The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1901-02-19
Sewell, Lentz, Woolley and
Macarthur Discuss the
Spring Election Bill
Potentially.
FRIENDS OF THE MEASURE HEARD
Old Economic Argument Used
to Cover the Attack on
the Peoples Rights.
Especial to rrhe Jersey city News."l

Especial to THE Jersey City News."]
TRENTON, Feb. 49, 1900.-The one
absorbing topic here last evening was the
anti-spring election bill and it was that
no doubt which more than anything else
was responsible for the unusually large
crowd which thronged the State House.
Meeker's snap game of last week in no
wise detracted from the hearing which
the Senators had promised to give upon
the measure and the general impression
was that there would be something doing
in the matter before the night was over.
The impression that Hudson was sponsor
for the scheme and wanted it put through
more than any other section of the State
was dissipated by the situation here last
evening Hudson was the slimmest repre-
sented county of those taking hand in
the fight. OF all the crowd that has been
here on other Monday nights from the
''Gibraitar of Democracy" only ED"
Woolley and John e. Macarthur were here
to advocate the measure.
The king pin in the combination was
Carl Lentz, the Essex Kaiser. He was
here, there and all over buttonholing
every member of the Legislature he en-
eountered importuning them with one
breath to vote for the bill and declaring
through.
The trouble began in the caucus OF the
Democratic Assemblymen held just before
the session. Someone. just who, could not
be ascertained, wanted the caucus to
pledge themselves against Meeker's bill,
but the members seemed to fight shy of
committing themselves and all that they
would do was TO agree to oppose Meeker's
q
evening session. The next phase was the
hearing the Republican Senators gave to
the friends of the measure
The mob was not all admitted to the
conference which was held behind closed
doors in the private sanctum of President
Pitney. The Senators announced that but
one advocate from each county repre-
sented would be entitled to appear, and in
realty but half a dozen of the promoters
of the scheme succeeded in getting an
audience. This was largely due to the
fact that Lentz. who got the first chance
at the Senators, occupied so much time
that the others became tired and departed
for their homes.
This, of course, did not refer to Woolley
and Macarthur. They were bound to have
something to say on the subject, if they
waited all night. When they finally got
in they repeated their old arguments, now
so familiar to the readers of the Jersey
City News
The tip that General Sewell would not
interfere with the scheme, once it got be-
fore the Legislature. had most satisfac-
tory effect, from the view point of the
promoters, and it would not be surpris-
ing if a genuine anti-spring election bill
made it's appearance within the next few
days. No vote was taken by the Senators.
but there was a general expression of ap-
proval on the part of the leading mem
bers. even Senator Pitney, who has been
up against the proposition, saying kind
ly word for it.
Senator Reed the majority. leader on
the floor, gave vent to his feelings and as
sinity by declaring that the so-called in
dependent voters who were opposed to the
abolition of spring elections were moth
ing more than the fioaters who would
lose an opportunity to sell their votes in
the spring. These independents he
said, wanted to sell their suffrages twice
a year. The only other opposition, Reed
declared, came from the men who work
around the polls, and manage to get a
days pay for their labor.
Senator E. C. Stokes, who is known 10
regard the proposition with disfavor be-
cause of the strong public sentiment
against it, was not at the conference,
owing to a severe attack of the grip. He
spent the afternoon at a meeting OF the
Joint Appropriations Committee, and ex-
pected to appear in the Senate last even
ing but was forced to l. . to his bed.
He has been unwell for some days and
last evening it was necessary for him to
call in a physician. Should the RepubIi-
can Senators decide TO make capcus
measure of the election BILL Stokes will,
of course have to fall in line.
Besides Major Lentz and the Hudson
men, there appeared before the committee
bob" Carson of Middlesex; John Conk-
lin of Passaic and City Clerk Murray of
Trenton All used the old argument that
great amount of money could be saved
by having single election, thus making
1t cheaper for the Republican party TO get
control In other words. their contention
was that if the elections was combined.
the purchase of their way into power
would be greatly reduced to the Republic
cans.