George Sebastian Silzer

Silzer had served as a judge for eight years when he was nominated as the Democratic candidate for Governor in 1922. His nomination was part of a deal engineered by Hudson County boss Frank Hague; in exchange for Silzer's nomination for Governor, Middlesex Democrats backed the outgoing governor, Edward I. Edwards of Jersey City, for U.S. Senate.[1]

The general election campaign was dominated by the issue of Prohibition. Silzer's opponent was a conservative "dry" Republican and fellow judge, William N. Runyon, who backed full enforcement of the Volstead Act, whereas Silzer argued it went "far beyond" the terms of the Eighteenth Amendment.[1] Silzer's victory was universally interpreted as a victory for alcohol liberalization and also confirmed Hague's domination of the New Jersey Democratic Party. Silzer won the state by far less than his margin in Hudson County.[1]

Silzer generally pursued a progressive policy agenda while in office, but the legislature passed few of his proposals.

His inaugural address criticized "special privilege" and promised to "put government back into the hands of the people."[1] He proposed stringent public utilities regulation, protective labor legislation, and re-enactment of Wilson era restrictions on the coal industry.[1] In later messages to the legislature, Silzer called for prison and tax reform; expansion of public welfare; strict controls on pollution, firearms, and narcotics; support for a federal anti-lynching law, and state securities regulation.[1]

Unlike other Democratic governors of the period, Silzer avoided close cooperation with Frank Hague.[1] He was also guaranteed a Republican legislature under the per-county apportionment system in place at the time, given that most Democratic votes came from a few urban counties.[1] Though many of Silzer's proposals have been adopted in the century since, in most instances his legislative program failed to rally support.[1] He was successful in winning restrictions on the employment of woman and child laborers and some expansions in the terms of the state workmen's compensation laws.[1]

On occasion, he resorted to purely executive power. In 1923, Silzer directed the state attorney general to bring a suit against the Public Service Corporation amid a labor dispute. Silzer's threat led the public utilities giant to resolve the dispute and resume service.[1]

One area on which Silzer did make progress was transportation reform, as all parties agreed it was essential to stimulate population and industrial development in the years following the growth of the automobile and suburbs.[1] Silzer supported extensive construction, though he opposed the bond issues that the legislature and electorate favored to fund these projects.[1] Several of the proposals he backed were eventually completed, including the Delaware River Port Authority, the George Washington Bridge, and the three bridges connecting the state to Staten Island. He also oversaw the completion of the Holland Tunnel and initiated its incorporation into the new Port of New York Authority.[1]

Silzer opened his term by recalling the entire state highway commission from office, a controversial act justified by his judgment that the commission was corrupt and incompetent, having allowed highway construction to become dominated by a few corporations.[1] He named a four-man replacement board consisting of Walter Kidde, Hugh L. Scott, Abraham Jelin, and Percy Hamilton Stewart, but their nominations were blocked by the Senate. Instead, Silzer went directly to the voters and won support for his nominees.[1]

Silzer also defended state zoning laws, stating, "We must also have in mind scientific planning which will make such development as attractive as possible. In these enlightened days, we cannot drift along and permit ugliness to dominate."[1]