The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-08-08
TO REORCANlzE.
Democratic State Committee
Takes Steps to Redeem
the Party.
ROBERT DAVIS GOOD ADVICE
Leaders Who Came to Give
Their Views Not Admit
ted to the Meeting
rsnec,a, 10 ..The Jersey city News."l

ioled at the Coleman house yeSecte@S -
discuss plans for deciding upon a pohcy
which would unite the party and assure
the Democratic candidates in the various
counties victory at the polls next fail- II
was generally understood from the pre-
Iiminary discussion Of the meeting ana
the invitations which were sent out ap-
parentlv by authority of the State Com
mfttee. inviting leading members OF tne
party TO meet with the committee and aid
If with their advice and experience. There
appears to have been some misunder-
standing about this. Chairman Gourley
announced early yesterday morning that
the gathering was simply a meeting OF
the Executive Committee of the party
and its main object was to consider the
reorganization of the party throughout
the city The meeting, he said, would
be held behind closed doors as usual, and
only those non-members admitted who
were specially invited by a vote of the
committee.
This was disappointing to several men
prominent in the party who had come
from distance and at no little incon-
venienee to themselves to aid the party.
Among these was Mayor Hoos of Jersey
with his family at Spring Valley, N, T.,
and in order to reach the meeting he was
Obliged to leave his country home at five
o'clock in the morning. All the Mayor
had to do after he reached the hotel was
to sit around the porch and wonder what
he was there for. Keeping the Mayor
companv was a large number of other
leading Democrats who had come to the
Park on the same errand
It was noon when Chairman Gour1ey
called the committee to order in the big
hall room of the hotel. Little "Aby'' Narr
as usual stood at the door and admitted
only members of the committee. The
first business taken up was the filing of
the vacancy in Burlington county. The
member from that county A. f. Conroy.
died some time ago. and no one had as
vet been chosen TO take his place. There
were two candidates for the place. Eckard
P Budd of Mount Holly. a former mem
Der of the committee and ex-prosecutor
of the county and, William F. Morgan Of
--lPalmura. Mr.. Moreen was endorsed by
majority of the Central Committee of
the county and Mr.. Rudd was supported
by majority of the County Committee.
The former Prosecutor has ALWAYS been
known as a Gold Democrat. while Mr..
Morgan has affilated with the ultra-Sil-
yer men. The Morgan men asked the
Committee to hear their side of the case.
hut the request was refused. and Mr..
Budd was elected to fill the vacancy
unanimously
Mr.. Gourley then addressed the Com
mittee at some length. dwelling upon the
necessity of a thorough reorganization of
the party at once in order TO achieve
victory at the polls next fall The party.
he said, lacked uniformity in organiza-
tion. and until this was corrected there
was little hope of redeeming the party
and wrestling the State from the control
Of the Republican party. He referred to
the former strength of the Democratic
party in the State and the victories il
used to win. to the great benefit of the
people. There was no reason why the
party should not recover its former
strength and again place New Jersey sol
idly in the Democratic ranks. The way
in which this could be accomplished, Mr.
Gourley said. was by reorganizing the
party in every county in the State, and
he would suggest that a committee OF
five be appoipted to prepare a plan OF
organizing every voting precinct in the
State the plan to be submitted to the
various county conventions in the fal
for ratification. Mr. Gourley's suggestion
met the approval of the Committee ant
he was authorized to appoint such Z
committee. with himself as chairman
This he did at the afternoon session 0,
the Committee. naming Colonel E. Liv
ingston Price of Essex; former Congress
man Johnston Cornish of Warren; Eek
ard P. Budd of Burlington and james
w. Lanning. of Mercer. After luncheon
the Committee got together again and a.
many charmen of the County Commit
tees as were present were invited to con
fer with the committee upon reorganiza
ton. Robert Davis, Mayor Hoos and Tai
Commissioner James G. Clarke were alst
admitted. Mr. Davis was without doub
the big man of the day. The efficient or
ganization of the party in Hudson Count,
and the excellent results which it has at
tanned under his leadership pronouncet
him a leader of more than ordinary abil
ity. This was recognized by everyone a
yesterdays gathering. and the member
Of the Committee were anxious to Obtain
his views upon the subject of reorganiza
tion. Mr.. Davis addressed the Committe
briefly and TO the point
He tersely advocated the adoption o
the plan in Hudson County Of electing tn
County Committee at open primaries. H
also said that the Committee wanted t
put young men ON the firing line. H
spoke earnestly and firmly on that point
"Old men," he said, ''are good enoug
to go to for advice, but we want th
young men for work"
sOf course. this is no reflection on tn
State Committee?" said Mr.. Gourley.
ION some of. them, yes" replied Nj
Davis, without moving a muscle
Mr. Clarke also spoke in the same linf
pointing out that not only was an effect
I've committee wanted in each county bu
loyal and efficient leader wanted. Muc
of the success of the Hudson County Dc
mocracy he said was due to the able an
intelligent leadership of Mr.. Davis.
Chairman Gou-ley said he thought tn
Hudson plan of electing the County Com
Hiffe4 in open primaries was good on
and suggested that it be generally adopi
ed. Those of the chairmen Of the Count
Committees who were present agree
With Mr. GourIey, and assured him tha
they would adopt the suggestions Of th
special committed just appointed by hif
when they were submitted. No other busl