Perth Amboy evening news., 1919-02-13
@ix4E
BRIDGE BILL IN THE BALANCE

Middlesex county is about unanimous in the opinion that the state
sbopld # once take over the two bridges across the Raritan river, the
one between the Amboys and the one at New Brunswick, and maintain
them hereafter at state expense.
There IS no politics in this agitation. Middesex is represented in
lc state legislature this year by a Democratic delegation and 1t is at
tral that the Democrats should be taking a leading part But a nc
publican Board of Freehoders has been just as positive in its demands
t,at the state relieve the county of this unjust burden as the Democrats
have been.
The real sentiment of the county was expressed at the Republican
dinner in Woodbridge Tuesday night and again in this city last night
When the proposition of taking over the bridge by the state was men
toned the hearty applause that greeted The sentiment showed Tue ief
ings of the people.
Senator Browns bill requiring the state to take these bridges
over has been reported out of committee and advanced to third read
ing. It is likely to come up for final passage next Monday or TUESDAY
night. 1t is known that the state highway department is opposed to
the passage of the bill even though the department admits that the
state ought to take over the structures in question and that ninety
per cent. of the traffic over them originates and terminates outside
Middlesex comfy. But the state highway department has other plans
for The present and it wants Middesex togo Oh spending thousands OF
dollars of the taxpayers money to maintain these structures until
some indefinite date when the state highway department gets ready to
assume the responsibility that rightfuly belongs to it.
1t lis understood that Governor Edge, in spite of the fact that he is
on record, in a speech made in this city in 1917, as being in favor OF
state control of these bridges, is inclined to side with the state high
way department and favors delay.
Senator Brown has been asked to withdraw his bill ard, knowing
tic almost unanimous sentiment of the county he represents, regard
less of party, he refused to do so.
The Republicans are in control of the senate where the first test
vote win come. 1t would seem that it was up to the Republicans of
1NUuNS W pHg NucH piCSouiO " Ooi VII IhA I"'J
gain enough votes to pass it..
a defeat in the senate of this bill would put the responsibility OF
saddling thousands Of dollars Of expense for the further upkcep of
these bridges upon the taxpayers of Middesex squarely up to the Re
publican party and then for the first time politics would surely enter
into the matter.
AT present both Republicans and Democrats are N record as fa-
voring this movement. The Democrats have shown their sincerity by
Introducing n hf That will bring about the desired result. The Repub-
licans. who have been equally active in urging this matter, now have
an opportunity to show the taxpayers that they arc just as sincere as
the Democrats. The bill can never get through without Republican
xotds as the Republicans control the senate. Should the bill pass both
houses and then be vetoed by Governor Edge, the people would know
iasf where the responsibility lies and could act accordingly.
While the time is short, some arrangements ought to be made for
having a large Middlesex delegation down at Trenton when tins bill
comes up for final vote. The delegation should be a non partisan one;
it should be made up largely of representatives of civilian organiza-
lions and members of governing bodies of the respective munieipaE-
tics in the county.
tercsted. 1t means thousands OF dollars to every taxpayer in the
county. Every municipality and township is contributing to the sup
port of these bridges at the present time, although the expense falls
heaviest on Perth Amboy because this city not only maintains the ap-
proach, which actually is a part of the bridge on this side of the river,
but it also pays nearly one~third of the whole county tax.
Middesex is always debatable groung in politics; while the Dem
oerats have the state delegation, Governor Edge carried the county for
United States senator. Both parties need this county to win and Il is
hardly likely that either party would want to assume the responsible
the state admits is unjust, merely because the state highway commits
sion seems to think that the time has not yet arrived to relieve the
Miadlesex taxpayers of the burden.