Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1910-04-05
Senator's in Secret SeS-
sion Send Committee
to See Governor. :
DEMAND EXPLANATION
OF CORRUPTION RUMORS
Executive Severely Scored in
Upper House for His
Banquet Attack.
[From a star correspondent.I

TRENTON, April with SenatoN
Wakelee, of Bergen, opposing, the Sens
ate in secret session today voted to ap-
point a committee TO wait upon Cow
ernor Fort to demand that he furnish
proof of his statements made In .
speech at the Hotel Astor Saturday
night. Numerous propositions we're dis
cussed in executive session last night
and the Senate then went on record for
investigation of graft rumors and state-
ments concerning corruption in the cap-
ital.
After two hours of not debate today
the Senate appointed Senators Bradley.
of Camden; Minch, of Cumberland.
Fielder, of Hudson. and Prince, Of Pas
sale. to undertake the probe and. to seek
explanation from Governor Fort Presi-
dent Frelinghuysen and Majority
Leader Ackerman declined TO serve on
the committee.
In opposing the proposition Mr..
Wakelee declared that the Governor
shouldn't be subjected to the en.-
barrassment or humiliation of sub
stantiating any public statement. lie
said. further. that he had read the
Governors speech in the newspapers,
and didn't find anything SO very Of
fensive in his remarks. Mr. Wa1elee's
declaration, it is understood, was bft-
terly criticised by President Frelng-
huysen, who insisted that the Gov
ernor's remarks had seriously reflected
upon the integrity of the members Of
two legislative bodies.
Wakelees opposition. however. finally
brought about a modification in the
original resolution, which called for a
committee OF Eve. The second resp
luton provided that the COMMITTEES be
/ delegated to visit the Governor, and
consist of three. instead OF five, repre-
sentatives Of the Senate
4 This committee was intended to con-
sist Of President Frelnghuysen. Ma
jority Leader Ackerman and Minority
Leader Fielder This was objected y
by FreInghuysen, who declined 10
serve on such a committee Then en-
sued a free-for-all wrangle during the
progress of which the Governor was
scored by pretty nearly every mefl-
Der of the Senate for his recognition
of Trenton conditions.
For a time it looked as if there would
be no action owing to Wakelee's out
spoken antagon;sm and Frelinghuy-
sens declination to serve on the pro-
posed committee. Finally a compro-
mise was reached in the form of q
resolution providing for the appoint
ment of committee of four. BRADLEY.
Minch. Fielder and Prince were then
named as members OF the committee,
To a STAR reporter who asked him
as to the truth of the corridor gossip
Governor Fort said
! IN senator. ba asia6 mo m do anv
such preposterous thing as TO go over
to the Senate chamber and explain
anything ] have no explanations 10
make A half-dozen have asked me
as to my speech of Saturday night, and
to them l have said L made the
speech I stand by It. Every word II
it is true, and l reiterate it, ratify il
in toto. 7 was correctly reported IN
the STAR, and have told all who in
quire just that | expect to make a.
whole lot more of these speeches IN
this campaign"
The Governors statement is a chal-
lenge to his party that opens up a Won
derful vista and indicates that this
State will re-echo with an unprecedenf-
edly bitter primary campaign when
candidates are chosen for Governor.
congressman. United States senator
and Legislature.
The part of the Governors speech
which is causing most of the uproar is:
al want these lobbyists 10 UNDER
stand that they are criminals, paid TO
make criminals of our Iegislators.,
Such polite expressions as talks like
man with a diseased mind" 'he
ought to be impeached'' and hes
crazy were used in speaking of the
holder of the highest Office in the gift
of the people of this State by fellow
members Of his party who form tiaa
majority in the supposedly dignified
ISenate of New Jersey
( Two propositions were discussed and