Perth Amboy evening news., 1923-10-27
ANSWER MADE
BY HOFFMAN
Replies to Mcclure at South
River on Ship Canal and
TottenvilIe Bridge

SOUTH RIVER, Oct. 27.-Several
Tits between various candidates and
their supporters took place last night
at a spirited meeting held here in
the borough hall by the Non-Parti-
san League of Women Voters. With
II or two exceptions every candi-
date, both on the Republican and
Democratic ticket, took advantage of
the invitations sent out and attended
the meeting. The speaking began
with those seeking local office who
were followed by the county candl-
dates and finally by those seeking
state offices.
Although a tilt occurred between
supporters of William S. Dey, Re-
publican candidate for freeholder,
and Howard A. Butcher, Democratic
candidate for this office, the most
spirited tilt of the evening took place
between j. Il. Mcclure, Democratic
candidate for assembly, and Harold
G. Hoffman, Republican candidate
for this office.
Mr.. Mcclure when speaking, de-
clared: THE reason for the large
registration is the disgust of the Vot-
ers of Middlesex county with the last
legislature" He said that the last
legislature had accomplished moth
ing and then discussed measures
introduced by the Middlesex county
assemblymen last year. He pointed
out that although Mr.. Hanson had
introduced the Perth Amboy-Tot-
tenyille bridge bill that the bridge
was not being built now and hat
the ship canal bill had been intro
duced by MI. Hoffman, but as yet not
a shovelful of dirt has been over
turned for It.
MI. Hoffman, who followed Mr..
Mcclure, in answering the attack
upon the bills said:
I'VE do not claim the credit for
the passage of these measures. We
had the honor of introducing them.
and many people, including public
spirited Democrats like Mayor
Donnelly, of Trenton, aided their
passage. They were, however, mea-
sures hat were needful and prac-
teal. This hall in which we are
| speaking could not have been built
until the foundation vas laid-hence
the Perth Amboy-TottenVille bridge
survey bill and the bill appropriate
ing the $4,000 for the purchase
of the New Jersey ship canal were
the first actual constructive steps to
| bring about these great projects"
1T is true that the construction of
the canal has not started. 1t Will
take over two years to acquire the
right of way by condemnation pro-
ceedings; it may take SIX or eight
years to construct the canal-you
and l may eve live to see it's COM
pletion But the canal is coming
and our children and our children's
children will live to enjoy the bene-
fits o. a canal that will connect the
great ports Of New York and Phila-
delphia; a canal that will open up
over thirty-three miles of hitherto
uudeve!cped land; that will bring
about the establishment of great
| factories. bringing about an increase
in ratables by which the entire state
will benefit q canal that will become
a part of a great inland waterway
| system of over two thousand miles.
The United States Army engineers,
on the strength of the legislation
passed last year, will recommend to
Congress an appropriation for con-
struction and eventually the State
of New Jersey, by making an ap-
preparation of less than a million
dollars, will receive in return be-
tween thirty and forty millions Of
Federal money for construction pur-
poses"
Both Assemblyman Hanson and
Assemblyman Hoffman deplored the
Introduction of the bridge and canal
measures as campaign topics, stat
ing that they were strictly non
political. but that in justice to these
measures and the public spirited
people backing them, there should be
no criticism of the big progressive
steps that had already been taken
to bring them about.