Bridgeton pioneer. (Bridgeton, N.J.) 1884-1919, 1901-08-22
STATE COMMITTEES
Or RIVAL PARTIES.
A Story of Political Organizations
That are Not Authorized by
Law But do Important Work
in the Matter of Helping Max
ing the History of the State.

As the campaign for the election of
"a Governor is about to open in earn
est much is heard of the State Com
mittees of the respective parties, but
especially of the Republicans and
Democrats. AS the name would i'm
ply, these organizations are supposed
to be the supreme political bodies
the State so far as the management
and direction of their own party
affairs are concerned. In some re-
spects they are, but at the same time
the committees have no real power
except to issue calls for State conven-
tions, and to apportion the basis of
representation thereat among the
various counties in accordance with
the number of votes cast.
State committees are not authorized
by law, though their existence is
formally recognized in various
statutes. They have even written
laws of their own, but are governed
according to the Judgment of their
members on question of party expedi-
ency, as such questions arise. The
committee are simply competent part
of the party machine, exercising regu-
larly delegated power, and at the same
time practically free to meet any new
arising condition, in the manner
deemed best for the interests of the
party.
Authority for the existence of such
committees was originally given in
resolutions adopted by representatives
of the respective parties in conven-
tions assembled. AS the Republican
and Democratic parties occupy pretty
nearly the whole of the political stage
in this State, the reference to these
committees, for purposes of illustra-
tion, will answer for all.
The Republican State Committee.
Prior to 1892 the State Republican
Committee was composed of two rep
resentatives from each Congressional
district and five members -at-large. In
the year mentioned the Republicans
of Essex county started to pull them
selves together in the organization
which has since carried them to many
victories. An agitation was started
here for the reorganization of the State
Committee, and at the convention held
to elect delegates to the national con-
vention a resolution was introduced
to change the State body, so that it
should be composed of one member
from each county, excepting Passaic,
Hudson, and Essex; two from Passaic
and three each from Essex and Hud-
son. The Essex delegation went to
the convention confident that the
change would be made, and with
Henry +. Potter, Major Carl Lentz
and William Stainsby as their candi-
mittee.
Garrett A. Hobart had been the
State Chairman for years and John w.
Griggs led the fight against the pro-
posed change, not, however, because
of any fear that it would affect his
friend Hobart. Among the advocates
of reorganization, Gilbert Collins,
now Supreme Court Judge, took
foremost part in the debate. Mr..
Griggs made a masterly speech, in
which he took the ground that it
would not be fair to allow the larger
counties to have more representatives
than he the smaller ones. His appeal
to the prejudices of the delegates from
the small counties won for him a
partial victory, as before the plan of
reorganization was adopted it was
amended so as tor-cut down Passaics S
representation to one and Essex and
Hudson to two members each. The
Essex delegation came back home be-
fore deciding who their representa-
tives would be and the matter was
settled by Major Lentz withdrawing.
The committee organized by choos-
ing John Kean, now United States
Senator, as chairman, but when Mr..
Kean was nominated for Governor he
relinquished the Craftsmanship and
Franklin Murphy stepped into the po-
sition which he has filled ever since.
The county members of the COM
mittee are named by the county
delegations elected every four years
to select delegates to the national
convention. The members at large
are named every three years.
Though nominally appointed by the
chairman of the Gubernatorial con-
vention, the party nominee is ac-
corded the privilge of saying who the