imperative, throughout the state that some practicable legislation
should be adopted whereby the grade crossings of railways which
everywhere threaten life and interfere with the convenience of both
city and rural communities should as rapidly as possible be abolished.
But there is certainly not a demand in New Jersey for legislation
which is unjust and impracticable.

* * * * *

The non-enactment of this bill into law will, of course, be a serious
disappointment to the people of the state, but it will only
concentrate their attention upon the just and equitable way of
accomplishing the end in view. I do not believe that the people of the
state are in such haste as to be willing to work a gross injustice,
either to the railroads or to private owners of property, or to the
several communities affected.

Of course his political enemies made free use of this veto in an effort to
injure him throughout the country in every state campaign where his
fortunes as candidate were involved. As a matter of fact, his veto of this
bill did shock the people of the state, but when they seriously considered
the matter in all its aspects, they felt that their governor had, at
least, done an honourable and a courageous thing in refusing to approve
it.

Discussion of him as a strong Presidential possibility was steadily
growing. I had felt a delicacy about talking of this with him, but in a
walk that we were accustomed to take along the banks of the Delaware and
Raritan Canal between office hours, I, one day, made bold to open, the
subject in this way: "It is evident from the newspapers, Governor, that