Perth Amboy evening news., 1923-01-13
PRAISED
BY EDWARDS IS
To BE REMOVED
SiIzer in Letter to Cumber-
land FreehoIders Says Peo-
pie Have Lost Confidence
In THE PRESENT BOARD
SiIzer Favors Body of Three
Men-Airs His Road
Views in Letter

TRENTON, Jan. 13.-(By the AS
ISOLATED Press) - Governor-elect
George S. Silzer, who ssumes office
next Tuesday, let it be known def
initely today that the present state
highway commission, appointed by
Governor Edwards, will not be re-
tanned under his administration. He
declared the commission had lost
the confidence of the people of the
state"
The governor-elect, who is said
to favor a commission of three MEM
bers to replace the present person.
mel of eight, aired his views in a let
ter addressed to the Cumberland
Board of Freeholders, at Bridge
ton, which had requested that the
present commission be retained.
The personnel of the highway
commission promises TO be the storm
center of a lively controversy. There
has been some talk that the Re
publican controlled legislature may
take some action to deprive the gov.
n of power to appoint members
of the commission, and to create by
statute a commission of five, the ma
jority members of which would be
Republicans.
The present commission comprises
George l.. Burton, of South River;
John Ferris, of Jersey City; Walter
f. Whittemore, of Newton; Thomas
E. Collins, of Elizabeth; George
Paddock, of Newark; Charles F.
Seabrook, of B%ridgeton, and Albert
s.. L. Doughty, of Mount Holly. There
Is one vacancy.
Governor Edwards, in his final
executive message to the new legis-
J1ky,yao ,IfnL a1pxyonnl IoGf 1NIInC6aU
praised the commissions accomp-
lishments, declaring its members
have been "diligent, faithful public
servants"
The governor-elect's letter follows:
Dear sirs:
"I am in receipt of your resolu-
ton of the second instant, in which
you request that the present high
way com mission be retained.
"There must be a concerted move
ment to accomplish this purpose,
because / have also received commu-
nications from other boards of free
holders. 1t would be interesting to
know what interests are active In
this movement.
ITO be perfectly frank with you,
I would much prefer to receive COM
munications Of this kind from those
who pay the money rather tnan
from those who spend it.
'.Haying this in mind / would all
attention to the fact that the
of Freeholders of Cumberland coun-
ty, between 1914 and 1922, put the
county of Cumberland in debt So
500, 1000. The figures given to me by
the state board are as follows:
Debt of 1914-$27, 600, 900.
Debt of 1922-$36, 500, 900; an In
rrease of about SO per cent in eight
wears. And the tax rate was raised
from Sc to 81, an increase OF 1oo per
st presume that we all realize that
sny advice from a dlslntereSteu
source is of much more value tllan
that from an Interested one |
hove in mind certain SPECIFIC charges
an5 statements made in a
nbia newspape during the month OF
Gatoher in which it was alegeu
sraebolders Of Cumberland county
49, indI,lged- in the practlce Oh
nlosed specifications; had SO
10 ted matters that members oI-lho
hoard might have DAD IN tnelr wv
districts, and in other Ways acLeu ~
as to merit the crluclsHA
spirited citizens. +bese
.harees sufficiently or tlstactorl
nsusared and until they are YOU
I'll a0SWGECos 49, x1AtifinT
nav as we'll know that your petleiuL
as a board, addressed to me, mus
Necessarily receive slight consioera'
lion at my hands.' +ior
s.May I also add the Observation
that if boards of freeholders gen,
graily were more responsive to the
will OF the people, more careful o.
the expenditure of public money.
and more open and public in then
actions. a large part OF our tax prob,
lem would be eliminated and !
taxpayers n would be saved;
"Whatever the truth MAJ p'
about the State Highway Commis,
sion, one thing is entirely clear ant
that is that the board has lost tn
confidence of the people of the state
This being so. there is but one thins
"a do. in the public interest. and tina
Il to dispose of their services"
II your Steam. Hot Water or Hot All
Furnace IL not heating right. l will make
Il or no charge. r. ]. Lsrkin. z6T McCiei.