The Monmouth inquirer. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1865-1933, 1923-08-16
SEES REPEAL OF
MATHIS MEASURE
Governor Silzer Confident 1924
Legislature viii Change Open
Specifications Bill.
SAYS POTTS is INDICATED
Testimony Of Author Of Charges Re-
flutes Accusations, DR.. Price Writes
Governor-Trenton Sewage
Plan Involved.

Trenton. = Governor Silzer is con
vinced that glaring defects in the Ma
this "open specifications act for high
way construction will result in the
legislators Of 1924 joining with him to
see enacted into law genuine com
petitive bidding statute for road con-
tracts.
The governors attention has been
called to recent article stating that
the Atlantic county Board of Free
holders had awarded a contract for
the paving of Absecon boulevard with
asphalt blocks. He was asked to COM
ment on the contract. He stated that
although all municipal extravaganza
had its reflection on the state and on
the communities in it, nevertheless
this was a matter that concerned only
the people of Atlantic county. If they
wanted to waste their money that way
1t was their right to do it.
The governor, however, was much
interested in what happened because
Of its bearing on the Mathis open
specifications" law When the COVER
nor vetoed this bill last winter he
pointed out that it would not prevent
closed specifications and referred spe-
officially to the possibilities of adopt
ing asphalt block as a method of evad-
ing the law.
Within few months after the pass
age of this law over his veto his opin-
ion as to the defects in the law had
been clearly corroborated. 1t is not
an open specifications law, but one
that permits closed specifications.
The governor said that he had no
idea that the demonstration would be
made SO quickly and thought that
those interested in these patent pave
ments would lie low for awhile. They
seem, however, willing to combine
with a board that will permit 1t, since
there is nothing in the law to prevent
this sort of thing. OF course where
state aid is desired no such thing can
be accomplished.
Governor Silzer feels sure that
those members of the legislature who
really thought the Mathis bill might
accomplish good purpose must now
be convinced that it does not and will
join in any effort he makes to secure
at the coming session law that will
truly be an open specifications law.
He repeated what he said in his veto
namely. that no law of any kind is
necessary when boards are looking
after the public interest. Laws are
needed only when local boards are not
interested in protecting the public, he
said
Health Head Praises Potts
Director Jacob C. Price Of the state
department of health forwarded to
Governor Silzer transcript of the
testimony taken at the recent hearing
upon the charges lodged with the gov
ernor against Mayor Clyde Potts of
Morristown and expressed the belief
that the testimony completely vindi-
Gated Mr.. Potts The charges were
made against Mr.. Potts as member
of the health board with respect to
the proposed sewage disposal plant
for this city, plans for which were re-
Gently rejected by the state board.
In a letter accompanying the report
DR.. Price referred particularly to the
retraction and disavowal made at the
hearing by H. Jerome Hirst, vice pres
ident of the Direct Oxidation Disposal
Corporation Of Philadelphia. Mr..
Hirst was the author of the charges,
which were referred by the governor
to the State Board of Health for such
official investigation or action IS it
deemed proper The board in turn
directed DR.. Price to conduct an in
quiry.
An effort was made to show that
Mr.. Hirst had intended to insinuate
that Mr.. Potts had demanded stock in
the company in return for his infiu-
ence with the board to approve the
contract. Mr.. Hirst denied when he
testified before DR.. Price that such an
inference was intended. Rather, he
said, that an effort by Mr.. Potts sew
eral years ago to secure stock indi-
Gated that at that time Mr.. Potts ia
vored the company's methods, while
he opposed them when the contract
came before the board. Mr.. Hirst
said he believed that opposition was
due to desire for revenge.
The day after the testimony was
taken Mr.. Potts said he had instructed
his counsel, John Milton of Jersey
City, to start suit for SANDER against
Mr. Hirst.
Calls Methods "sinIster"
Commenting upon the situation dis
closed by the Investigation, Mr.. Potts
made the following statement:
Last February when | denied the
charges made against me by H. Je-
rome Hirst to Governor Silzer stated
that it was only an effort to black
guard and blackmail the department
of health where the members would
approve the Trenton plans. In view
Of Hirst's retraction to the governor,
now think 1t will be apparent to
everyone that properly characterized
the charges made at that time. When
he withdrew his charge we lost an OPP
porfunfty OF exposing the sinister