Gloucester County Democrat., 1912-04-18
PARTISANSHIP RUNS RIOT
Republican Legislators Charge Gov
ernOr Wilson With Neglect of Duty

son submitted to the N. j. Legisla-
ture upon its re-convening last Thurs
day produced the stOrmiest day of the
session. Democrats and Republicans
found themselves arrayed against each
other when the Republican members
produced a statement setting forth
their views of the Governors action
in vetoeing over 40 bills. The Gov
ernor was charged with failure to
give sufficient time to the considera-
tion of legislative work and that his
inattention to duty had resulted in
seriously embarrassing the Legisla-
ture IN the performance of it's tasks.
The statement of the Republican
legislators follows:
THE veto messages transmitted to
the Legislature by Governor Wilson,
taken as an entirety, demonstrate
such deplorable lack of study of
many of the measures that it brings
prominently into light situation.
covering which we believe public
statement should be made.
The Legislature has no desire to
pass measures over the Governors S
veto simply because it is of opposite
political complexion but the office of
veto, as defined in the constitution
rs to call attention to objections to
proposed legislation, that a reconsid-
GRAFTON may be had OF necessity.
this means specific objections, found
ed in fact, in order that the re- exam
ination may be intelligent.
1T is plain case. In passing upon
the Legislation recently submitted to
him, the Governor has not performed
this duty. Many of the measures
were important, all were entitled to
careful study. Given 10 days in which
to do the work, the duty was met by
| crowding the work of 10 days into
two, approving ninety-odd measures
| and vetoeing 38, and then hurrying
from the State.
During the session, aside from
/ general recommendation in the an
nual message, a special message urg-
ing the adoption of the Federal income
tax, and a message just received re-
queSting the continuance of the en-
| ployment of the railroad valuation
expert, not a single policy has been
submitted or suggestion made to the
Legislature, looking to the good of
the State. The initiative throughout
has been with the Legislature
Later in the day, Governor Wilson
issued the following statement:
Ordinarily I would remain entirely
silent under partisan attacks of this
kind, but feel that it is due to the peo-
pie of the State that / should speak
my very emphatic protest against an
uncalled for grossly discourteous at
tack upon my official cafeer, proceed
ing as a manifesto from a conference
of Republican members of the legis-
| lature.
/ sOf my vetoes, | shall say nothing
They speak for themselves and are
/ justified by the bills against which
they were uttered But the statement
that have by frequent absences from
the State in any degree neglected my
duties as Governor, is absolutely false
No important matter of business has
been allowed to fall in arrears in my
office Every bill has been read and
acted upon Within the time prescribed
Eby the constitution. | have been abb
sent from the State only two of the
session days of the Legislature
Not ten days, but five days only
under the explicit prescription of the
constitution, were available for the
lc0nsld deration of the more than one
Hundred and fifty bills which were
sent to my Office just before the tenn
porary adjournment of the legislature
on the 29th day of March. / devoted
to these bills the full five days al
lowed me. They received my careful
attention The legislature had, by
deliberate arrangement of it's Repub-
Hcan leaders, determined to reassem-
Bile the following week, so that ! was
4 not permitted, under the constitutional
provision, to take more time than
did take in the consideration of the
bills.
1t is a noteworthy circumstance
that. although a great many of the
important measures sent me at the
end Of the session were introduced
early in the session they were delay
ed in their passage until the end. The
4 bills that came to me while the ses-
sion lasted were for the most part oil