Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-10-15
''F|ELDER'S TOUR
ONLY A JOYR|DE"
Stokes, at Pennington, Scores
His Opponents Method
of Campaigning.

PENNINGTON. oct. 15.-Former
Governor Edward G. Stokes. running
for Governor on the Republican
ticket, addressed mass meeting here
last night. In his speech Mr.. Stokes
charges that his opponents seem
to have forgotten all about their
issues and platform planks and
seemed to be conducting a campaign
which might be termed a joyride.
Mr.. Stokes further repudiated the
assertions made that he was in any
way affiliated with railroad interests
In part OF his speech Mr.. Stokes
said
The administration of the State
government is a trusteesbip, not a
private possession, and those VINO
seek the confidence of fllie people
should discuss the issue, instead OF
calling names and making faces. Our
opponents either have no issues or
they have forgotten that politics is
field of duty, and not an arena or
gladiatorial contest They are con-
Quoting a campaign which might De
termed joy ride. They are not dis
cussing issues or formulating policies
of government; they are holding few
place to place in automobiles ana IN
dulge in Misrepresentation and per-
sonalhties. I mad supposed that that
style of contest had been banished to
oblivion by the decent people OF the
country.
"They are reviving the old charges
that were made nine years ago; they
say am a railroad man. That
charge was answered effectively by
the people of this State at the cleo
ton of 1904 by majority OF over
$1,000. They made that an issue and
the people decided. ] am wiling 10
leave that charge this year not only
to the people, but to the thousands or
schoolboys and schoolgirls and their
parents and the hundreds of teachers
in this State. Every schoolhouse in
this State, every school teacher in
this State, every pupil in the public
schools of this State, every taxpayer
in this State, is a refutation OF the
charge made against me by my oppo-
nents.
1T was through my recommenda-
ton and under my administration
that there was passed the increased
railroad tax act and under that act
the railroads that had been paying
a million and a half in taxes to the
State and municipalities are today
paying nearly six million dollars.
The tax on second-class railroad
property was then $685. 43. Today IT
amounts to $2,010,653. The tax on the
main stem was then $1,15S,277. Today
it amounts to $4,50S,947, and it is
through my recommendation that the
increased tax. derived from this
source, upon the part of the State,
should be dedicated to the education
of the boys and girls of New Jersey.
Today our schools are receiving from
this source S2,950,0O0.
4 One of my worthy opponents Should
look UP his own record In connection
with railroads. The elimination of
grade crossings is a matter of vital
Importance in this State of ours.
We have more railroad mileage to
the square mile than any other State
in the Union. The traffic upon our
highways, lying as we do, between
two great Cities inviting, as We do,
tourists from all over the world, is
out of all proportion to our area.
This makes our railroad grade cross
ings serious menace to life. can
speak upon this subject from per-
sonal aspect. My own father was in
jured crossing track upon high
way of this State; and the injury
weakened him and brought on his
final Illness.
There are numbers whose lives
have been lost in the same manner,
and so the Legislature passed an act
to abolish grade crossings in the in
terest of public safety. The then
Governor of the State saw fit, in his
wisdom, to veto that measure, and
in the veto was found a letter from
railroad attorney urging the Gov
ernor to prevent the bill in question
from becoming law. and when that
veto went back to the Legislature
Governor Fielder, member of that
body, acquiesced in that veto and
took no steps to have 1t reconsidered.
1t Ill becomes him to charge any one
else with being a railroad man"