Newark evening star and Newark advertiser., 1914-12-10
WESCOTT WON'T
START SUIT FOR
CANAL BASINS
Attorney-GeneraI Said to Have
Declined Jersey City's
Invitation.
Special to the Evening Star.

| JERSEY CITY, Dec. 10.-The fact
that Attorney-General Wescott mas
refused to bring suit against the Le-
high Valley railroad Company and
the Morris Canal Banking Company
to oust them from the control OF the
canal basin in Jersey City was maue
known to the Board of City Commits
sioners last night by Assemolyman-
elect Thomas f. Martin.
81 made it my business yesterday,
said Mr.. Martin, Ito see Attorney
General Wescott, and l asked him
what was his attitude and his opinion
in regard to this custer suit.
In reply he said that he would not
bring a suit for custer proceedings, as
he was of the opinion that to do so
would be acting against the interests
of the State of New Jersey, and tnat
the State of New Jersey was his
client, and he was not going to act
against the interests of the State.
He added that he was also of the
opinion that if the suit was started
and was successful that such a result
would also be detrimental to the in
terests of the people of the State. l
am not going to say that he intended
this to be his official opinion of his
attitude, but 1t Is what he said to me
in reply to my questions as to his
attitude, and l take it that 1t eX-
presses his views on the subject"
George L. Record said that it would
be interesting to get the attorney
general to put his words on paper.
1t was quite possible, he said, thai
if the attorney-general found that
what he had said would not be to his
interests he would contradict the
statement or say that Mr. Martin had
misunderstood him.
II would suggest that We make for
NAL application to the attorney-gen-
eral to start the suit" said Mayor
Pagan. ut is my belief that if it is
successful 1t is going to be an i'm
mense benefit, not only to the city,
but to the whole of the State of New
Jersey"
YES. But before we do that it is
necessary that we see where we
stand" said Record. I'VE must get
the attorney general to submit his
opinion in writing, and 1 do not think
that It would be difficult to get him
to say just where he stands in this
matter. We should get Mr. Martin
to write to him and say that he would
like him to repeat in writing the
opinion that he had given him orally.
He would certainly reply and l think
we would then know where we stand.
"I think 1t would be the beginning
of tremendous campaign through
out the State" said the mayor.
We'll" said Mr.. Martin, don't you
think that the attorney general
should have had a copy of the res
oiution passed at the meeting last
Sunday sent to him? 1t would have
been quite a simple matter to have
mailed it to him, and he would then
have had it before him. AS it is, time
is being lost when we should be
doing something"
Mayor Pagan said he agreed with
Mr.. Martin that the resolution should
have been sent at once.
The point is" said Mr.. Martin,
that If the resolution is sent now
and the attorney-general takes as
long to answer it as you have taken
in sending it, a whole lot of valuable
time will have been lost"
On being asked if he were willing
to send a letter to the attorney gen.
eral, asking him to put in writing
the opinion he had given him, Mr..
Martin said that he most certainly
would do so, and suggested that the
letter be drafted at once and sent in
duplicate to Trenton and Camden by
night letter, so that there would be
no doubt of the attorney general re-
ceiying it the first thing in the morn
ing.
Acting on a suggestion, the follow
ing letter was drawn up and sent by
night mail to Camden and Trenton.
addressed TO the attorney general:
MY Dear Sir-I made a verbal re-
port of your position on the matter
Of the Morris canal custer suit to the
Jersey City commissioners and as
h VAIa
me a statement of your position and
the reasons therefor, so that we NAV
have them at the meeting to be held
on Saturday afternoon? Yours truly,
THOMAS F. MARTIN"