Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1912-01-08

CAMDEN. Jan. ffirming his
assertion made at the convention of
the New Jersey state Teachers Asso-
citation on December q that Governor
Woodrow Wilson could not be present
then to speak because he feared the
danger of a breakdown, but also as
serting hat on a previous occasion,
when he wished to see the States exc
cutive. he had been told the Governor
was i'll, Powell G.. Fithian, recent presi-
lent of the association, disclosed today
that as long ago as last October Gov
ernor Wilson's political advisers were
worried about his physical condition.
| On that occasion, according to Mr..
Fithian, he was told by Edward Gross
cup. chairman of the Democratic State
Commit, that the Governor was sick.
Mr.. Fithian made his reaffirmation
of his remarks about the reasons for
the non-attendance of the Governor at
the recent teachers convention with
out qualification of any kind. He re-
fused, however, to speak about the
impression he himself had received as
to the Governors physical condition
on the ground that he would not wish
! 10 lIlI6IlSIc III dIJ way Wlti tho oO'
| ernor's realization of his ambition
"I have no wish to be drawn into any
controversy with the Governor" said
! Mr.. Fithian, but he did tell me that
his energies were being too heavily
taxed, and he did tell me that his ply
stefan had warned him of what might
happen If he did not refuse to heed all
demands upon him that he could. And
h. eoil ~ En- W in ct,ph q w1U that T
felt is was unanswerable. The case
seemed such to me that I made no
argument of any kin to urge him to
reconsider and to attend our convention
if he possibly could. 1 recognized the
gravity of the situation at once, and I
left him without further words.
THE probability is that If the Gov
ernor has really denied the truth of
what | said he a old me about his
condition that he has said so much
lately that he has forgotten the con-
versation he had with me. have
refused to believe that he has been
correctly quoted. I cannot credit his
denial. That is one of the reasons
why I have RETAINED from answering
il for If I knew Governor Wilson
stated I did not speak the truth about
what he told me was the reason he
could not attend the teachers con-
vention I should have had many things
to say and they would not have been
at all pleasant,
IT am sure the Governt did not
really mean to say that / hadn't spoken
the truth about what he told me. 1t
seems to me that he must have been i'll
or in such condition that any extra
exertion was dangerous or he would
surely have been at the convention. If
illness was not the cause of his not
being there, then what was the cause?
The New Jersey State Teachers Asso-
citation, representing 10000 teachers, Is
big enough and important enough to
command even a Governors presence.
If the Governor was not Ill. then |
think it is up to hin to tell the teachers
of the State of New Jersey why it was
that he was not at their convention. If
he could possibly have been there /
consider that he should have regarded
it as a duty and should not have failed
in It's performance"
Warm Admirer of Governor.
Then you believe, Mr.. Fithian, that
Governor Wilson is really in a serious
state of health?" he was asked.
II wouldn't answer that question I'M
der any circumstances" came the re-