Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-07-01
:,: ;;.: ::TE'fENNSS Wants
= GOV. FIELDER TO
| PROBE HIS DEPT
/ State Road Commissioner Re-
i plies to Critics in Long Lett
I ter to Chief Executive.
] SAYS HE CAN'T PLEASE
I M'GOVERN AND BARRETT
| Shifts Responsibility for Con-
vict System and Calls Bar
rett Especial Fakir."
[From . STAIR correspondent.l )


TRENTON. N. j., July 1.-Colonel
Edwin A. Stevens. head of the State
department of roads, in letter to
Governor Fielder today makes a de-
fense to charges of incompeteney and
extravaganza preferred against him
by Thomas f. McGovern, Trenton
contractor, and Thomas j. Barrett, of
Bordentown.
Colonel Stevens says he heartily
joins with Mr.. McGovern in asking
Governor Fielder for an inquiry into
the State road department. Il want
chance to show the people of this
State how the trust imposed on me
has been handled" he wrote Gov
ernor Fielder. you are aware of
what a departmental investigation
means. l believe that in this case
am justified in asking for one.' he
continues
In his communication Mr.. Stevens
thinks 1t is beyond his power to please
both Mr. McGovern and Mr.. Barrett.
He characterizes Mr. Barrett as one
of the special fakirs' with a patent
and an experimental dope material" +"
Mr.. Stevens called on the governor
today and discussed the whole mat
ter with him. Governor Fielder said
he would give the complaints of the
two contractors and Mr.. Stevens s
reply careful consideration before
taking any steps looking toward an
Investigation of the State road de-
partment.
Convict System Not His.
Replying to Mr. McGovern's charge
that the convict labor scheme was a
farce, Mr.. Stevens says the policy of
using convicts on roads was not urged
by his department. The Legislature,
the Prison Labor Commission and the
department of Charities and Correc-
tions are responsible, he says. Mr..
Stevens says he has tried and is try
ing to. do his part 10 make the plan a
success. If / can get results so
i7isfSh the better; if not, will not be
responaible for continuing the expert
ment. 0ne thing / will have no part
IN. and Nhat is r the farming out of
these unfortunates. as suggested by
Mr.. McGovern."
Mr.. Stevens denies that he has been
unfair in awarding contracts and says
dealings in his departments have al
ways been open and competition has
been honest. Answering Mr.. McGov-
ern's charge that the attaches of the
State road department are equally in
efficient and extravagant with Colonel
Stevens, the letter states that Colonel
Stevens shall not remove any man
cd xxr{fI off fo,- oil
rea asons The assistants hold office
under the civil service law and Colonel
Stevens invites his critics to submit
any evidence warranting removal.
The Letter of Defense.
The letter to the governor follows:
81 am informed by Mr.. Farrell that
you would be pleased to hear what
may have to say in answer to the
letter published in several of the
papers of this State and subsequently
handed to you on June "a This
letter as published in the Tren-
ton Times is dated June %, and is un-
signed, but is stated to be from Mr..
Thomas J. McGovern. Mr. Farrell
was unable to give me the original.
but I presume that as published it
contains all the material allegations.
MIR. McGovern charges, first, that,
through my self-confessed incom-
petence. the moneys of the State
are being squandered in unjust,
unreasonable and unbusinesslike
methods; second, that l have de-
pended upon the staff I found in the
department, and, third, that I have
favored experimental dope material;
fourth, he claims that road build
ing is not an experiment.; that a
dressing of asphalt, sand and stone
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