Perth Amboy evening news., 1920-04-02

&2-
POLITICS.

II is a fine brand of peanut politics
that he Republicans are displaying
I'm the legislature at Trenton this year.
The climax IS reached in the Juggling
of tho office OF commissioner OF motor
vehicles so as to take the appointment
for that Office out of the control OF
the governor and give it TO the state
comptroller. The sole excuse for do
ing this is the fact that the governor
is a Democrat while the comptroller
is none other than the Republican
party's already discreditcd candidate
for governor last fall, Newton A. Il.
Bugbee.
Such tactics as this are petty in he
extreme. No wonder such Republi-
cans as Senators Runyon. Bright and
whitney Joined the Democrats in OPP
position.
h efort to unseat the present
commissioner OF motor vehicles
William l.. Dill Is particularly un-
fortunate. Mr.. Dill has one of the
finest records of any state official. He
has succeeded in winning he disfavor
Of some prominent politicians because
he has refused to show favoritlsm in
handling cases of motor aw viola
lions that have come before him.
Political pull" has not amounted to
much when friends of the politicians
have got into trouble. hence the
unpopularity Of Commissioner Dill
among certain leaders. And now the
Republican majority I'm the legislature
is being used In an effort to get him.
This small business added to the
puerile effort on the part of the Re-
publicans to deprive the governor of
his prerogatives merely because he
happens to be of a different political
faith, is not contributing anything to
the prestige Of the G. o. T..
The bill that would transfer the
motor vehicles commissioner from the
Office OF the secretary of state. which
Is Il governors appointment, to the
Office of the state comptroller. who Is
chosen by the legislature. is now pend
ing In the House. 1t has passed both
houses of tho legislature once and was
vetoed by the governor. The senate
has just passed It again over the gov
ernor's veto and the House Will have
n I'D for the second time when 1t
~oonvenes Monday.
Still another slap al the governor
Is the bill introduced by Senator
White, OF Atlantic county, which
would keep In office tho two members
Of tho State Highway Commission
whose terms are about to expire. These
appointments are in the hands OF the
governor and should remain ther
oven though ono cannot approve OF
Governor Edwards's attitude towar6
the State Highway Commission.
ct have no personal interest in these
matters. nor am I concerned by any
petty party consideration" said the
governor in his message accompanying
his veto OF the bill transferring thu
commissioner of motor vehicles to the
comptroller's Office" but I know
that I was elected by the people o.
this state: 1 know that this bill at
tempts to shear from me powers dele
gated to me by the people OF the state
and I return 1t without my approva
because I regard it as the boldest. mos
i~ndefensible and i~nexcusable piece o
partisan legislation. I can see n
efficiency or economy in removing a
admittedly encial official"
In this stand the governor Is alb
solutely right. 1t must be humiliatini
to decent. honest Republicans to hav
their party pursue such a narrow
petty course in the state legislature.