The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1915-02-27
OPPOSES
MORRIS CANAL BILLS
Intimated That He Would Veto
Godfrey Measures Should
They Pass the Legislature

HHa -
Trenton, Feb. 26.-Governor Field
er added his mite this week to the
fund of misrepresentation the Demo-
cratic Party is using in its partisan
campaign to cloud the issue involved
in the Godfrey bills for the abandon
ment of the Morris Canal. The Gov
sent a message to the Leg1sla-
ture, worded in his usual weak, ram
bling and indefinite style, in which
there was one tangible statement-an
announcement that he would veto the
Godfrey bills in the event of their be-
ing passed by the Legislature.
After attempting to point out
faults in the Godfrey hills, but only
succeeding in fully demonstrating an
almost incomprehensible lack of
knowledge of the measures and their
intent, the Governor then modestly an
nounees that he has worked out the
Morris Canal abandonment problem
himself and suggests hisaplan of pro-
cedure. ~ The Governors plan is an
other of those remarkable Democrat
ic theories woven out of the same
material from which the national adj
Illustration has made it's theoretical
policies that have caused the present
business and manufacturing stagna-
tion of the country.
The alarming deficit in the State
treasury is the direct result of several
theoretical Democratic administra-
tons, therefore, it is hardly likely
that the people will find anything in
Governor Fielder's Morris Canal
abandonment theory worthy of serious
consideration. They will also view his
attack on the Godfrey bills, that have
been endorsed by the best informed
men in every county in the State, for
what it so plainly appears to be-par-
tisan politics of the peanut" brand.
1t is in order that the people should
ask of Governor Fielder why he has
kept his Canal abandonment plan
locked up within himself all these
years when his party has been thrug-
Cling so p~onderously and with such
i'll success to find the solution of the
vexing problem. If he had any faith
in his own theories, why did he not
have them worked out by his W
party during the recent years it has
been in power? There a be but
little doubt that the Governor is
aware of the worthlessness of his
abandonment plan; that he knows
there is not the slightest chance of
it's being accepted, and therefore, his
only purpose seems to be an attempt
to hold up the passage of the Cod
frey bills.
The Governor has also joined issue
with the press of his party with the
object in view of disappearing the
attitude of the Republican State Com
mittee relative to the Godfrey bills.
The State Committee has made no
suggestions to the members of the
Legislature as to what their action
should be. All statements contrary
to this are born of the timeworn
method of Misrepresentation which
has even been the chief weapon of
the Democratic Party.
Governor Fielder further says that
an attempt was to be made this week
to jam the Godfrey bills through.
When it is remembered that every
feature of the Godfrey bills has been
before the people of the State for
more than a year; that not one OF the
details of the bills has been arranged
in secret nor has any small detail OF
the bills been sprung on the legisla-
tors at the last moment, the Cover
nor's charge of "Jamming" would ap-
pear 10 ldIl IdIHeI lldC. VHdCCNCl
action is taken in connection with
these bills it can never be said that
such action was hasty.
The history of New Jersey shows
that whenever the people have hist
Party it has cost them dearly. 1t
might be well to read Governor Field
er's peevish outburst under the light
OF history.
Still another Democratic misrepre-
publican majority is opposed to civil
service. The Republican majority in
the Legislature and the Republican
Party in New Jersey is opposed to
such an administration of civil serv-
ice as is alleged to have been made
under Democratic direction the past
few years. 1t has been charged that
rank favoritism has been shown in
the awarding of positions by the civil
service department; that the spirit
and the letter of the law has been
ignored to the extent that merit has
had to step aside for influence and
"pull" on many occasions.
Assemblyman Hammond of Somer-
set County has introduced a resolu-
ton asking that a committee be APP
pointed to probe the civil service de-
partment. Fearing doubtless, what
such an investigation might reveal,
the Democratic leaders, ably seconded
by the press, has endeavored to create
the opinion throughout the State
that the Republican Party was OPP
posed to civil service.
Owing to the demand for printed
copies Of the amendments to the
economy and efficiency bills in order
that the changes might be carefully
considered before final action was
taken, these much discussed meas
ures did not come before the Senate
this week as was confidently expected
but according to majority leader Will
liam T.. Read they will be brought to
the Senate next week.
In recent years, the work of the
final weeks of legislative sessions has
been hampered and hindered by the
introduction of bills up to the very