Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1912-04-09
HAND POSER
TO WILSON
Bogardus's Friends Want
TO Know Why He Was
Not Reappointed.

kEYPORT, April 9.-The Raritan In
dependent Democratic Club, represent
ing 700 Democrats of that town, as well
as hundreds of Democrats throughout
Monmouth county, has sent a strong
letter TO Governor woodrow Wilson
demanding his reason for refusing to
reappo1nt DR.. o. c. Borgardus TO the
State board of assessors. The club. in
its letter. points out that DR.. Bogardus
had rendered excellent service as a
member of the board. The Governor is
asked if his decision was reached be-
cause of the stand taken by DR.. Bogar-
dus against railroads in the matter of
valuations.
The letter is as follows:
Hon. Woodrow Wilson. Governor,
Honorabie SirWAs Democrats, asso-
ciates and fellow townsmen of Or. Q.
c. Bogardus, and representing a DEMO
cratic Club of ZOO members. and In
common with hundreds of Democrats
throughout the county of Monmouth.
we desire that you state in a public
manner your reason or reasons Tor not
Board of Assessors. He is a man OF
wealth., and hence could not be con-
sidered as a m%ercenary p~lace-nunter
because of the salary attached, and,
above every consideration, should have
been the thought of his great service
to the State, and particularly to. the
counties in which the railroads nave
great terminals. because of his insist
ence that the railroads bear their share
of the public burden.
We believe he was entitled to con-
sf~derafion from you because he was a
Democrat. you were N Democrat, and
the position. of necessity, had to be
flied by a Democrat. and that he had
.na1. :. .ooI honest md efficient off .
cial cannot be denied.
He made an earnest effort in YOU
behalf when you were a candidate Tor
the nomination of governor and, while
every appointee OF yours In ms county
was opposed to you, he made the fight
against the bosses practically alone IN
your behalf and delivered you fifteen
delegates.
Ia view OF his loyalty to You when
yon needed his assistance, and because
of his standing in his town and county
(Which he has served, respectively, as
councilman, mayor and high sherif).
we feel constrained to submit to your
cxceIIency the following questions and
ask an open reply to same;
Did you, as an ardent advocate of
pitileSS publicity, approve of his course
in urging his associates on the State
Board of Assessors to open the books
for the information of the public, when
they had been sealed for so many
years ET1Or TO MS COIlneCtlou Win tue
Board OF Assessors?
If you are such a believer in "pfti-
less publicity" why did you appoint
on the board of Assessors one of whose
public career you had no personal
knowledge to succeed n through
whose efforts the railroads assess
ments during the last four years has
been increased one hundred and fifteen
millions of dOllarsf
Was the change in the personnel of
the Board OF Assessors made at the
request of some corporation whose as
sessment had been increased because
of his connection with the board? II
not, al whose request was the change
made, and why?
Was his being on the Board of As
SCISSORS detrimental to the States best
interest, and, IL not, why did you feel
it necessary to place. another there
in his stead to pass Judgment upon the
railroad appeals which have alreaoy
without hearing or being conyersant
with the facts presented on the APP
peals? Was 1t with the expectation
that the railroads would get reliefY
when did you reach the conclusion to
change the personnel of the board :
was 1T after the conference he had n
few weeks ago with you when you In
guired of him as to what position he
was going to take upon the valuations
which had been made, and he told You
he was going to vote to sustain them !
was his statement to You then the
cause of some of the railroads dis
continuing their hearings before the
beard until his successor was appoint
ed, and willingly assuming the payment
of an additional II per cent. per an
mum upon their deferred payments of
taxes due:
When in need of his political services
last summer in Monmouth county, did you
not voluntarily say to him in effect that,
regardless of rumors that were current
about his home county, you need 1eel no
concernt about reappointment? And did
he not do as he agreed?
YOU on March q did you not say .the doc
tor will not be turned down?" II you did
saw that how do you square your words
with your later actions?
When some of his friends called upon
YOU the day you sent in the appointments
and asked for his retention on the state
Board of Assessors, did you not say that
every statement made by them was true;
that he had made good, efficient and ca
pable official, but that 1t was useless to
talk further because Of the reason that
you could not refute any of the claims set
up by them, and that 1t only added to
your p~redicament? What was you pre-
dicament?'
In view Of the above facts and ques-
tons was 1t because of any objection to
his social or personal standing that
caused you to break your word with him
or his friends?
:, Having performed the duties as a mem
a faithful. conscientious and sincere desire