New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-04-12
WILSON MAKES DEFENCE
Governor Answers Storm OF
Criticism on His VetOeS..
LEGISLATURE IN. TURMOIL
More than Half of Forty Vetoes
Overridden with Aid OF
Democrats.
~ r.lesraph to The Tribune


Trenton. y j.. April 11.-Stung by the
criticism Of the members OF the Republican
majority I'm the Legislature and Of the rat
e,son Board of Trade on his absence from
New Jersey and its effect on the consldera-
ton OF the legislation placed before NH"
Governor Wilson tonight issued warm
statement in which he said that the asSer.
ton that his absence from the state hau
caused him to neglect official business was
absolutely false. He said;
Ordinarily / would remain silent under
partisan attacks of this kind, but lee'
that il is due TO the people OF the slaLe
that ] should speak my emphatic protts'
against an uncalled-for and grossly as
courteous attack upon my oflcldl cdIteL'
proceeding a s q manifesto from a cTn mr. a.
ence of Republican members of the Legs
OF my vetoes | shall say nothing. They
speak for themselves. and are JuStlheu oS
the bills against which they were uttereu,
But the statement that have by frequent
absences from the state in any degree neS,
lected my duties as Governor Is aosolut,e & !,
false. No important matter of business mas
been allowed to fall in arrears in my once.
Every bill has been read and acted upon
within the time prescribed ny the cons ~
ton / have been absent from the state
only two Of the session days Of the Legs
lature 49,.
Not ten days. but five days only, under
we're available for the consideration OF the
more than one hundred and NIFTY hllls which
were sent TO my Office just before the leIu-
poraTy adjournment OF me XIII tbe full
FIVE days allowed me- They received lily
careful attention. 90, .....;o,
In my annual message ! caleu aI.s .stood
TO the great matters to which | unoerSloou
both parties to Ne committed. l olu uoI
deem il wise or courteous to aEo"' as t.e
session advanced. by repeated messaE -
nv fear that these matters were TO oe
neglected and that the whole torce OF w ~
session was to be spent upon measures Ia
another sort and of queStionaDle eAPSuI,
cpcv If the session has been barren anC;
disappointing as il has been the people OF
the state will know where TO Desto" 'he
blame.
To-day Was one Of the widest and most
sensational in the history OF the Legs
lature of New Jersey. 1t began with Nlo-
lent attempt on the part Of the Democrats
in the House TO prevent the reading or the
communication from the Paterson BOARD
Of Trade, which at one time approached
riot
Then came the statement Of the ma
iority Criticizing the Governor Tor MS
vetoes. which they charged was due TO MS
absence from the state and lack OF atteh-
ton to his duty TO the people of the state
This was followed BY a communication
from the Attorney General, saving that ne
had changed his mind as to the status OF
the grade crossing bill. and had decided
. this afternoon that it was not a law
An address to the people of the state
issued by the Republican caucus said;
The Legislature has no desire to pass
measures over the Governors veto slIilp I
because ii is of opposite political com,
pleXion, but the office of veto, as dehneO
in the constitution, is 10 call attention 70
the objections to proposed iegislati4h, tna'
reconsideration may be haq. VI IleCse.:
s,ty this means specific objections, foundec
on fact in order that the re-eXamlnat'oi
may be intelligent.
In passing upon the legislation recently
submitted TO him the Governor has not per
formed this duty. Many OF the measures
were important, all were entitled TO careIu
study. Given ten days in which 70 90 "
work the duty was met by crowding the
work OF ten DAYS into two, approving nne
tv-odd measures and Vetoing thirty-elSI''
ard then hurrying. from me STATE. ,,,,,oro
During the session, aside from genera
recommendations in the annual message {
special message urging the adoption OF tn'
federal income tax and message just re
c4ived requesting the continuance or m
cuplovment of the railroad valuation eN
pert not a single policy has been suomltte'
or suggested made to the Legislature lpok
ms to the good Of the state me lnltla'N'
throughout has been with the Legislature.
Assemblvman Watson presented the Pat
erson petition in the House, part OF Whici
read
The Board of Trade Of Paterson has oeei
strong advocate of grade crossing separd
t,on Iegisiation. and il regrets that after tn
massage of the bill that would insure man
datorv relief Governor Wilson depaTte!
from the usual coursf heretofore praCuse'
nv Governors Of the state TO give near
ing on important legislation upon ntmauol
that their intention was 10 go contrary u
the action of the Legislature.
Few of the Governors vetoes were sus
tanned by either house. no fewer tna'
TWENTY-FIVE Of them being overridden by th'
Assembly and almost tho same number ~
the Senate Among the measures 70 d
nassed were the incidental appropriation
Eli and the reapportionment bill, which wa
changed slightly TO conform 10 the Vlshe
of the Republicans Of Hudson.