Perth Amboy evening news., 1919-02-07
THE SCANDAL AT TRENTON

What apnears to be a clumsy attempt TO bring pressure to bear
on the Middlesex asscmbIymen to break the deadlock in the House by
voting for the Republican candidate for speaker, Mr.. Pierson, was
received by the EVENING NEWS yesterday in the shape OF a com
rnnication from a high Republican official at Trenton enclosing what
purports to be an argument to show that Middlesex last fall really
voted to sustain the present state Republican administration even
though a solid Democratic delegation was sent to the legislature. The
communication stated that we might dress the matter up and use it
in any way we see fit, but it was to be used merely as general Office
comment"
We are not going to do any dressing up - the argument is here
presented lust as it was received from Trenton. While it is not used
as general office comment, 1t VIII b the SUBJECT IL nm iiefo
is the argument:
I'm further demonstrating how ridiculous is the Demo
cratic assembymen argument that the administration has
been repudiated by the people and thus they should therefore
have a democratic Speakers the fact that one of the argu-
ments used by Mr.. Barrett in this connection is that they car
rid Essex and Middlesex which had Republican assemblymen
the year before. This is true, but Governor Edge naturally
representing the administration, last year carried Middlesex
county when Middlesex county att the same time elected Dem
ocratc a~sscmblymen. This positively proves that the elee-
ton of Democratic assemblymen there was a local issue rather
than a statewide administration issue. Furthermore, if the
Middlesex assemblymen wished to truly represent their
county and Mr.. Barrett bases his claim for a Democratic
speaker OIL the reputation of the state administration, the
assemblymen from Middlesex are in every way justified in
voting for a Republican, following the verdict of their own
citizens, who by casting a majority of their votes for Govern.
or Edge last year, endorsed his administration of state at
fairs
Besides this choice bit of propaganda there was enclosed with the
communication a copy of Assemblyman kenam 5 speech Monday nght
when he Indignantly rejected the offer Of the Democrats TO END inc
deadlock over the speakership by drawing lots. -.
The EVENING NEWS resents the apparent effort to use this
newspaper Is a medium to drive the Middlesex aSSemblymen into
playing the Republican leaders game. We have too high an opinion
of the Middlesex assembymen TO even suggest such a thing.
The Republicans are certainly making an awful mess of tins afal
in heir desperate effort to gain control. Early in the session ASSEM-
blvman Moore resorted to personalities and insuled every voter II
Middlesex county. Governor Edge, by summonmg Democratic ac
sembymcn from rural counties and trying to bring pressure to heal
on them is only additional insult to injury, and now comes this efor
10 influence the people back home by having published IN the loea
press Office comment prepared in Trenton.
The EVENING NEWS is willing TO grant that the personal Gle
ment had a great deal to do with the election of the Democratic as
scmbymen in Middlesex. Seldom has a more capable or cleaner tr
been nominated by any party than the three men who ran for tn
assembly on the Democratic ticket in this county last fall and II L
a credit TO the voters that they were capable of showing such keei
discrimination in eleeting these men.
There is only one solution for ending the assembly deadlock nov
and that is by drawing lots, as has been suggested by the Democrats
There is no disgrace in this method. In fact, it is the only method li
In which there would be no disgrace. As long as the Republicans re
fuse to accept this method they must bear the responsibility of holdn
Up the legislature.