Perth Amboy evening news., 1921-01-04
GOVERNOR GIVES REASONS
FOR CALLING n. J. SENATE

(Cohtiuued from page -
citions will take Office discredited
from the start.
Such action would be interpreted
by the public as taken in the inter-
est Of the Public Service Corpora
tion of New Jersey. and would be
proof that the Republican party Of
New Jersey is in the control of that
powerful financial organization.
This will mean that the whole
subject viii become involved in the
next falls campaign and sue
ceeding campaigns until cm-
mission is finally established which
has the public confidence. and
which is freed from the suspicion
that powerful financial interests op-
Grating through politicians in the
legislature have secured the ap-
pointment of their representatives
to these important positions.
In view of the fact that my pre-
decessor In the governorship. Gov
ernors Wilson. Fielder Edge and
Runyon, both Dem JcEats and Re-
publicars. have possessed this pow
er of appointment by the unani-
nous consent of the legislature. the
withdrawal now by a Republican
legislature from "A Democratic gov
ernor of this power of appointment,
would be such an exhibition of par
tisan politics. that / cannot for a
moment believe it will be seriously
contemplated by the legislature.
The only public reason which
could be advanced for such action
would be that / as governor could
not be trusted to make proper ap-
pointments. but the conclusive an
swer is that the senate now has the
power to prevent the confirmation
of any of my appointees whom 1t
considers to be untitled for the Office.
/ was elected governor of New
Jersey by the people and in accord
ance with our system of government
it follows that the people of New
Jersey expect me to exercise the
powers vested in the Office at the
time / became governor. To take
from me this power would therefore
be equivalent to thwarting the will of
the people as expressed in the last
gubernatorial election.
l believe. therefore, that the men,
bers of the senate who voted to de-
fer action have not sufficiently taken
into account these very powerful con-
siderations, and that upon reflection
they will see that the public interest
demands that this interregnum, and
the paralysis of this important
branch of the state government, shall
be promptly brought to an end. and
that the orderly course of procedure
laid down by law should be carried
out.
have submitted to the senate five
nominations as successors to the
ousted commissioners. / have en-
deavored to select men who have the
public confidence and who could he
trusted to deal justly with the pub
lie and with the great corporate in
terests which are involved in their
action. The law requires that the
commission should be non-partisan.
and / have therefore nominated
three commissioners from one polit-
ical party and two from the other.
l have exercised my best judgment
in making these appointments. The
law, however. makes the senate a
coordinate. power with me in the Sc
lection of these officials. If the SEN
ate in the exercise of its power of
confirmation is of the opinion that
any or alifof these men are not
proper appointments to these Offices.
it is their privilege and it is their
duty to reject them. 1t will then be-
come my duty - select other names,
and to continue this process until by
the performance of our respective
functions we shall together be able
to agree upon these appointments.
l therefore believe that my ap-
pointments to this commission
should be promptly acted upon by
the senate without reference to par
tisan considerations. and solely with
the desire on their part and on mine
to secure promptly new commits
sion of men who have the public con-
fidence. and who can be trusted to
deal justly with public and private
rights.
/ therefore have called the senate
in special session and shall urge
upon them that they take action
upon these nominations at once and
that they remain in session until a
new commission as been duly ap-
pointed.