Perth Amboy evening news., 1921-03-16
GOVERNOR ATTACKS SENATE
ON UTILITY BOARD ISSUE
Continued from page ~

tby Evening NEWS COrTeSpOnuenl.I
TRENTON. March 16:-Governor
Edwards is today confronted with
the problem of finding two Demo-
Gratis who will satisfy the Republic
can senate majority for the vacan-
cies on the new Public Utility Com
mission. The state today has one
member of the board, picked in the
person of former Mayor Harry
Bacharach who was confirmed by
the senate in executive session yes
terday afternoon by a vote of eleven
to three. 1t was only the strong in
dorsement and backing of Senator
Charles d. White of Atlantic coun-
ty. a colleague of Bacharach on the
Atlantic City Board of Commission
ers, that was responsible for his
being approved. While he is a Re-
publican. it is known that a number
of the members of the majority vot-
ed to confirm Bacharach with re-
luctance and that they did so more
out of courtesy to White than any
thing else. Three senators of the
majority, namely Runyon of Union.
Parry of Essex and Bright of Cape
May, cast the negative votes against
Bacharach and in fact voted to turn
down all three of the governors
nominees, their position being that
none of them measured UP to the
job
This was the reason for the re-
lection of Messrs. Hamill and Hoff
by the Republican majority. accord
ing to Senate Leader MacKay. AS
to its action in confirming the At
lantic City nominee MacKay said:
"Bacharach, from the statements
made by Senator White. is a man
of very high standing. He has been
commissioner of Atlantic City. may
or of Atlantic City, postmaster of
Atlantic City and is very highly
thought of in that community as
well as in the entire county of At
lantic. We are perfectly willing to
confirm any good high class men
hat the governor dominates"
1t is known that Governor Ed
wards attempted yesterday to with
draw the three names he had sent
to the senate when the news leaked
out of the Republican caucus that
the majority had decided to reject
the two Democratic names, Hamill
and Hoff, and might possibly con-
firm Bacharach. However, the move
to Withdrew them was not made
fast enough and the senate Repub-
leans out-manuvered the governor
by keeping the names before them
and confirming the Republican. If
the stories that the governor hoped
by the Bacharach nomination to win
support for Hamill> and Hoff have
any foundation, then it is apparent
that the administration has either
been ''doublecrossed" or out-manu-
vered in the matter, as Bacharach is
in Office while the other two are out.
A statement is expected from MI.
Edwards today with to the
action of the senate and there Is
talk that he may resubmit the two
rejected nominations. Under the
constitution he has this authority
while the senate is still in session,
but the question arises will the ma
jority reverse its position and con-
firm them. The Democrats voted
solidly for Hamill and Hoff, making
a total of five to confirm. There
were seven Republicans votes to re-
ject Hamills name and nine against
Hof.
When asked for a statement as to
his action in voting against all three
nominations Senator Runyon said:
IT had hoped the governor and
the senators would get together and
select a board which would be of
the highest class and far removed
from p~artisanship by the choosing
of men nom of whom would be
known as politicians.
81 mea no reflection on Mr..
Bacharach or the other gentlemen
who were nominated, but the thing
smacks very largely of politics. I
think we should make way for big
appointments to this board and that
is why l voted as l did"