Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1917-01-19
Especial Correspondence

Sell Government Independents III
Senate May Pub This Issue.
Especial Correspondence
Trenton, N. J., Jan. 17.-With the in
auguration of Walter E.. Edge as gov
ernor yesterday the formal ceremonies
previous to the opening of the legisla-
ture were completed. The lawmaking
body will actively get under way with
its business Monday night. The en-
trance of Governor Edge to the execu-
tive office marks the complete return
of the state to the Republican ranks
for the first time in six years. Presi-
dent Wilson, who was elected execu-
tive in 1911, broke the succession OF
Republican governors who had ruled
over the state for fifteen continuous
years.
Exercises for the formal induction of
Mr.. Edge were held in Taylor Opera
House. The members of the senate and
house were assembled in joint session
on the stage, and the boxes and body
of the auditorium were filled with the
friends. of the new executive. In n of
the boxes was he governors son, Wal
ter e. Edge, Jr., sixteen years old. He
sat on the knee of his grandfather,
William e. Edge. Because of the linn
tied space in the theater several thou
sand who sought admission were dis
appointed in not being able to get into
the building. The invocation was Of
fered by the Rev. Charles Martin
Miles, rector of the Protestant Episco-
pal Church of the Ascension in Attain
tic City. The new governor is u men,
Der of his congregation at the shore re-
sort. Secretary of State Thomas T..
Martin read the certificate of election,
which carried streamers of the states
.colors, buff and blue, adopted from the
color of the Continental uniforms.
Chief Justice William S. Gummere adj
ministered the oath of office, n Gov
ernor Fielder transferred to his sue
cessor the great seal of state. The
Bible that was used was presented to
Governor Edge by his late wife at the
time of his swearing in as acting gov
ernor in 1915.
The governor was then introduced to
George w. f. Gaunt, president of the
senate, and by him to the members OF
the senate and general assembly.
ernor Edge then delivered his inaugu-
raj address.
One of the features of the observance
was the civic parade composed OF Re-
publicans from different parts of the
state. The heavy snowstorm Monday
prevented the attendance Of a large
..z I,,H - &C. nctin1ofod that fhprQ
were 10000 men in line. After the
ceremony in the theater Governor
Edge took dinner at the executive man
sion on West State street and then re
turned to the stand in front OF the
capitol to review the parade. After
the marchers had passed he held a pub
lie reception in the executive offices
from 3 to 5 o'clock, and several thou
sand persons assembled to grasp his
hand. He was assisted in receiving by
his staff. The corridors and offices
were transformed into bowers of ex-
IRENE beauty by the adornments of the
state colors, American flags, southern
simlax and laurel. John A. Smith, Gus
todian of the building, had the front of
the structure bedecked with the nation
al colors and the result was most eff.
fective.
Enough expressions of opinion have
already been heard to show that the
governor will face opposition in put
ting through administration measures.
This will be true particularly, it now
seems certain, on the proposition for a
state vida toy for q hiOhVVaU cVStnm
and that for a graduated scale In in
creasing the franchise assessment on
utility corporations.
The Republicans have fourteen votes
In the senate, and eleven of these will
be required to pass each bill unless
Democrats should aid on some of the
measures. Senator Edmund B. Os-
borne of Essex and Senator James
Hammond of Mercer, it is now an
nounced, will fight the franchise
scheme. Senator Carlton b. Pierce of
Union is expected to join with them.
They maintain hat the increase in
the franchise tax from 2 to 5 per cent
should be made at once instead of haV-
ing a sliding scale for three years.
They argue that this proposition was
placed before the people in the cam
paign n that it is carried in the plat
form of the party. To go only halfway
now, they aver, would be a subterfuge.
If another senator should join with
them they would be able to. demand
that the whole advance be placed at
once.
Utility Companies to Fight.
1t was on the resolution of Senator
Osborne that the utility question was
taken up in the party convention, and
he made a campaign on it. 1t has been
estimated that the state will profit by
more than 81, 100000 a year through
the change. Advocates of the scheme
for the gradual increase hold that any
other would be ruinous for the smaller