Perth Amboy evening news., 1911-10-25
FORT PRAISES
The GOVERNOR
Former Governor Speaks at
Meeting in Elizabeth.

Elizabeth Oct. 25.@sAnd Balah
said unto BALKAN, What hast thou
done unto me2 / took thee to curse
mine enemies, and, behold, thou
hast blessed them altogether"
Elizabeth Republicans are today
quoting these words of Holy Writ
against former Governor John
Franklin Fort, who Monday night
was the principal speaker at a Re
publican massmeeting in Elizabeth
port. For the former Governor, in
stead of attacking the administra-
tioE of his successor, gave it hearty
praise.
He declared the laws put through
the last Legislature, through the Of
forts of Governor Wilson, were just
what he had tried to have enacted
while governor, but thai he was
thwarted byra hostile Republican
Legislature.
The failure of his party to keep
Its promises, the former governor
declared. was responsible for the
overwhelming Republican defeat
last fail. The time had gone, he
said, when voters could be hood
winked by false pretenses, and no
political party could remain long In
power when it betrayed the people
who had placed the reins of gov
eminent in its hands.
Governor Wilson the speaker
said, did a manly act In promptly
admitting that he had made a mis-
take In his recent Elizabeth speech,
as soon-as appraised of 1t by Senator
ial Candidate Ca Teton B. Pierce.
That he was in full accord with
most of the legislation pushed
through by Governor Wilson, was
the assertion of the Iatter's prede-
cessor, his only regret being, he
said, that his own efforts In the
same direction had not been more
successful. He gave high praise to
the employers liability law, and
predicted that in less than five years
It's workings would be found to give
general satisfaction.
The former governor said in part:
Republicans Did Not Keep Promises.
IF we can have men elected to
the Senate like Pierce, Colgate and
Smalleys the Republican party will
never be called upon to apologize
for anything they do and no inter
est of any sort will control them.
II we had had all such men as these
the Legislature during my term
Governor the laws the party |
promised would have been enacted
ind the Republican party would not
row be undergoing the Illuminating
which the present cover
lor IL making against IT
I'm the platform OF the RepubIi-I
'@n~ Pc rcoprcd IN ISUI we prou1@i
sed the people OF the State about
everything that the last Legislature |
enacted into law. The Legislature
asst year was non-partisan. The
Senate Republican, the House Demo-
The credit for this legisla-
Aon is therefore divided. The Gov
ernor, of course, Is entitled to- great
credit for what he did.
One thing Nc must all admire
about Governor Wilson, and that Is
his perfect fairness In condemnings
the evil or corrupt influences In his
own party as we'll as ours. Itktakesi
courage to do that, put no man is
a true friend of his party Ii he does
not criticize it whenSi 1t Is wong or
has failed to do it's duty. Roose-
welt did and Taft does. heard
President Taft declare that .any
party deserves defeat II it did not
Keep It's promises. But dislike TO
see the party defeated because Of
the ~selfishness OF a few s~elf-eonsti-
tuted leaders who take their orders
from the Interests. We must send
TO the halls OF legislation men like
fierce, who themselves and
cannot be told what to do. Men who
VIII Keep the party faith and carry
out the party pledges, who will al
ways be with the people. Governor
Wilson Is quoted as saying at New
ton the other evening. THE party
lines Of old are disappearing more
and more every day, and, although
men stilI call themselves Democrats
and Republican,, this is the day IF
the individual candidate. and the
thoughtful voter who looks ia The
mar elected to keep his election
pledges. In the old DAYS Democrats
and Republicans alike held their
election pledges very lightly
The Governors statement ID
true. 1t is just that Sentiment thai
will elect Mr. Pierce Senator from
Union. lie has always kept his
promises. and he will always do SO.
no party can win at the election any
longer by simply relying on its his
tory That may be very good, but
the voter wants TO know, In these
days, for What the candidate stands.
Inc Repnblican Senate had as much
to do with the progressive legisla-
ton adopted last year as the Demo
cratic House. Il Is Just as much the
outy 81 Republicans who love good