Perth Amboy evening news., 1918-08-01
EDGE DECLARES
FOR OPEN MIND
Man Must Enter Senate That
Way Because of ReconstruC-
ton and Critical Period.
PLATFORM is ANNOUNCED
FaVorS Federal Cooperation,
Suffrage, Immediate Amerl--
canization, and Budget Laws
pu special oorrespondent.


TRENTON. Aug. 1-''Thick-skinned
conservatism should be guarded
against no less than wild-eyed Boil
shevism; personal or party prejudices
should be subordinated to public veal;
private theories or pride of author
ship, to practical facts and condi-
TONS"
The foregoing is an excerpt from
the platform of Governor Edge, which
was announced today, in his candidacy
for United States senator. One of the
most important declarations of the ex-
ecutive Is that he believes a man
should go to the United States senate
with an open mind, because the criti-
cal periods of war and reconstruction
are times of great transitions, requir-
ing individual initiative. The governor,
in announcing his platform, asks the
public to give 1t frank consideration.
Among the things the governor de
clares for are the following: unity in
war making; development of our new
merchant marine; establishment of a
national budget system; plans for the
future welfare OF the nations defend
ers; universal military training; devel-
opments of ports, waterways and
transportation; proper system of taxa
ton to meet the tremendous expenses
of these critical times; the granting Of
woman suffrage; federal road sys-
tenn; immediate Americanizing of for
eigners upon their arrival in the Unit
ed States.
In a personal word at the conclusion
Of the planks In his platform, the ex-
ecutive declares that there are emil
nent precedents for a governors cand-
idacy for United States senator, but he
prefers to justify the situation by an
appeal to common sense and the
A A.
by depending upon precedents.
After stating that there can be no
criticism of personal ambitions 20
serve New Jersey and the nation in the
United States senate, the executive de-
clares:
"A governor fakes no unfair ad-
vantage over any other candidate
can take no advantage at all unless
his administration OF public affairs rs
governor has been successful and sat
isfactory. Otherwise, the fact of his
governorship would be a political liza
bility rather than an asset. He is al
ready public servant, and as such
must stand or fall on his record, not
on promises. / am content to abide
by the judgment of the electorate re-
specting the merit of such criticism" !"
The governors remark about going
to the senate with an open mind has
Of public ownership. On this ques-
tion he says:
II realize that the views I have
taken respecting all of the subjects
treated in the platform will not, Of
course, meet with the approval of
every citizen. 1t would be presump-
tuous 10 expect such unanimity OF
opinion in this day when the prob
lens are of such perplexing charac-
Eeached no final conclusion for the
reason that 1 realize the necessity Of
maintaining an open mind in order
that the period of wonderful expert
ence through which we are passing
may be used as a guide. For any
man to stand up today and arbitrari-
ly decide the future of such problems.
for instance, as government railroad
ownership, or permanent taxation
policies, is to prove that he is utterly
incompetent TO assume the RESPONSE
bilities OF business government in re-
construction times. Treatment given
such matters under stress OF war
necessity might be wholly Impractical
in times of peace and probably would
be.
1T feel justified" continued the ex-
ecutive, "in asking the public to COM
pare this platform and its treatment
OF vital national problems with the
destructive appeal TO prejudice and
empty resort to demagoguery or per-
sonal criticism on the part of those
who imagine the people will be pa
tient with an effort to confuse state
utility regulations. important as they
are locally, with the far-reaching
problems now before the nation,
when hundreds of thousands OF our
bows are in mortal combat and gov
ernments are trembling In the ball
ance."
Accompanying the announcement
Of the governors candidacy today
was a pamphlet, entitled Governor
Edges Record of Promises and Per-
formances," which reviews his plat
form for governor and his work In
endeavoring to carry II out. Among
the promises fulfilled are enumerated
the following:
Improved roads, home rule. busi-
nesslike government. tax equalization
Industrial and economic reforms IN
stitutional reform, election law re,
form, and capitalization OF natural
resources.