Perth Amboy evening news., 1922-10-04

" GILL III III ltAS
senate and general assembly are
pledged:
Broken Promises
The Republicans promised the ma
ton prosperity; they have given 1T
adversely with all too great a flavor
of poverty.
They promised to reduce taxes;
lakes have been shifted, not lifted
the rich nan pays less the Door man
pays more.
They promised to stimulate agri-
culture; the farmer today is mort
= gaging his next years crops in order
8 make both ends nearly meet.
The Republicans promised to re-
I've business and industry; they
brought IN an industrial panic.
They promised employment to la
Dor. at good wages; there have been
as many as six million idle men at
n time since the Harding admin
istration yer into office.
They promised to reduce the cost
of living; they have not reduced
the cost of living in proportion TO
the reduction of wages and certainly
not in proportion to the ability to
earn q livelihood.
With an overwhelming majority in
both houses of congress, and a Re-
publican in the White House as
president. the Republican party has
foundered for two years without
purposeful leadership, without intel
Hgent program and without appreci-
able achievement.
In the record OF the Republican
party during the past three years,
there is no legislative accomplish
ment. 1t Is characterized by gross in
competence and a willful refusal to
cooperate with the executive in the
yolution of problems of government
Contrast the. first seventeen months
OF the Wilson administration. of
1913-1914, with the first seventeen
months of the Harding administra-
ton. 1~921-1922.
The record Of constructive and
progressive legislation in the first
seventeen months of the Democratic
administration of Woodrow Wilson,
ard its immediate reflection of better
times after the panic of the Taft adj
ministratfon, Is without a parallel in
the achievements in the entire his
tory of the country.
Before the end of its first year it
had won the approval of the peo-
Bile and press of the country; the
4 business men, the farmers, work.
ingmen and wage of all
classes gave commentator that
came from hearts ingratiated by re-
turned prosperity.
The Wilson administration full
filed all it's main promises, and in
a systematic and businesslike man
ner continued and completed the
greatest legislative program ever en-
acted for the benefit of all the peo-
pie.
The record Of the first seventeen
months Of the Harding administra-
ton is a record of legislative tragedy
accompanied by almost unparalleled
executive failure.
Before the end of the first year,
both the legislative and executive
branches were helpless rather than
helpful in their attitude, one toward
the ether. and useless. rather than
usefuI4 in their efforts to aid the
country.
Before the end of the first regular
session of congress. those elected to
Office in the great popular wave
which resulted from the irresistible
but u~nwarranted clamor for mere
change, in 1920, had been engulfed
in condemnation. not from the DEM
ocratic party. but from the people as
a whole, Republicans, independents
and Democrats alike.
Republican Legislature
The record Of the Republican
legislature for the last three years
stands in marked contrast with the
record of Governor Edwards. While
the administration of the COVER
nor was dominated by the single
purpose to promote the welfare,
happiness and contentment If the
\people, and was characterized by
courageous, patriotic and construc-
tive eeffort, the legislative record of
this Republican party convicts it of
4 base sacrifice of the interests of
the people to partisan greed.
The Republican party unblush-
ingly returned to the sports system
in usurping the prerogatives Of the
executive TO exercise the appointing
power In filling high public offices.
There was defiance of the popular
mandate held by the governor to
make appointments to office, not
from worthy motives, but only to
secure a petty partisan advantage.
Coercion was exerted upon the
governor in many instances by
withholding the consent of the Re-
publican senate, to bring about ap-
pointments desired by Republican
senators, while In Gloucester county
CT ' vi Ia
made by the governor to the COM
mon pleas judgeship and prosecu-
torship was arbitrarily refused, in
the hope that the executive chosen
in the ensuing election would be in
political sympathy with the plans of
those who desire to use these offices
for partisan purposes. In Cape May
county, confirmation of the COVER
nor's appointment to the .prosecu-
torship was also withheld from the
same motive.
We condemn the injection of par
tisan politics into these judicial and
quasi-judicial offices. The admins
tration Of Governor Edwards is
noteworthy for his vigorous refusal
to permit partisan considerations to
enter in making judicial appoint
ments. If reprehensible practices
followed by the Republican major
5fy In the legislature continue. 1t
: win ultimately destroy the conf
dence of the people in our courts.
and will put the administration of
justice In disrepute.
We also condemn the passage of
the full crew law repeater by the
Republican legislature over the
governors veto. The safety and se-
curity Of railroad passengers and
trainmen was thus sacrificed to
economy in the operation of the
Public Utilities
Prior to the enactment of the
public utility law it was generally
accepted in this state that the fran
chfse contracts obtained by street
railways bound those companies to
charge no more for fare than <te