The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1889-10-03
BALLOT REFORMERS MEET.
LETTERS FROM LEON ABBETr AND
MAYOR CLEVELAND.

Chairman AbarbaneII Wins Loud APP
pIause by Affirming the Views Ex-
pressed in Hr. Abbett's Letter of Ac-
ceptance.
the organization of the Hudson County
Ballot Reform Association. 1t was purely
non-partisnn meeting, and besides both
political parties being represented, there
We're present members of the trades or
ganizations and knights of Labor. Be
fore the meeting opened the secretary
announced that he had received the
names of seventy-five gentlemen who had
signed the roll and endorsed the constitu-
tion.
j. r. Abarbanell called the meeting to
order and gave an outline of the work
that it was proposed to do Then Secre-
tary j. T. Altemus read a number of let
ters received from gentlemen who could
not be present. Among the letters was q
who has dealt fully with the ballot reform
question in his letter of acceptance
OCTOBER /, 1885,
j. 7. Altenaus, ESP
DEAR SIR-I regret that cannot be at the
meeting tomorrow evening. l am compelled to
stated my views upon ballot Reform and hon
est elections in my letter of acceptance, Of
which enclose you copy II determined nss
if elected Governor, secure the people of New
Jersey "a pure secret and free ballot" have
LEON ABBErT.
The part of Governor Abbett's letter on
ballot reform was read with this letter.
Mayor Cleveland wrote
Mr. j. r. AHemtts.-
DEAR SIR-Your invitation is received to at
tend meeting in the Board of Trade rooms for
Reform Association. l shall be in Morrsrown
on that evening. A true ballot reform will be
one that will give to the honest voter the privi-
lege of casting his vote in secret and free from
any interference whatever, and that shall make
it difficult, If not impossible, for votes to be
bought and sold. The danger through the ballot
to the perpetuation of the free institutions of
this country lies in the power of money to con-
troll it in the first place, and in the power of in
timidation in the second place. These can be
controlled by law: 1t would be great advance,
also, ii falsehood to persuade voters could be
punished. Very respectfully,
OREsIEs CLEVELAND.
Rev. John L. Scudder of the Taber-
nacle, in his letter regretted that he could
not be present, and said in conclusion:-
"God bless your organization and its
praiseworthy attempt to purify the ballot
in Hudson county. Heaven knows it
needs reforming"
Rev. John Crawford, of Trinity M. e.
Church, in his letter said:-"You have
my full sympathy in this movement Our
State would be helped by nothing else so
much as by thorough publication Of her
balloting system"
General Grubb wrote line to the effect
that he would deal with the question at
the proper time
After the constitution was read and
adopted, Henry G. Gruber, of the Hudson
tu ha ict
Assembly of the K of L., made speech
criticizing the letter written by Governor
Albeit, and saying that 1t was not ex-
plicit enough. The workingmen of the
State, he said, were in favor of the Kane
bill, and they wanted no other one.
Mr.. Abarbanel replied that Governor
Albeit had been explicit for in his letter
of acceptance he had given a pledge to
support genuine ballot reform.
Governor Albeit, remarked the chair
man, ''says in his letter:-I am in favor
of any law which will secure the absolute
secrecy of the ballot, and also at the con-
clusion:-T promise the people of the
State, if chosen by their suffrages, to urge
upon the Legislature the passage of an
act which will secure pure, secret and
free ballot for all its citizens.' OF course
he does not pledge himself to any special
bill, but have faith enough in him to
believe that if he is elected he will do ex-
dCblg WHtiO uO o1yS-AlC w LA o4fs IA q SClluli1C
ballot reform BILL"
The chairman's remarks were loudly
applauded. Ex-County Clerk James
Brann said that he represented the labor
men of the Third district, and that they
were all in favor of ballot reform.
The following resolutions were read and
adopted
Whereas An absolutely secret ballot cast free
from machine dictation, corrupt means, fears of
intimidation and without the possibility of brib
cry is the safeguard of all our iberties and the
perpetuation of our institutions national State
and municipal and
Whereas, No measure of reform in public
affairs, however ardently desired by all good
tions, can ever be achieved without first having
obtained ballot reform; therefore be it
Resolved, That we, the electors of Jersey City, in
public meeting assembled, do hereby pledge
ourselves to agitate in every legitimate way for
the passage by the Legislature of the State of
ballot reform b which shall contain the guar
antees above set forth.
The officers elected were:-President j.
R. Abarbanell; vice-presidents, III. G.
Gruber, A. b. Brown; secretary, j. L.
Altemus; treasurer, Myron Wolfson; Ex
ecutive Committee, so far as completed,
First district, Joseph ID. Miller; Second,
l.. M. Wintermute; Fourth, p. Merque-
lin; Fifth, E. N. Jackson; Seventh, Colin
Campbell.
The rest of the Executive Committee
will be appointed by the chairman. The
Executive Committee will hold meeting
next Monday and then committees will
be appointed to wait on the different nom-
mating conventions.