Newark evening star and Newark advertiser., 1915-03-03

5, 1919.
high Valley Railroad was favorable
to either the bills Introduced by MT
Godfrey or the measures introduced
by Mr.. Ostrom. They wanted the
Ostrom measures, he said. Then he
fred another question at the speaker
Does the State get from the LIE
high Railroad a thing IL can use
other than $1,000, O0OY
Godfrey answered by pointing to
the valuable water rights, which, ne
said the State would obtain. Under
the provisions of his bill, he said, the
holdings of the East Jersey Water
Company would be rendered value
less The State Water Supply Com
mission at present was considering
the purchase of the East Jersey
Water Company and its subsidiary
plants. The price now fixed would
have to be greatly reduced snvu.d
his bills pass.
Godfrey's silly Charge.
Mr.. Godfrey, his face inflamed
then made the silly charge that the
water company was behind the oppo-
sition to the bills and that the Demo-
cratic and other members who are
taking that stand were working in
the interests of that corporation. y
The corporation he declared, will
spend money, and lots of it, to pre-
vent the passage of these measures
There has been enough criticism on
this matter. Now / want to see that
it falls where it belongs. 1t means a
loss of from one to three million dol
lars If these measures pass. Why
wouldn't they oppose them?" God
frey seemed to almost believe that
that the representatives Of the water
snake lobbying for his bills were
barking up the wrong tree.
Mr.. Martin made reply. "Mr. God
frey has resorted to a game that is
as old as the hills" he said. TITS O
case of when you're caught with the
goods yell like mad and maybe you'll
get away with 1t. Within the last
few days, Mr.. Godfrey. you have
threatened to sue people for libel for
a statement of much less consequence
than that you have just made. II
you want to infer that / am re-
tained'; If you want to make or state
that as a fact, I do not believe 1t Is
based on as good assumption as the
statement that you yourself are re-
tanned by the Lehigh Valley Rail-
road"
Going back to the statement oi
Speaker Godfrey, that he based his
opinions regarding the abandonment
of the Morris Canal partially on the
report of the engineers engaged by
the State to appraise the valuation oi
the Morris Canal, Mr.. Martin pointed
to the name of Louis Focht, engineer
of the State Board of Assessors. Mr.
Martin quoted from what he said
was testimony taken last month in g
suit in which Mr.. Focht appeared as
a witness.
Reading from the testimony, Mr.
Martin showed that prior to Mr.
Focht taking the position of engineer
for the State Board of Assessors, he
was, according to his own testimony
for fifteen years division engineer OF
the Lehigh Valley Railroad.
Points to Testimony.
"In view of that testimony, which
is sworn to- said Mr.. Martin, at Is
perhaps needless for me to say that
Mr.. Focht would certainly not do
anything that would be to the dis
advantage of the Lehigh Valley Rail
road"
Here Assemblyman Wolverton put
in that he was in favor of the aban-
donment of the canal. But what he
wanted was that it should be done
honorably and in justice to the State
Assemblyman Crosby took the posi-
ton that the discussion of the bills
which were only presented for second
7,ps n diF1rr 10
He made motion, but afterwart
withdrew it, that the amendment bt
put to a vote.
After more discussion, during which
Speaker Godfrey was made the but
/ of questions from the Democratic sid,
of the House, the amendment was
finally put and lost, several of the
Republicans voting with the Demo.
Gratis.
Mr.. Martin offered as a substitute
House bill 419, which he himself hat
introduced early in the session. Il
was unchanged, and for that reason
the speaker refused to admit 1t. In 6
jiffy Assemblyman Martin had an.
other copy of the bill on the speakers
desk. This had been changed ir
many essentials. When the speaker
announced he would accept it Mi
nority Leader Martin asked that Il
be given the saline latitude In discus
sion as was the Wolverton amend
ment. This was granted The mem
bers then sat back, preparing for {
session that would very likely go fal
into the night.
Mr. Martin started the discussion
by telling the Republican members
he knew they wouldn't pass tn,
measure because he knew they didn'
dare. 1t would give the Democrat,
the best campaign material they hat
had in years, he asserted, and thu
! Republicans wouldn't get a singl,
Democratic vote. He pointed hi!
finger at several of the members o.
the Essex delegation and said HI
was surprised that men of their cal
! ibre would come to Trenton and for
get they were working in the. interes
of the State. They were getting wha
they wanted, he said, but they wer'
unwilling to give Hudson County an!
| consideration
The Martin substitute was votet
Il - fy.ia orfxy gte