staff Correspondent

[From Staff Correspondent
TRENTON, April IA water-snake
proposition for compromise has bobbed
, up on the eve of legislative adjourn
nent 1t is being chaperoned by for
ner Supreme Court Justice Bennett
Van SyclSel, Governor Forts personal
legal adviser and special counsel for the
State. News that Mr.. Van Syckel had
Joined the array of lawyers for the
Hudson County Water Company and
was now trying to force the Legisla-
ture to enact law that would enable
the water company to take water into
the State of New York was received
House yesterday. Equally as amazing
was the statement that Governor Fort
u also ready to hob-nob with the rep
tile.
The Senate Judiciary committee late
yesterday reported the McCran anti
diversion water bill with amendments
that were drawn by Mr.. Van Syckel
and approved at a long conference
which was held yesterday in Governor
Forts private office. The F'ort-Van
Syckel amendments validate the at
tempted theft of waters of the State to
supply part of New York city. The
Fort-van Syckel amendments would
destroy the conservation policy of the
State The Fort-van SyclSel amend
ments would permit a few individuals
to amass great wealth. The Fort-Van
Il fo 1,a r.
lasting disgrace to the State Of New
Jersey. If the Fort-yan Syckel amend-
ments are jammed through the Senate
they cannot, 1t is believed, get through
the House.
The effect viii be to kill the whole bill.
almost as pleasing to the Hudson Coun-
ty Water Company as If the bill in it's
sreoial behalf could be written on the
statute books.
Senators Frelinghuysen, AclSerman
and Wakelee conferred with Governor
Fort yesterday. the first-naned states
man asking for second talk on the
water question. He is an open advo-
cate of the emasculation of the McCran
bill by writing into it an amendment
that will nullify it.
When the three men had entered the
Governors ininost Office they were
joined by Mr. Van Svckel. and then
the Governor sent for Assemblyman
McCran. Mr.. McCran's question as to
where Mr. Van Syckel figured was
promptly answered by him with this
clear stItement:
where Van syckel Stands
II represent the Hudson County
Water company"
of %1.o
Senato and the real and nominal ma
jorit, leaders of the Senate spent hours
with the newest recruit to the water
loroy, trying to work out a scheme
that would be sugar-coated enough to
go down and at the same time permit
the diversion of well waters from Belle
vile to Greater New York
Mr. Van Syckel conceived the idea
OF a State comfy plan. a reciprocity ar
rangeinent, and drew from his pocket
prepared memoranda from which he
later dictated the amendments to the
McCran bill to the Governors personal
stenographer. Every man who was in
the Governors Office during the confer
1 ence, with one exception, reported with
relation that the Governor would stand
Tor the proposed amendments, although
lie did not want to be so quoted.
Mr.. McCran true to his pledges and
his bill, stood to his guns, swapping out
his defiance of the men who would kill
his proposed law. and throwing down
the gauntlet with the declaration that
under no circumstances would he ac-
cept any amendment whatsoever that
was aimed to permit the very water di-
version his bill aimed to prevent.
While the hours ticked away the
other members of the Senate waited
i,npatiehtly for the three bosses to get
through with their work in behalf of
the water company. Finally there was
a rebellion. Senator Bradley, of Cam
den, announced that he was agreed
!. with the Democrats so far as re-
fusing to stand for the treatment that
has been handed out for two days.
II VIII take no orders from that
source" he said. ard the Senate was
called to order with the president and
MA jority leader missing. No business
WAS transacted, the Senate simply be-
ing adjourned for luncheon AS on
wednesday, it was late in the afternoon
before any work was done.
Watersheds Converts.
The men behind the Hudson County
Water Company who have pleaded
poverty TO the Legislature. appear to
be well supplied with funds for counsel
fees Among those who have been
openly engaged and are known counsel
and lobbyists for them are:
Former United States Attorney-Gen-
eral John w .Grggs, who was once
Governor Of New Jersey. and swore TO
safeguard its interests;
Former New Jersey Attorney General
Robert III McCarter who while in Of