Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-04-28

shall De conducted IN accordance Win
the rules that generally prevail at a
hearing where there are grave charges
to be proven.
1.-THE inquiry into the management
of the State Home was remarkable in
this respect, that all the witnesses
were presumed to tell the truth.
Never once, despite the gravity of
some of their statements, were the
witnesses sworn to tell the truth.
know that l am safe in saying that
| it was the first time in the history
of our State that a semi judicial
hearing took place where the wit
nesseS were not required to swear to
the truth of their allegations.
rs 1t not within the bounds of rea-
son to say that the Investigators were
not aSSiduously in quest of truth
When they permitted some thirty per-
sons to make statements without ever
asking them to swear to the truth of
their assertions?
Nov, Governor, I ask you as a
lawyer what value would you place
upon such evidence as is brought
forth without the slightest regard to
the time-honored rule governing in
Vestigations into the conduct of pub
lie officials? You must favor this new
method of conducting Investigations,
for you accepted the report of the
committee that conducted this re-
markable inquiry.
You even went so far as to ask the
Legislature to approve their findings,
to give acquiescence to their recon-
mendations in removing from office
men and women who stood for what
they deemed to be right. But one
r. be consoled by recalling the
t ale-honored adage, that the mills
of the gods grind slowly, yet they
grind exceeding small.
Methods of Truth Finding.
81 would be inclined to expect a
different method of ascertaining truth
from a committee. majority of
whom, it is alleged, are lawyers. In
fact, l have recently learned that Mr..
Drayton. one of the investigators, has
been most constant practitioner for
twenty years, and only disassociated
himself from practise for a brief
period to seek the mayoralty of his
home town.
II have heard it said that he was
inclined to refuse the office, If elected;
that he desired only an appraisement
of his popularity. If election returns
are ever eloquent, they surely fur
nished most infallible index to Mr.
Drayton's popularity within the minor
known to the commuters as Engle-
wood, N. J.
'Fervently do I hope that another
investigation will not WOO him from
his chosen profession for it is claimed
by those who know that in that noble
calling he is surprisingly bright, his
brilliancy shining forth from his
countless title Notwithstanding all
that certain tract known and de-
scribed as Harsimus, or farm lands
adjacent thereto.
1.-THE other member of the commits
sion, Mr.. Robert M. Williams, of
Paterson, has been ADMITTED to prac-
tise law, but the eXacting duties of a
public utilities commissioner have de-
MED him the opportunity of reaching
professional eminence.
These two men constituted a ma
jority of the committee charged with
the duty of diligently inquiring into
the management of the State Home
l am enamored of that form of
mental exercise that consists in
drawing up antithetical characters of
professional men; and when | think
of some of the men whom you might
have appointed, as compared with the
men to whom you did appoint, 1 am
inclined to say that you exhibited q
| slight deficiency in the matter of in
| telligent discrimination.
"Of course, the matter of their in
| tellectuals is of small moment, as
they were charged with the duty OF
ascertaining how far some reputable
officials had abandoned their moral
| perceptions. They were especially
charged to look into the public con-
duct of the following persons:
| David T. Kenny, a gentleman OF
|
activities were recognized by His
Holiness. Pope Leo Kill, when that
distinguished prelate named him a
| knight of the Papal Court.
Robert M. Anderson, cultured gen.
tleman, who, for a number of years
has been an honored official of the
Theological Seminary at Princeton
College.
Mrs. Howard Crosby Warren. the
wife of a distinguished educator, 6
lady who for many years has giver
freely of her time and talents to make
better the lives of her fellows.
Mrs. Howell G. Stull, an exemplary
character, who has done noble ser.
vice in Presbyterian church circles il
the city of Trenton.
Those whose names I have JUS
enumerated constitute four-fifths O.
the body your Investigators were in.
Vestigating.
again / must crafty my predilec.
ton for a study in contrasts, and con.
sidered the moral and intellectual
composition of the investigators, a:
compared with the same elements il
the personnel of those who were in.
vestigated.
After "A Cold Analysis.
and after a cold analysis | inclin,
to the conclusion that those wht
were investigated compare mor
favorably with those whom you Sc
lected to do the investigating Messrs
Kenny and Anderson have lived il
simple faith, their civic virtues hav
been exemplified on numerous occa
sions, even to the extent of indicating
by their ballots their confidence il
you as a candidate for Governor.
"Of course. that action on thei
part was of the most trivial import a
compared to the stupendous efforts o
some of your club friends in Bergen
who did the marvellous in rolling up .
tremendous majority for you on cleo
ton day-on numerous golf links ad
jacent to this city
Whenever 1 give thought to tina
well-nigh talismanic performance
am only restrained from an indul
SeilCG III Juut ltiuSilcI ny lIl9 SACSp
tional control that l have over M
facial muscles. Methinks that l hav
heard before of Falstaff's army.
Now, dear governor, I trust tina
you will pardon my proneness t,
epistolary prolixity. 1 know that
have done violence to the canons O
elegance in thus writing you. I hav
been both desultory and common
place. But 1 assume full respon
sibility for all that have said
Every line that l have written is m,
7 I.ad 10