Perth Amboy evening news., 1911-09-06
WANT CHANGE
IN METUCHEh
Borough viii Vote on Com
mission Form of Government
sp,efal to the EVENTN0 NEWS.

newspaper OF MiddIeseX county, last
week published an exclusive story on
the commission government move
ment which has started In the Dor
-ough of brains and sorappiness. The
NEWS by having a hustling and ex-
pensive news service keeps in touch
with all that is going on and be-
1t ''scooped' all other county
papers they, without waiting to look
for proof, published articles strongly
limiting that the NEWS story might
not be based on fact. The facts are
that the NEWS heard of the petit
lions the minute they appeared and
being alive to business published the
new before other newspaper folks
were awake.
The advocates of government by
commission are made up of many of
the best people of Metuchen and it is
absolute truth to state that all signs
point to the new government for the
borough of Metuchen at an early
date. In Metuchen there is no one
man or set of men back of the move
ment. Fully half OF the town is
shouting in favor of it and the mere
fact that inside of about two hours
101 prominent people of MetuChen
signed the petition for a special cleo
ton to decide the question is a pretty
good indication that the movement
is a popular one. With but two ex-
ceptions it is said that the signers
of the petition expressed themselves
as being In favor of a change.
The exclusive story in the NEWS
said that former Councilman Thorfin
TAFT was back of the movement. Mr..
TAFT has since denied this but never
theless has signed the petition for
the special election and it is said
that he cannot be classed as a bitter
opponent of the plan advocated by
Governor Wilson. Just how Senator
George s. Silzer stands on the ques-
tion is not known but the advocates
of the measure expect to ascertain
his feeling in the matter In a few
days. They are also counting on re-
Ceiving assistance from the senator
and what is more there are serious
intentions of having Governor Wood
row Wilson visit Metuchen purpOsely
to address the voters on the subject.
Citizens of Metuchen will ask the
governor to fully explain the new
plan which is calculated to once and
for all put a stop to petty pickering
and quarrelling among the taxpayers
and politicians.
On September u Metuchen will
vote on the matter and the hardest
blow to the enemies of the move
ment is the fact that Samuel H
Clarke, the unanimous choice of the
Democrats and Independent Republi-
can for mayor of the bratny Dor
ougfI, is so strong for commission
government that he is willing to
sacrifice his very excellent chance of
being mayor and may not allow his
name to so on the primary ticket.
He is one of the signers of the petit
.tion for the special election.
on inst oPtsG,ners are Henry M~AlAuu,
the editor of Harper Magazine; Ex-
Mayor T. f. Van Siclen, Dwight
C~omstock, a nephew of Anthony
Comstock; Rev. J. G. Mason, Rev.
Ira G.. Mccormack; former member
of the borough council Dr.. E. F. Pot
ter. Charles S. Edgar, Joseph L.
Moss, j. A. Grimstead, George H.
Soper, Leslie E. MolineuX, B. Wittne-
bert, Rev. n. I. NJ. Bogert, Ex-Coun-
Gilman l. R. Edgar, Prof. T. G. Van
Kirk, DR.. L. Y. Lippincott, Council
man Edward Kramer, EX-SchOol
Commissioner r. B. Powell, Charles
A. Prickitt, Lewis T. Peck, f. X.
SOper, Fred Ayers, Luther e. Riddle,
w. A. Crowell. W. c. Acken, Charles
Veghte, w. B. Black, J. Wheeler
Clark, w. T. Nook, W. P. Compton.
In many places where commission
government came up it has usually
been jumped on good and hard by
the politicians of both parties and it
Is no secret that in New Brunswick
for instance the politicians fought it
hard and successfully. But in Ne
tuchen it cannot be said that the
politicians are against it. The Dem
Ocratic organization Is not opposed
to 1t. There may possibly be here
and there a Democrat not in favor
but a careful canvass shows that the
majority favor it.
Councilman Edward Kramer has
been a Democrat all his life and if
he wanted to he could be mayor any
time. He is one of the biggest tax
payers and business men of the town
but he says that the adjustment of
the present cumbersome government
and the establishing of a commission
government would be the greatest
boon for M~etuchen. Mr.. Kramer has
served as councilman for many years
but has always been opposed to the
mixing of politics in borough affairs.
Ex-Mayor Van Siclen has been a
Metuchenite for f~fty-four years and
q Democrat just as long but he says
that the new plan is the very best
that M%etuchen can have and for the
good Of the town it should be car
Tied.
On the Republican side there is
Charles A. Prickitt, a man who can
have the nomination for mayor right
now if he wants it, a man who served
his party as chairman of the County
- Executive Committee and a Progress
sive Republican. MI. Prickitt is
heart and soul in the movement be-
cause he says that with Metuchen it
should never be a question Of party
OF politics but the good Of the town
at all times. In addition to Mr..
Prickitt, Former Postmaster Truman
T. Pierson, at present a member Of
the county committee, thoroughly be-
lieves in the n~On-political form Of
government. These men are men
toned particularly because they rep
resent a very big part Of the G. O..
2.
ANY affair. OF happening. or CIR
-T-0ENa-aA mrhErk 10 30 aanaTV -.