Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1923-02-10
REPORT MOVE
To SPOIL PLANS
Rumors Current That House
Republicans Want to Wreck
Road Board Agreement
STARTING FRESH ROW?
Some Said to Approve, Gov
ernor's Being Ex-officio
Member of Board

TRENTON. Feb. 10. - Rumors
that someone is trying to wreck the
''gentlemen's agreement reached
here on Tuesday between Cover
nor Silzer and the Republican legis-
lative leaders on the highway COM
mission reorganization are afloat in
the corridors Of the state capitol. One
Of the bits of gossip heard is that
certain House Republicans may Kick
over the traces and refuse to abide
by the understanding for four man
commission named by the Governor.
Another story was to the effect that
House members may yet insist upon
having the new board named in the
bill passed by the legislature.
There are indications too that
somebody is trying to start a fresh
row between the administrative and
legislative branches of the govern
ment over the question whether the
governor shall be named ex-officio
as a member of the new commission.
Under the present act, creating this
board, the chief executive has this
81 .tus and may be called in at any
time to vote in case Of a tie between
the members, The same thing ap-
plies to such state boards as those
regulating the Department of Com
merce and Navigation, Conservation
and Development, and State Board
of Health.
With a highway commission OF
four men, two of each party, some
people profess to see situation
arising where the board would d.
vide sometime on political lines and
be deadlocked, thus necessitating
deciding vote from the governor.
The memory of newspapermen mere
fails to recall any instance during
the last decade where the executive
had to exercise his ex-ofhcio power,
over any boards with which he Is re-
lated in this way, to break stand
off situation where the members
were evenly divided. -
The question of changing the high
way act of 1917 to take this author
ity from Mr.. SilZer was not broacn-
ed to him at the time the Republican
legislative conference committee
called upon him last Tuesday eve
ming TO confer. Afterwards when
Senate Majority Leader Stevens was
interviewed he said he did not think
there was any intension of taking
this authority of the governors Of
6ce out of the law regulating the
highway department.
Since then somebody-whether
designedly or not-has raised the
question. Yesterday Frederick M. p.
Pearse, secretary to the governor,
was asked about the matter and said
that so far as he knew nothing was
said about ex-officio powers or
changes the night the G. 0. P. con-
terence committee called on the gov
srnor with the four-man commits
sion plan.
1t is not expected that those who
are sincerely trying to adjust the
road nuddle will allow qutbblfng on
questions of this kind to mar a sa-
tisfactory adjustment or break up
the agreement reached. 1t is un-
doubtedly true that sinister forces
in the background would like to
throw some kind of a wrench into
the machinery, but If really high
class set of men is provided for the
new road board-who will be free
from the pulling and hauling of sell
fish political interests-no splits on
partisan or similar lines will neces-
state the calling in of the governor
to vote.
Senator Stevens, upon behalf of
the Republican legislative majority.
in statement issued today explain
ed that the reason for the many con-
ferences and delays upon the part Of
the majority before agreeing with
the executive was due to the feeling
CT responsibility they felt which
made them move slowly and very
deliberately. Reviewing the situa-
ton which confronted the Republic
car lawmakers he declared all the
evils were the result of the work of
board appointed by a Democratic
governor.