The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-12-27
WORKING in SECRET
Republicans Plotting to Load
Down the Werts Election
Law With the Blanket
Ballot.
ROGERS REGULATES SEWELL
Mr.. William J. Thompson Asks to
Be Let Alone and Relates a
Parable.
special to the Jersev Citu Ne1us.


that evil deeds delight in darkness. There
may be a considerable number of citizens in
this State who would take exception to the
statement that the Republican party is
synonymous with evil deeds, but none of them
can deny that the party at this time is ex-
ceedingly fond of darkness. Every move
the new legislators make is under cover
somewhere, and if the public becomes ac-
quainted with what they are doing, it GER
tainly is no fault of the Republicans them
selves.
For several Tuesdays past the corridors of
the State House AVE been practically de-
serted. The democrats have stayed away
for obvious reasons, but why the Republic
cans should not throng the big capitol as
their opponents used to do when they We're
in power, is not quite 50 obvious. Yesterday
was no exception to this, and the Governors
room, Superintendent Ford's office and the
other places of interest about the State
House were as dull as an off Tuesday in
July. There were not enough republicans
aTound to make the proverbial corporal's
guard. Major Anderson was OF hand, and
was soon joined by Colonel Toffey, who
came down Jersey City with a large band of
one retainer in the person of G.. Frank
Sutherland. who is being pushed for the
position of Journal Clerk of the House. The
Major and the Colonel retired behind closed
doors and held a conference of some dura-
ton. Banker Hancock, whom Mercer is
booming for Comptroller, appeared on the
scene early in the morning, but finding SO
few of the faithful on hand retired in a very
short time.
PLOTTING AT NIGHT.
This absence of Republicans did not neees-
sarily imply that there were none of them
in Trnnfon I'm tho ooOfra1-u thni.o vrac a
large number of them carefully keeping
under cover and when the darkness of night
closed over the new Washington Monument
and Barney Ford's Park was wrapt in
silence, they stole Eforth. Making their
way to the Windsor Hotel thew locked them
selves in an upper chamber and held a con-
ference. Twelve counties were represented,
those present being:-John [. Holt, Passaic;
Thomas F., Austin and John n. Glaspell,
Cumberland; Samuel V. Davis, Warren;
William Watson n Clayton Stafford, Cam
den; A. G. Streker, Burlington; William L.
David D. Zabriskie, Bergen; Edmund L..
Ross, Cape May; William L. Wilbur, John
Ginder and W. F. Exton, Mercer.
The conferees agree to support Holt of
Passaic for Speaker, but came to no agree
ment as to the Comptroller, Treasurer OF
other officers of the State OF Legislature, the
prevailing sentiment being that it would be
better to wait until the caucus were held be-
fore making any pledges. 1t was agreed to
to support the race track repealers and such
other measures as had for their object the
lessening of the expenses of the State gov
eminent. All those present expressed them
selves strongly in favor of tinkering the
new election lay. They were favorably i'm
= pressed with the substitute for the Werts
law, said to nave been prepared by Major
Carl Lentz of Newark.
MAJOR LENTzis SUBSTITUTE.
Mellow T na%1tC C11hcfi41a%o = -ao%4o--al zfIaxt
the election laws of Ohio, Pennsylvania and
Massachusetts, and the Werts law.
1t gives to non-partisan County Boards of
Registry control of the elections and pro-
vides for a blanket ballot, on which the
names of all the candidates will be printed
in party groups, under a party caption.
Directly under the party caption it is pro-
posed to print a ring, in which the voter
desiring to vote a party ticket shall place a
cross. Rings are also to be placed opposite
the name OF each candidate. A person desir-
ing to vote a split ticket can indicate the
candidate he votes for by placing a cross in
the rings opposite their names.
1t is proposed to vest all the powers now
enjoyed by the City and County Boards in
the Boards of Registry, the four member of
which are to be appointed by the Governor
on the recommendation of the Chairman of
the County Committees, through the Chair
men of the State Committees of the two par
ties having the largest number of votes.
KEEPING THE wERTs LAW.
1t is also proposed that the boards shall
have charge of the printing and distribution
of tickets; of designating polling places
(which are not to be within 100 feet of a sa-
loom have power to appoint election officers,
poll clerks and ehallengers, when recon-
mended by the Chairmen of the County Com
mittees, and after persons seeking those offices
shall have made written application and ap-
peared before the Board of Examination as
10 THAR ma iffcati0p and Hfnacc D.. RI 1.o1,Yox-a
any election officer for cause; to receive
the ballot box and returns on the night
of election; to make the official can
yass within twenty-four hours after the
election; to make a recount, when demanded
by any defeated candidate who has deposited
in the hands of the board $3.50 to cover the
cost of a recount in a ward; $500 in a city,
or $3.50 in a county, the remainder, if any,
to be returned to the defeated candidate, if
sssfeated on the recount, and the whole to be
returned in case it showed that he was
elected.
1t is further provided that any question as
to the validity of a ballot shall be certified
to the presiding Justice of the Supreme
Court for the judicial district, who must
render his decision within ten days of the
date OF certification.
Application for a recount must be made
within five days after election.
The voter is not to have more than one
ballot at a time, but may have a second
ballot if he spoils the first and returns it to
the Election Board. No voter will leave a
polling place with an official ballot in his
possession.
TO HELP REPUBLICANS.
1t viii be seen at a glance that all the good
features of the proposed substitute are taken
from the Werts law. The most radical
change is that which brings in the blanket
ballot, a change which is made for the sole
purpose of benefiting the Republican party.