The Monmouth inquirer. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1865-1933, 1923-02-22
SENATE PASSES
HIGHWAY BILL
Adopts Stevens Bipartisan Road
Bill With Governor Stripped
of Appointive Power.
DEMOCRATS ARE BLOCKED
Simpsons Amendment to Permit Sill
ger to Fill Vacancies Defeated.
Rev. Ritter Tells Probers He
Relied on Investigator.

Trenton-The Senate passed the
Stevens bill creating a bipartisan
State highway commission of four
members. The bill introduced In the
Senate was given second and final
reading without reference to commit
tee.
Amendments offered by Minority
Leader Simpson, designed to allow the
Governor to retain ex-officio member
ship on the commission, and to per-
NIT the Governor to fill vacancies
without Senate approval, were defeat
ed by vote of IA to 4. Senator Simp-
son offered the amendments, he said,
without consultation with the Cover
nor.
Senator Stevens said that the
amendments would defeat the pur-
pose of the bill in creating bi-parti-
san board. free from suspicion.
Governor Silzer was reported to be
unsympathetic with the provision
stripping him of ex-officio member
ship, but the Republican majority
could easily override his veto if he
elected to do SO. The Republicans
feel that the Governor, through ex-
officio membership, would virtually
control a bipartisan commission in
case of a tie by exercising his right to
vote
With full realization that the whole
business was as far from solution as
when Governor Silzer put the COM
mission upon the toboggan slide, the
Republican managers returned to the
State House in frame of mind to do
desperate deeds with the highway
maze
The bill carrying out the plan as
agreed upon Tuesday had been draft
ed Wednesday by Assistant Attorney
General MCGEE, in conference with
Majority Leaders Stevens and Sena-
tors Pierson and Whitney, and Ste-
vens introduced it.
Announcement from Governor Sill
ger on Saturday that he expected to
be ex-officio member of the bi-parti-
san board of four members sent the
matter rocketing, Republicans seem
ing to get the idea that they might be
justified in any step to check the Gov
ernor's desire. They had not received
word direct from him and their first
step, therefore, was to obtain con-
firmation from the Governor. There
was a brief but effective conference,
at which it is said the Governor in
formed the Senators that it was his
understanding that he was to be part
Of the proposed new commission, with
power to cast a deciding vote In case
Of tie.
Thus the matter once more as
sumed the aspect of deadlock, and
Republican Senators went into con-
ference once more. Some who had
stood firmly in favor of the Cover
nor's original plan seemed ready to
break away and join the radicals who
insisted upon ripper bill by which
the whole commission would be
placed under Republican control. Ma
jority Leader Stevens was guarded in
his comment, while President Wall
worth, who has led the fight against
any concessions to the Governor,
upon the ground that it was a politi-
cal game in which the Democrats
were about to profit, declined to make
any comment. The Republicans ap-
peared to be running around in cir
cles, with no clearly defined purpose
and no master brain to direct them.
A delegation of Camden county
women came to see Governor Silzer
again, urging the appointment OF
Grover G. Richman as Prosecutor of
the Pleas. They presented petition
bearing the names of more than 500
men and women, including 100 law
yers. There was nothing, however,
to indicate his preference in this Sc
lection, and it is said that he will be
entirely guided by the recommends
lions of the county committee when
made.
SiIzer Names Four Judges
Governor Silzer opened his prize bag
a little way and the winners were:
Judge of the First District Court OF
Monmouth County, Ward Kremer, OF
Asbury Park, to succeed Benjamin B.
Smith. Mr.. Kremer is a lawyer and
is chairman of the County Committee.
Judge of the Second District Court
of Monmouth County, Harold G. Nor
ford, of Long Branch, succeeding
Harry Truax.
Judge of the Court of Common
Pleas of Hudson County, Robert v.
Kinkead. to succeed James w. Nc
Carthy.
Judge of the Juvenile Court of Hud-
son County. Thomas F. Meaney, of
Jersey City.
Member of the State Board of Taxes
and Assessment. James Baker. of Jer-
sey City, reappointed.
Chaplain of the State Prison Farm
at Leesburg, Rev. Ross Fl. Flanagan,
Bridgeton, to succeed Oscar G. Morton.
Both houses unanimously adopted
resolution offered by Senator Pierson
expressing sorrow in the death of
State Banking Commissioner William
e. futile. Jr., Democratic State
leader.