Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-03-17

the writer.
in New York over night in preference
to Newark or Jersey City when in
those cities. He put it even stronger
than that. Asked by Assemblyman
McDermott, why did YOU have to
go to New York and stay at the Ho-
tel McAlpin," he said:
Because when | have to be up in
the State instead of stopping at those
bum hotels in Newark and Jersey
City / prefer to go to New York and
stop there. 1t is the same when
am down in the southern part of the
State, | would not stop over night in
! Camden, but go to Philadelphia"
This interesting statement regard
ing the cities of his own State
We're made by Commissioner Bry-
ant While Assemblyman MeDer-
mott was quizzing him about numer-
Gus vouchers which were produced by
John j. Nevin, chief clerk of the
comptroller's office.
From these vouchers Mr.. McDer-
mott read a number of high priced
items, such as items for inspectors
meals at 81 SO, $6 in Trenton and
meals in Newark at $6.15. He asked:
@. Why should Mr.. Holt charge for
inspectors meals and charge so much
for them? A. That was in 1911, when
Mr.. Holt was out of the office. He is
entitled to meals when out of the
office.
Items of stenographers' charges on
making out reports by inspectors
were found. Mr.. Bryant said the Gus
tom of allowing them had been
q. When did you stop these charges?
a. Years ago. The whole thing
amounted to very little, but thought
1t ought not to be allowed.
Commissioner Kraft
Q. Why is this report of December
20, 1912, made out on stationery head
ed Hotel Seneca, Rochester, N Y?
A. Whose report is 1t?
Expense Bills Held Up.
@. Mr.. Spidells. A. He was there
at the time on vacation. I was there
at the time and went through the
Eastman Kodak factory. the New
England Button Works and one or
two other factories.
@. Who was in that party? A. Mr..
Spidell, Mr.. Roche and Mr.. Leder
We're there to inspect the factories.
@. Was he off duty at that time?
A. He was taking his vacation.
Mr. Kraft:
@. How long a vacation do the in
spectors get? A. That is a matter of
record.
Mr.. McDermott:
@, The comptroller refused TO honor
about $1,000 worth of these bills last
year, did he not? A. He did not have
the money
@. You overdrew your appropriation
of S1.400; was that it? A. Overdraw
| think. $1,000
@. Were these Chicago and Mil
waukee items among the overdrafts?
A. Now, those We're trips I took in
order to attend conventions. and very
necessary. The Governor approved of
me taking those trips.
Senator Edge:
O. Who was the Governor then? A.
Governor Wilson
Mr.. MeDermott:
q. There were a good MANY taxis
charged, were there not? A. No: no
taxi charges. 7 don't ride in them.
Q. You are in great demand for
leetures2 A. Yes. to some extent.
o. What is there that you know
that is new about this thing of fire
prevention? Hasn't ii all been said
before? A. suppose YOU think 1t Is
lack of intelligence on the part OF the
people and You think have the whole
country buffaloed,
Defends Expense Accounts.
@. This talk of the importance of
yourself and your department, it
seems to me, is clever exaggeration
on your part A. know you think
SO. but can you get anybody else to
think so?
@. Why should the State pay your
expenses when you travel to lecture?
A. The State does not pay all of
them.
@. Don't YOU think 1t would be fair
for those who ask you to lecture to
pay all your expenses? A. 1t would
be too "small' to ask them to do so.
@. II you come to talk about the
smallness of 1t, isn't il pretty small
to ask anybody to pay it? A. You
think | ought to pay them myself?
think not.
O. Do you take Mr. Leder with you
when you make these trips? A.
Sometimes; not always,
@. He is not doing any inspecting
then, is he? A. No, but he is learning
things about his work all the time.
O. How to run the stereopticon, you
mean? A. Things about his work.
Q. These expenses, need they be so
high? A. / think ii is ridiculous for
you to question me about my expense
accounts. I am entitled to go to New
York or Philadelphia If | choose to.
can make trips outside the State
if I like. Tt is within my rights I'M
der the law.
@. And I have a right to question
the cost on behalf Of the public.
NJ. T. Green, representative of Local
No. II. of Orange. of the Hatters of
North America, asked leave to make
l.. Is,#1 ct hos 1tA In
come in," he said. He said that Com
missioner Bryant has enforced cor
rections in the hatters' trade in Or
ange and set up two of the finest fac
tories in the United States.
He and Assemblyman McDermott
had a tilt. Mr.. McDermott wanted
Mr.. Green to go on record as to what
brought him to the hearing to testify.
Mr. Green would not say he wholly
approved the work of the department,
although saying other things compli-
mentary to Colonel Bryant. At last
Mr.. McDermott said sharply:
81 would put you on record as
traitor to the cause of labor!
Mr.. Green objected. Commissioners
Kraft asked Mr. McDermott to with
draw the remark. Let us get on
with the examination" said MIR. Nc
Dermott with a smile.
At length he said: 81 will say this:
] cannot understand how labor man
will come down here and say that the
labor department is enforcing the
laws for the protection of working
mems lives when he is not. | will also
say this. Mr.. Green that ] am at a
loss to understand the motives of any
labor man who, when he finds that a
man has done what | have done for
labor, comes here to oppose him. !
do not understand his attitude"