Charles Edison

“My goal was to make New Jersey's state government a model for all other states to emulate, hopefully thereby to stem, or at least slow down, the flow of power to the federal government.”

“It is necessary to take an active part in politics to observe how often the welfare of the party organization is put before the issues, even before the welfare of the commonwealth.”

“It is my happy privilege to be able to stand here and tell you that if you elect me you will have elected a governor who has made no promises of preferment to any man or group.”

“In physics, to be in two places at the same time would be a miracle; in politics it seems not merely normal, but natural.”

“A new constitution should be more amendable. A needlessly confusing system of courts should be altered to produce an arrangement that would be simple, responsible, and less awkward.”

“I have no desire to go in for tyranny or to play the part of King Charles. I hate tyranny in any field of human activity.”

“I would rather be respected than elected.”

“Bosses are no more inevitable in state and local governments than dictators are in national governments. They will arise and prosper, nevertheless, if true believers of democracy - citizens devoted to the democratic ideals - do not constantly oppose them.”

“I want to make this perfectly clear: you can be sure that I will never be a yes-man except to my own conscience.”

“Our democracy poses problems and these problems must and shall be solved by courageous leadership.”

“Economics, politics, and personalities are often inseparable.”

“I want to say here and now, that I demand unshakable integrity of every State employee.”

“Any man who takes a job with the idea that it is simply a springboard for something else is a chump. His attention will be more on the other things than on the job at hand and so he will fail.”

“Our society cannot progress while our constitution stands still.”

“I am confident that this legislature will rise above partisan bickering, especially after the public promises its members made last fall, and that it will demonstrate a high capacity for civil service.”

“In view of our public pledges, we public officials can never again go before the public merely promising election reform. The time for promises is past.”

“Conscious of our many problems, I seek today to lay a foundation to our public policy. My fundamental purpose is to devote my term of office to raising the standard of public service in New Jersey.”