Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1912-02-22
POLITICS And COMMENTS.
From the State Capitol.

proposal to use money to prevent their
passage through the State Senate
| were made yesterday afternoon at a
hearing conducted by the Senate Ju-
dietary Committee. rhe bills prohibit
| railroad companies from using acety-
lene gas to illuminate passenger
trains and prohibiting the manufac-
ture of acetylene gas within 1000 feet
Eof any Inhabited building. Both meas
ures were introduced by Senator Rich
ard Fitzherbert, Democrat, of Morris
County, and it was claimed at the
hearing that they were put in as
strikes" against the Commercial
Acetylene Gas Company, OF New York
City.
Oscar F. Ostby, representative of
the company, declared that represen-
tatlonS had been made to the company
that for $4,000 the bills would be
Withdrawn and no attempt made to
pass them. Senator Fitzherbert adj
mitted having met a Dr.. Ridner, of
Morris County, who it was alleged,
was conducting the negotiations for
the killing of the measure Senator
F'itzherbert also admitted having met
the representatives of the company
here Monday night, at which meeting
the representatives of the company
declared that the sum of $4,000 was
mentioned; Senator Fitzherbert de-
MED all charges OF bribery. The
members of the Committee directed
the officers of the Gas Company to
make sworn affidavits of their charg-
es. The charges made a great SEN
sation around the State House, and
q oc l. i
Ejourned President Prince called an
Executive session of the Senate to slit
the matter to the bottom During
this session a resolution was passed
instructing the Judiciary Committee
/ to investigate all the charges with
reference to the Introduction OF the
bills.
Application was made to the Su-
preme Court yesterday afternoon for
! the disbarment of State Senator Will
/ lam G. Gebhardt, of Hunterdon Co.
| The basis of the charge against Sena-
tor Gehhardt. is that he endeayorea TO
influence the drawing of Grand Juries
/ ip his county Former. Attorney Gem
eraI Robert H AIeCarter made the
! application. Ehe Court took the paz
pers in the case, but under new rule
/ adopted a few months ago, they were
not filed. The Court will investigate
the charges, and if it shall deem that
there is sufficient ground for them
rule will be issued requiring Senator
+ Gebhardt to show cause why he
should not be disbarred. In case the
Court should decide that the charges
are not we'll founded, the case Will
be dismissed. The charge that SEN
ator Gebhardt endeavored to influence
the selection of certain men named by
] him as Grand Jurors was made in an
affidavit by former Sheriff George F.
Green, of Hunterdon.
Governor Wilson sent to the Senate
Monday night the appointment of Aus
tin H. Swackhamer, of Woodbury., to
be Judge of the Court of Common
Pleas, OF Gloucester County, and Jos.
J. Summerill, of Woodbury., to be
Prosecutor of Gloucester County.
Both are Democrats and will succeed
Republicans, and both are well known
lawyers who have been practicing
many years.
There was considerable discussion
at the State House yesterday as to
/ the appointment of a Chancellor to
succeed Mahlon Pitney who was ele-
waited to the United States Supreme
Court bench by President Taft. The
name heard most in connection with
the appointment as Chancellor was
that of Supreme Court Justice Chas
i G. Garrison, of Camden County AL
though there was mention also of
! Vice-Chancellor Edmund R. Walker,
of this city, and Vice-C Chancellor Lind
ley M. Garrison, of Jersey City. These
men are all Democrats and, of course,
the new Chancellor to be appointed by
! Governor Wilson will be Democrat.
The controversy over the public
school system which has waged for
several months has been made con-
siderably warmer the last few days
by two statements. one from former
Senator Joseph S. Frelinghuysen, who
was Chairman of the Senate School
/ Investigating Committee, and who is
/! now a member of the State Board of
4 Education, and the other by Assembly,
4 man John E. Gill. of this city, Chair
man OF the Education Committee of
the House. Former Senator Freling-
husen defeated the new school law
passed last year after the Investigat-
/ ing Committee had made its report
and which revolutionizes examinations
for promotion to the high schools.
This new examination plan which
casts aside entirely the term work
of the pupil as factor in determin-
4 ing promotion to the high schools and
making promotion depend entirely
upon an examination prepared by the
State School Commission, is the chief
bone of contention in the controversy.
Mr.. Frelinghuysen insisted that a
simple examination for admission to
high schools conducted throughout
the entire state will reveal conditions
as they are. The result will afford a
4 basis for comparison. he continued.