The Penn's Grove record., 1920-07-23

Dul Since TIE leSlSidluTe IL SlH III StS-
sion the new appointees have no stand
ing in law until they have been con- a..
frmed by tho senate. On the other
hand, having been commissioned by the '
governor, they have a de facte stand 4
ing and are capable of functioning as j..
such. What powers the new commits
sion may exercise as a de facto body
the attorney general declines to speci-
fly, but he significantly remarks that,
While the de facto officials are permit
ted on account Of public necessity to
perform certain acts, they "are respon-
sible personally for the abuse of the
power used or the negligent exercise
thereof"
The de facto commission at Its first
meeting elected a new state highway
engineer, reelected the present secre-
tary and dismissed the departments
consulting engineer. Since then it has
been playing a waiting game, probably
due to uncertainty as to its legality,
and has transacted no business. In
view of the attorney generals opinion
this is the course of prudence. There
will be no further meetings of the CON-
mission until July %, the day following
the special session of the senate called
by the governor to confirm his nominal
tions.
There seems to be a prevalent belief
that the senate will refuse to confirm
the appointments. 1t is to be hoped,
for the sake of road Improvement and
that there may be no interruption in
the program for constructing a com
prehensive system of state highways,
that other counsels may prevail. The
governors summary action in dismiss
sing the members of the old board fails
to justify disruption of the road de-
partment and the delay for months of
further road construction, which would
be the probable outcome of a refusal
by the senate to confirm the governors
nominees. Even those who most bit
terlS condemn the governors action
admit the fitness of the men whom he
has named to replace the dismissed
commissioners. The public is not much
Interested in the s%quabbles of politi-
clans, but is interested in good roads
and in seeing that the states ambitious
program is carried out at the earliest
possible moment. Whether the mem
bers of the Highway Commission are
Republicans or Democrats. whether
they are the governors friends or his
enemies, are matters of Indifference to
the people so long as they build the
roads.
Presidential Electors.
Now that the county boards of cleo.
+;Nn have hoan nonnod-thnruh fhn GOV
ernor for some unexplained reason has
refused to make public the choices Of
the state chairmen-the next important
political move will be the nomination
of presidential electors by the various
parties. A political party Is defined by
the new election law to be "a party
which, at the election for members of
the general assembly next preceding
the holding OF any primary election
held pursuant to this act, polled for
members of the general assembly at
least TO per centum Of the total vote
cast in the state"
The presidential electors will be
nominated at the state conventions to
be held In Trenton on October 5. No
member of the United States senate,
house of representatives, the state sen.
ate or general assembly nor any coun-
ty clerk, register, surrogate, sheriff or
coroner is eligible as a presidential
~elector. A candidate must be "a male
citizen Of the United States Of the ase
of twenty-five years or upwards and
an inhabitant of this state and shall
have been a citizen of the United
o. A@- -4,aa rnvt .rnnn1tnn ", nh
election"
1t is important that the conventions
observe this requirement, also the pro-
hibitien against electing as an elector
any person "whe shall hold any office
Of trust or profit under the United
States" The new election law as re-
vised by the 1920 legislature covers
nearly $50 pages, with which the cOun-
ty and district boards must become ia
miliar..
Amboy Bridge to Be Closed.
The actual closing of the bridge be-
tween Perth and South Amboy de-
ponds upon the action of the State
House Committee in approving the re-
quest of the State Highway Commits
sion.
The bridge will not be closed to
traffic for a while as was first sup
posed. Arrangements had beer made
to take care of the traffic which was
to be diverted through New Brunswick
from Perth and South Amboy.
The State House Committee, because
of the absence of Governor Edwards
and State Controller Bugbee, did not
meet, but will convene at Trenton in
the neal future, at which time, de-
clares Edward Reed, the assistant state
highway engineer, permission will be
requested to go ahead with the work
of repairing the bridge without adver-
Using for bids. The cost, he estimates,
will be about $4,000.
Date Not Yet Certain.