Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1912-01-08
BEES BUZZ AS DEMOCRATS ASSEMBLE
Fithian. in Statement to STAR, ReaffirmS That
Governor Pleaded Illness as Reason Tor.
Not Addressing State Teachers.

sponse from Mr.. Fithian. Il onV koOw
That talked with the Governor ana
mat he said what | reported at the
convention, | have been and / am Sill
a warm adnlirer of the Governor ana
would not wish to say anything tnat
might in any way harm his ampltions'
you must remember that he Is n
Governor of the State and that in his
position it would be possible for nim
TO do all kinds of harm to the teach
ers Of the State. While 1 am no
longer president of the New Jersey
State Teachers Association, ! feel that
if 1 did say anything II would be AXE
as coming from the association and
he causes which it is Advocating
might receive a serious setback"
Mr. Fithian denied, in answer to a
question. that it was fear of the ire
mendous harm the Governor might
do the teachers of the State that made
him refrain from talking freely about
his interview with Governor Wi6cn.
He affirmed again that his main res-
son for not speaking n Tor meh-
tanning the silence which he did Aver
the Governor had been quoted IN oe-
NAL of Mr.. Fithian's remarks at tns
convention IN Atldntlc Cibs' va"
disbelief Of the denial.
Stands by Statement.
oThere Is not the slightest doubt IN
NV mind n in the minds or those
who know me but that I told at At
lantic City Just what the Governor had
given me as the reason for his 1naoiity
to be present. OF course, 1 didn't say
exactly what he told mel don't believe
ANYBODY imagines that / was attempt
ing to give his exact words. But the
gist of his conversation with me was
| there absolutely. / stand by 1t unquali-
fiedly.
"I suppose | would have come out
with a statement weeks ago IL 1t were
not for the double fact that [ believed
the Governor had been misquoted In
! his denial of my remarks and that J.
| would not step in the way of his
achieving the goal he has set for him
self. considered it so important a
matter, so likely to prejudice his u
that 1 made up my mind / would not
say anything under any circumstances.
IF he were not the Governor and
not embarked upon the campaign that
ift IL L liliElI say hidhS nag $3.50 -
would the teachers of the State. They
had counted Upon his presence at the
convention. 1 took up the matter first
with him about the latter part of Octo-
Der, Just before election. He was
scheduled to speak here in South Jer-
sey and I went to ask him to be present
at the convention. ] found he was
registered at the DEMONSTRATION in
Philadelphia. Going there, L met Ed
Grosscup. I told Grosscup what l
wanted. He said: Why, you can't see
him: he's sick and we're trying to keep
as many things from him as possible.
1.-THE Governor, however. overheard
my conversation with Grosscup, and
when he earned that ] was president
of the State Teachers Association,
came and spoke to me. He said then
that he would address the convention
If the unexpected did not happen to
prevent. When 1 went to see him
again I thought 1t would be a mere
formalty, but the result was what you
know. s.
II can only say that IL the Governor
was not really sick that 1t must be
regarded generally as strange that he
did not come to address us. Two years
ago, when he was not Governor, he vas
very glad to come. and speak to US.
At that time he was paid to come and
talk to u.s."