Perth Amboy evening news., 1920-07-15

eovERNoR,s REsPoNsIBILITv

1VfEfsNOftS hfSofONSlblLlIl
With the opinion of the attorney
general to sustain him. it looks as
IL Governor Edwards could do
about as he pleases with the STATE
Highway Commission. According
to the Interpretation of the law and
the constitution, the governor may
: dismiss the members of the COM
mission at viii and he may name
any set OF men he pleases to fill the
vacancies; should the senate refuse
to confirm the governors appoin-
tees they simply hold over as ad
interim appointees until such time
as the senate condescends to bow to
J the will Of the state executive.
Thus do we have as fine an ex-
ample Of peanut politics as was ever
perpetrated by a governor of this
state, using one Of the most i'm
portant state boards to carry out
his scheming.
As a matter of fact, the governor
has violated the confidence of the
senate in taking the action he did.
When the senate announced that it
would not adjourn sine die the
charge was at once made that the
move was intended to keep the
governor home from the Democra-
tic national convention where he
was TO have led the New Jersey
delegation. In order not to spoil
the governors trip assurances were
given him by senate leaders that
they would not while he
was away and that he could go to
San Francisco feeling that no adj
vantage would be taken of him.
The senators kept their word.
The governor. however. took adj
vantage Of the recess of the senate
to put across his little coup and he
Is. apparently, getting away with It.
1Y1g reasons for removing the state
highway commissioners were just
as effective when the senate was in
session as they were after the re-
cess had been taken. Likewise, If
the governor could endure the state
highway commission until after the
senate had recessed he certainly
could have endured the same men
for a few weeks more until the SEN
ate had reconvened. This did not
suit his purpose, however, and he
Played the game in the same man
ner that has made Hudson county
politics-the politics in which the
governor was bred-obnoxious to
the people of the whole state.
The State Highway Commission
ers who were so abruptly dismissed
by the governor served the state
faithfully and without remunera-
ton. The achievement in securing
from ~ federal government an
appropriation of $1,000, 900 toward
building the state highway bridge
over the Raritan river here was, In
itself. deserving of better treatment
than the commissioners received at
the hands of the governor.
The state is pretty thoroughly
convinced that personal spleen was
at the bottom of the governors &C
ton. The welfare Of the state was
given secondary consideration. Be-
cause Of the governors petty poll
tics the highway system of the state
has been disrupted. Old and ex-
perienced men. who had the matter
well in hand and who were render
ing excellent service. have been re-
moved and new and inexperienced
men have been put in their place.
It will take many months for these
new men to become familiar with
the work: in the meantime the state
highways will suffer. This. too, at
= time when the highways are in a
most d~eplorabie condition due to
the severe winter and when they
demand the best ability that a be
found.
Governor Edwards. by this dis
play Of the worst traits of Hudson
county politics. has assumed a great
responsibility. He certainly has not
grown any in public estimation.