Perth Amboy evening news., 1922-10-05
S|LzER HEARD
IN SOMERSET
Answers Runyon's Bossism
Issue by Pointing to Baird
and Johnson

oct. o-Speak-
ing here last night, Judge George
s. Silzer, Democratic candidate for
governor, came back strong at
Runyon's cry of bossism in the
Democratic party. by showing how
Baird in Camden county and john
son in Atlantic ounty, had produ-
ed conditions, which were freely
aired during the fight for nomina-
tions in the recent primary. The
Judge dwelt particularly on condi-
tions exposed with regard to dis
reputable cabarets, ETC., in Atlantic
county.
Saying that it is easy to make
promises, Judge Silzer called atten-
ton to the fact that in the six
years that he was state senator of
Middlesex county he kept the prom
ises he had made and wrote much
progressive legislation into the stat
ute laws of New Jersey.
Judge Silzers speech in part was
as follows:
1T is an old practice for a man
who has something stolen to run
down the street shouting stop
thief So we find that in New Jer-
sey for the last month some of Our
opponents desiring to distract atten-
ton from their hackers and sur
roundings have been shouting boss
ism/at the Democrats. There is no
doubt that MI. Baird and his well
trained politicians are still doing
business at the old stand in Camden
For years 1t has been charged. and
not denied, that there was padding
of the polling lists there and the
presence of ~repeaters from Phila-
delphia.
I'm Atlantic county. where john
son presides. two Republican can
didates for senator, have been en-
gagged in battle and each has been
talking frankly about the other.
AT Senator Whites meeting 1t
was stated that: Protected gambling
disreputable cabarets and resorts,
condoned liquor violation and every
of vice and immortality is
winked at by public officials, with the
appreciation of the organization
DR.. Harkins made the statement
that one colored leader collects trib-
ute from the colored houses and one
white leader from the white house.
He also said In cabarets on the
north side colored girls dance almost
naked, and scenes are enacted which
no mar can witness without a lush
of shame. That's the sort of thing
the organization here t%olerates."
Casper Stokes, another member
of the old Board of Guardians is still
as active as he ever was, SO is Ham
ilton Kean of Elizabeth.
Governor J.. Franklin Fort. wheE
he was the executive of our state,
roundly denounced this board Of
guardians" for their control of leg
islation and their protection of the
special interests. They show no sign
of reformation judging by the num-
Der of bills, including one prohibit
ing night work for women and an
other to control utility holding COM
pany bills, that were killed in the
legislature.
THE only way that Mr.. Runyon
can convince the people hat he is
sincere when he shouts boss is oy
standing up at the same time and
saying publicly that he repudiates
Baird, Stokes, Kean and Johnson
and all their works.
1T have already stated that I did
not seek this nomination. When a
man ardently seeks something he
usually has to give something in re-
turn, or to promise to give or do
something. Not having sought the
Office of governor, I had to make no
promises and will make non ex-
cept those I have publicly made. 1t
is only fair to say that no n ever
asked me to make any other prom
ises.
Il have no axes to grind, no ambi-
tions to crafty, and no special in
terest to serve. I, therefore, am free
to work for the best interests of the
people of the state.
Words are easy and candidates
usually use a lot of them, but wheth-
er my words are sincere or not may
be judged by my public record.
Whether I mean what l say and in
tend sincerely to carry out my pro-
misses. may be judged by what I did
when I was in the senate from 1907
to 1918. If ! was not my W boss
then, and If I did not act upon my
own initiative and thought and IN
the interests of the people, then I
shall probably not do it now. On
the contrary. If I was Independent
and progressive, did my own think
ing and my own acting, then it Is
fair to assume that I will do SO now
Governor Edwards, Democratic
candidate for United States senator
spoke at the same meeting. He
again defined his attitude on the
prohibition issue.