Palisadian. [volume] (Cliffside Park, N.J.) 1906-current, 1916-04-01
Big Ovation To
Blakeslee And
Egan In Newark

M. Egan and George E. Blakeslee, of
Jersey City, received a great ovation
at the annual dinner of the Automo-
bile Trades Association of New Jer-
sey held in the Hotel Washington,
this city on Saturday evening. Over
four hundred members were present,
the largest gathering the association
ever had at function of this kind.
Senator Egan was late in arriving
and as he was ushered to the speak
ers' table by Blakeslee, he was cheer
ed to the echo, and shouts of "Good
Roads Egan" could be heard from all
sides.
The automobiles were assured
by not only Egan but his two Repub-
lican Senatorial colleagues, Messrs.
Edge and Colgate, as well, that the
Egan "Good Roads" bill will surly
pass tomorrow night. The fight for
the road bill brought out the big
gathering 1t was sort of a cele-
bration after winning big fight.
When Senator Egan was called
upon to speak it was over five min
utes before he could utter sound
The guests stood up and waved nap
kins, menu cards and stalks of celery
and yelled themselves hoarse. Finally
quiet was restored and Egan started
his speech. He paid high tribute to
Senators Colgate and Edge, but dur
ing the course of his remarks fayed
Senator Gaunt, of Gloucester county,
numerically, and stated that it was
Gaunt who tried to hold up the road
measure and hindered its progress in
every way possible.
Senators Colgate and Edge have
worked with me faithfully and if it
were not for them this bill of mine
would be slowed away in desk
drawer at the State House.
"And who is to blame for all the
trouble and the big fight that we had
to bring it before the Upper and
Lower Houses? Nobody but Senator
Gaunt. He is the man who has tried
in every way possible to defeat the
deep thinking man in this State
wants. He is against the bill, not be-
cause he does not think it is a good
measure, but because he had some
bills that we did not think were so
good and did not pass upon them.
Despite all the fight that Gaunt will
bring to bear on Tuesday night, how
ever, and what he has already tried
to do to defeat the bill we will pass
it and Governor Fielder will sign it
not later later than Wednesday
afternoon.
George Blakeslee is the man who
is responsible for the introduction of
this measure. He has solved the road
problem and has shown us the light
in financing the scheme. He has spent
his own money and time fighting for
you and all the motorists of the
State"
Senator Colgate was the next
speaker and he too praised the Sena-
tor from Hudson.
"You men have taken great inter-
est in the Legislature and have
helped us find out just what kind of
legislation you wanted" said Senator
Colgate. "I also had road bill, but
when l saw the measure that my
good friend Egan had, merely
tossed mine in the basket and went
out for his bill tooth and nail, and
success has been ours"
Senator Edge, in his remarks,
stated that the only way to find out
whether the voters of the State want
ed good roads or not was to let them
vote on the proposition, and that was
the main reason that he favored the
Egan bill.
1--WE need good roads in New Jer-
sey," said Edge, "and this is the
only way that we can get them. We
want outsiders to know our State; to
come into it and stay with us awhile;
to spend their money with us and the
only way to accomplish this is to fur
nish them with good roads so that
they may enter our domain with ease
and comfort"
George Blakeslee was next called
upon but refrained from talking on
his road bill. He said that to his
mind enough had been said on that
for the time being, but that in the
near future he would be heard In
various parts of the State talking
good roads and asking the voters to
bring New Jersey into the good
roads division.