Perth Amboy evening news., 1911-04-08
GOVERNOR WILSON'S VETOEs.

Commenting on the veto messages
Of Governor Wilson, the Newark
Evening News says:
Governor Wilson's veto messages
so far have been brief and right to
the point. In one day this week he
disapprOyed of three measures that
had been approved by Overwhelming
majorities in both branches of the
Legislature. All three of the bills
were comparatively unimportant
generally, but OF much interest to
took the view, apparently, that it
didn't make much difference how
they voted on the bills, and therefore
they were willing to do a good turn
for their fellow-members who were
the introducers.
Governor Wilson, however, found
very vital principles involved in each
of these bills. First on the list was
the bill extending the Essex County
Park system to Belleville and Nutley.
The people of both these places are
most anxious to have park privileges
and they rejoiced when the bill
passed the Assembly and the Senate.
The Governor, however, when he
Hooked over the provisions of the
bill, found that the appropriation for
park extension was mandatory. All
the Park Commission had TO was to
ask for the money and the financial
officials of the county would be
forced to produce the cash, whether
the county could afford It or not.
The taxpayers would have to acqui-
esee-that is, grin and bear it-ROr
the bill transferred the control of
the county cash from Essex County
to Trenton, so far as money for the
parks was concerned. The Gov
ernor objected TO this departure
from the home-rule principle, in
which principle he thoroughly be-
~lieves, and to the mandatory feature
that would compel the taxpayers,
through their representatives, to
fork over the cash, whether they
wanted to or not. That was the rea-
son for the veto, and it was stated o
simply that no one could fail to I'M
derstand why the bill was disap-
proved.
Then there was another bill pro-
viding for an appropriation by Dor
oughs that desired to celebrate the
hftieth anniversary of their found
ing. This measure was for the bene-
fit of Vineland, where II is proposed
to "whoop things up" for the semi
centennial of the place. Such a eel
ebration was all right. the Governor
said, but he was Of the opinion that
II the citizens wanted to show their
local patriotism or love for their
home town, they could do it properly
by private subscription that would
be sufficient in amount to cover all
the display necessary. And so the
veto message reminds one by con
trast Of the enthusiasm with which
the late Petroleum V. Nasty always
shouted for the old flag and an ap-
propriation.'
The third veto was of a bill
passed for the benefit Of Atlantic
City, so that it would be unnecessary
to advertise more than twice for bids
for city contracts. The present law
requires that such advertisements
must be printed for ten days prior to
the awarding of the contract. Gov
ernor Wilson saw at once the danger
Of cutting down so materially the
publicity for city work, and he made
that the ground for his disapproval
of the bill.
These vetoes have impressed the
lawmakers as absolutely fair-a fact
admitted by wen the sponsors OF the
measures-and they can hardly fall
to similarly impress the people of
the state"