The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-02-10
WEARY OF BOB
The State Committee Pro-
poses to Throw Davis
Overheard.
TO RECOGNIZE THE REFoRMERs.
One of the Old Committee Criti-
eises Mr. MeDermott's
Letter.
REPUBLICAN CIRCUS, TOO
Rough and Tumble Fight at the
Meeting of the County Com
mittee Last Night.

Mr.. Allan McDermott, Chairman of the
Democratic State Committee, has made
most decisive move in the matter OF reor-
ganizing the party in this county. He has
written letter which intimates strongly
that he is inclined to recognize the plan pro-
posed by the committee recently appointed
to prepare scheme of reorganization. Mr.
McDeImott's letter was addressed to Willard
Fiske, Secretary of the committee of which
ex-Judge A. Q. Garretson is Chairman, and
is as follows:-
JERSEY CRY, Feb. 5, 1894.
Willard c. FIske:-
DEAR S1R-Wbile working on the plan
recently submitted by the Provisional Com
mittee for the reorganization of the Demo-
cratic party in Hudson County L was forced
to the conclusion that it is very
questionable whether there is at present
any County Committee which is entitled to
regulate the affairs of the party OF this
county The committee which had charge
of the campaign in this county last year has
certainly no claim whatever to be a regular
organization other than that which would be
accorded to any body of gentlemen working
for party success. In 1878 the democracy
of Hudson county adopted constitution for
the government of the party. This has been
so violated that there is nothing OF 1t left.
Conventions and gatherings have, without
any power delegated to them for that pur-
pose. evolved body which has not the
slightest claim to fealty on the ground of its
regularity.
I would, therefore, like to have a state
ment of the grounds on which the COM
mittee of which you are member claims
to be the County Committee OF the Demo-
cratic party of Hudson county. The reason
for this request is:-It is my duty to ap-
g R1or- of
Registration, whose duty it will be to
appoint two election officers in each cleo
ton precinct These election officers are
to be appointed under section of the act by
the Chairman of the County Committee and
I wish to discuss the question with the gen
tlernen whom select before nominate
them
You need not consider this letter personal,
as shall be pleased to have the views of any
of the members of the bar who are members
of your organization
ALLAN L. McDERMoTT.
FOLLOWING THE NEWS SUGGESTION.
This is move in line with the demand so
persistently made by THE JERSEY CITY
NEWS that the State Committee shall take
the matter in hand and straighten out the
deplorable condition of Democratic affairs
in Hudson county.
In making this recognition Mr.. McDer-
mott has taken advantage of the nucleus
formed by Judge Garretson's committee, as
composed of men of high and unquestioned
standing in the community. 1t is not to be
inferred from this, however, that there
were no men of equal standing in the
old Central Committee for all who were
acquainted with the composition of that
body knew that among its members were
some of the leading men N the commercial
and social world. But to such depths was it
dragged down by political Hessians like
stBobs Davis, who obtained control OF its
affairs. that it could not be trusted The
unsuccessful efforts which have been made
from time to time by the Democrats OF
Hudson County to throw off the dead weight
of Davis and his gang of heelers and syco-
plants is well known.
THE LAST PLAN.
The last attempt in this direction was a
scheme devised by such men of unquestioned
Democracy as Governor Werts, Ex-Governor
Bedle. Altar L. McDermott Colonel Stevens
and Charles H. Winfield. They held several
sessions and formulated a plan which it was
thought would bring all the discordant ele-
ments together.
The plan in substance was that Governor
Werts, Ex-Governor Bedle and Mr.. Nc
Derlnott should appoint a committee
of twenty-three, whose duty was to
hear all appeals in matters concerning
the party S dITalfS, lHcltlQ1U2 GO0LeSU6Q pTI-
maries. This committee was also to have
the naming of election officers to preside at
primary elections for the selection of mem
bers of the General Committee, which was
to be composed of one member from each
voting precinct in the county. The members
of this committee of twenty ythree We're to
hold office until the Senatorial Convention of
1895, when their successors, for terms Of
three years. were to be appointed. No MEM
ber of the committee was. eligible to be a
candidate for elective office.
This plan necessitated the withdrawal of
Davis and his gang from the control OF the
party organization. 1t was not to be sup
posed that they would relinquish the power
they had held SO long, and they made des-
perate fight against the plan. The DAVIS
gang succeeded, and the old committee de-
cided to continue in power. ms move OF
Mr.. McDermott's, it is said, is for the pur-
pose of showing Davis that his time has
come and that hereafter he and his band of
Hessians will not be afforded any more occa-
sions for exercising that treachery which
has characterized their management OF the
Hudson Democracy. M
WHAT DAVIS MAN SAYS.
AIt is all buncombev said member OF
the Central Democratic Committee, who is a
lawyer, for Allan L. sMcDermott, ''to say
that there is no County Committee. l am
sure he recognized the Central Committee as
the legally organized committee when he
submitted TO IL LOT approval q pan IOT Iuo
reorganization of the party as prepared by
himself The whole trouble, IN my opinion,
is that Allan McDermott wants to
get control of Hudson County. His
scheme missed fire in our committee, and
now he is swinging over with the other COM
rnittee. The Central Committee whether
regularly appointed or not, q am not pre-
pared to discuss that question at this time
certainly ordered the last primaries and
supervised the election of delegates to the
convention which nominated a can
didate for Sheriff. The Central
Committee managed the last election and
was recognized as the body representing the
rssol,ired majority of voters The County
Clerk. in issuing the legal ballots recognized
the Central Committee and I believe the
Central Committee to be the only proper and
legal body.
to office. / believe in representatives being
elected by the people every time. But mas
much as we have been recognized as the legal
Malaia is one of the most insidious of
rI