Perth Amboy evening news., 1918-08-29
GOVERNOR TAXES
CRACK At RECORD
Makes Reply to the Govern
ment Ownership Agitation at
Port Au Peck Gathering

PORT-AU-PECK, Aug. 29:-In his
address today at the annual clam
bake Of the Monmouth County Res
lpublicans, held here, Governor Edge
took a crack at George L. Record and
went into q brief discussion of the
wisdom of government ownership.
one of the issues on which Record Is
running and upon which he has been
calling upon the executive to take q
stand. Although h governor did
not mention Mr.. Record by name, ID
was known he was referring to his
opponent for the Republican SENATOR
ial nomination when he spoke OF 'the
Individual who has an exalted opinion
of his own infallibility n would
steer the party by the course of gov
eminent ownership, yet in the experi-
mental stage, single tax, confscation
of property~and the like. eve IL he
drive it on the rocks" The governor
declared that such political doctrina-
ries constitute q menace. not only to
the Republican party, but ais to the
country in its great task of dealing
with the great problems to follow the
war.
State Chairman Bugbee was also in
attendance and addressed the Mon
mouth Republicans.
The executive reiterated his view
point that on great questions such as
1 kONCIll1lCAL OWACA01AAR 0AAO0AA
be maintained an open mind at this
time. On this question he said:
Again, a k our present experience
with governmental ownership of the
great public utilities. We see it stat
ed that the Republican party and the
party Candidates ought to take o
stand either for or against. Yet the
dictatorship for the first six months
of operation shows a deficit in oper-
atlne expenses of nearly three billion
dollars, Notwithstanding increases in
freight and passenger rates which
would have been regarded in times
of peace under private control as exc
tortionate. The next six months OF
government operation of these utili.
ties may show an Improvement, or tt
may show a further deficit. 1t does
not matter which is the case con-
corning governmental control OF
these utilities in wal times, for as q
war measure such control Is neceg-
sary and inevitable. But what is ad-
visable as a war measure may be In
advisable as a permanent economic
policy of the country. The deficits OF
troll are made up by the people In
taxes, and surely the people want to
profit by the experience OF govern
mental control in war times before
they form a definite opinion as to the
soundness OF governmental control or
ownership for all time.
A few years ago neither of the
leading political parties c-ountenanced
such proposals as governmental su-
pervision over the necessities of life,
such as food and fuel, but these
things have been forced upon the
country by the exigencies Of war, and
while 1t Is hardly likely that any leadA
ing political party will advocate 9
continuance of such supervision after
war to the exclusion of that individ-
ual initiative In business which is SO
necessary to the happiness and pros1
perity OF any free people. yet 1t must
be admitted that owing 10 the amazr
ing cha lges already brought about
by the war, and perhaps to be ag~
gravated by commercial and indus
trial complications following the war
lit Will be necessary to MAKE governs
ment a partner Of business life as
never before; and we have got to res
wise our old time party principles to
meet the new situation. A party, ike
an individual, never stands still; II ID
does not go forward 1t goes backward.
The kaiser, as party unto himself In
Germany, is q fair sample OF this
SNUG complaceny in politics; he ig-
nored advanced civilization and the
new circumstances which were alter
ing the viewpoints of men and ma
lions, and he conceived hat the world
would stand still for medieval bar
barism- without douting of the laws
and its disregard of.the human sense
of right and wrong He and his whole
military dynasty are going Backward
and the motion Is very rapid.