Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1923-02-13

now point to the passage of the
four-rnan highway commission law.
without the clause giving the gov
ernor the power to serve ex-officio
in case Of a deadlock at any time,
between two Republican and two
Democratic members. Whether this
will be satisfactory to Governor Sill
ger remains to be seen, the execu-
tive, when interviewed, refused to
make plain his attitude.
The bill provides further, that the
governor may remove any of the
board for neglect of duty or miscon-
duct in office, but not until the ac-
cused commissioner has been given
a hearing and had an opportunity
TO make a defense. The salary is
liked at $500 year for each mem
ber of the board and the terms of
office arc reduced from five to four
years.
1t is to be further provided, that
the terms of all the staff of engi-
neers, and attaches, clerks and other
employees, shall end ninety days
after the passage of the act, unless
they are reappoirted by the new
board before that time. When re-
named, the employees shall be re-
tanned in their civil service, pension
and other rights When the old
commission had contracts of en-
ployment for longer terms than the
ninety days mentioned, they are to
be observed to the expiration of
such terms. These clauses are to
allow the new board to make such
readJustments as il shall deem
necessary among the staff of as
sistants
The House of assembly today
stood ready to pass the four-man, BIZ
partisan state highway commission,
following the action of the senate in
npassing the measure by vote of 15
-yo 0 at 12:45 this morning. Senator
Stevens. Republican floor leader
from Monmouth, spoke for the
measure in the upper house, OUT
lining the reason for the many, con-
ferences which the majority has had
on this project. He read the plat
form pledge of the last Republican
State Convention, to correct the evils
Of road building in this tie.
"This pledge was soIemnly made"
sal. Mr.. Stevens, land while we
were planning to carry it out, the
go. ernor jumped into the picture
and removed the old commission AID
making charges which, if true, are
a scandal to the state. That was a
Democratic board ppoint ID by a
Democratic governor. Now we pro-
pose a partisan board. We
were impressed with the governors
acti n and now believe we have solv-
ed tn situation with a re, bi-parti-
sa commission and it is our opin-
ion the governor will sanction it. 1t
is a test of his sincerity. The fea-
ture of this bill is that it will re-
qGire three votes in the new COM
mission to adopt any measure"
After Amendments
Senator Simpson, of Hudson, Dem
ocratic leader, offered several
amendments all of which were voted
down. He said the majority had
waited until the four when church
yards yawn and graves give up their
dead" to take up the bill, it being
after IL o'clock and added that it re-
minded him of the midnight revels
of the Warrenite Brothers" One of
the amendments would have provid-
ed that the new state highway en-. :
ineer and the new assistant state
highway engineer serve at the plea
sure of the commits. on inste d of
four year terms as provided in the
Republican bill. Another amend
ment would have required the sigma
ture of a majority of the members
to all papers of the commission, in
:, stead of the chairman alone. A third
amendment would have
restored the pob er of summary re-
moval by the governor.
Republican Leader Stevens in op-
posing these suggestions said it was
thought best to fix the terms of. the
chief engineers so thu, the would
feel free 20 act without being in
fluenced by the vhim and caprice of
the commission ever in danger of
having their heads chopp, . off. He
also refused to accent the other
amendment for various reasons.
Simpson also wanted the ex OFF,
clio power of the governor retained.
but the majority through its leader.
Mr. Stevens, was against the propo-
sition.
'T can't believe the governor of
this state will stand in the way of
getting a high class board e. board
free from partisanship and working
in the interest of the state of New
Jersey because this bill removes the
ex officio power" said the Repubii-
can spokesman.
Simpsons amendments were beat
en- BY a vote of IL to on strict
party lines. In his speech he said
the governor would have to share e
the credit for the highway reform
: with those seven or eight Repub-
lican senators who stood cut against
any scheme to plunder the $4O.-
100000 by the passage of a ripper
bill which would have named lot
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