Perth Amboy evening news., 1923-11-02
GOVERNOR CONDEMNS PAST
LEGISLATURE AT RALLY
CONTINUED from page y

| woman leaders in the state, came to
him and urged him to persuade two
Democrats to vote for the bill which
the governor did and 1t became a
law.
The governor took a slap at the
open specification bill as passed by
the legislature. He told of making
a request of the legislature at IL
o'clock in the morning that he be
given permission to address that
body on the need of an open speci-
f1cation bill. Common courtesy"
the governor said, demands the
governor be heard within an hour
from the time he makes his re-
quest"
The governor said he was kept
waiting until 5 o'clock in the aft
ernoon before word was brought
to him that he would be permitted
to speak. BY that time, however.
Governor Silzer said, the body had
passed an open specification bill and
his talk was practically useless.
Open Specifications
"Thev did not want an honest open
specification BILL" the governor con-
tinued, land I vetoed the m they
passed. They passed it over my
veto" The governor said he knew
the new bill would not function as 1t
should and the case of the Atlantic
City-Absecon road proved 1t. Bids
were advertised for, specifications
calling for the use of asphalt
block" he said. 1.-THE estimated
cost Of the work, as made by h
engineer, was $S54,00O. There
were only two bios received. one
of the bidding companies owned h
other company which was bidding
on the job. The lowest bid was
S935,000."
'If the Board of Freeholders that
advertised for bids on the work a
selected a concrete road of the same
thickness and similar in every de-
tail to the road which could be built
of asphalt block, the job could have
been completed for $264,0OO. The
president of the Atlantic City Cham-
Der of Commerce, following an IN
vestigation exposed everything. The
State Highway Commission would
not lend financial aid to the county
because of the action of the free
holders in selecting a type of paving
which would benefit one concern,
making 1t practically a closed bid. A
1OIlk COdIl IL III has CAl9dRh
it necessary for the people to carry
the matter>t to the supreme court in
order to have the contract set aside"
Another subject touched upon by
the governor was the presence in
Hudson and Essex counties of spec
ial prosecutors to investigate the
manner in which elections are con-
Quoted and prevent frauds. During
thu fist fiv years these prosecu-
tors were engaged. the governor said
$4,000 was paid out Of the state
purpose. The title was changed this
year to superintendent of elections"
the speaker declared and these po-
sitions are given to those running
the legislature, the people being
saddled with the cost OF this addit-
ional burden. Incidently. the o
ernor brought out. the bill author
!zing the naming of these officials
in Hudson and Essex counties was
introduced by a representative from
Bergen county, a non-interested
county.
The need of bills regulating the
price OF coal and the amount avail
able was emphasized by the COVER
nor who said four coal bills were
introduced last year bur all died in
committee. Senator Mackav took
$4,000 to make an Investigation of
the coal situation and recommended
four or five things that should be
done but the legisiatgrs never did.