The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-10-03
HOW DIRECT PRIMARY
BILL FAILED TO PASS,
Democrats Angled for Republican Sup
port in the House, but Did
Not Get It.
[From a STAFF Correspondent

TRENTON, Oct. 3.-Many entanglements
resulted in the lower house last night
when that body tried to pass the direct
primary bill introduced last week by Ma
jority LIE lder Klenert. The bill was lost
because it failed to get the necessary
thirty-one votes. The final shape in which
it was acted on provided that the pri-
maries should not extend beyond counties.
Previously the bill, with Democratic
amendments designed to make the primary
law apply to every office from Governor
down, had also failed to pass.
The Democrats, by way of compromise,
sought to have the bill passed with the
Republican amendments providing that the
direct primary should not extend beyond
counties, and while that process of par
liamentary twisting was going on the Re-
publicans picked flaws in the bill and
urged postponement of action. The Demo-
Gratis were not agreeable to this, and had
a vote taken on the bill in its less broad
shape, with the result as stated.
After it had been rejected Minority
Leader Alfred n. Barber moved for a re-
consideration of the vote, with the idea OF
bringing up the bill at the next session,
having arranged with the Republican
member who made the motion to amend
the bill to nave his motion laid upon the
table. 1t is understood that the minority
desires to amend the bill still further.
As soon as Mr.. Klenert moved that his
direct primary bill be placed on second
reading, Mr.. Taylor offered the amendment
mentioned, to except the nominations for
Governor, Congressman and United States
Senators from the provisions of the bill.
After a great deal of discussion the Tay-
lor amendments were lost by a vote Of 16 in
favor to "a against.
The bill as presented did not contain
the word Governor" so Mr.. Klenert
amended the bill 70 include specifically
that official. There was no objection to
the amendment and the bill was placed on
third reading and final passage.
Mr.. Klenert did not waste much time
explaining his bill, stating: ut is sufi-
GENTLY well known now and is a good
MIL"
Mr.. Barber objected to the bill. He
said:
II the amendments proposed had been
incorporated in the bill l would have
voted for it, but the extension of its scope
leads me to vote against it. There are
both merits and defects in the direct pri-
mary principle. The merits outweigh the
defects, 1 believe. In the direct nominal
tons of candidates for Governor the ex-
pense to the candidate and the difficulties
in his path would be greater than under
the present system.
Mr.. Barber cited the case of Frank S.
Katzenbach. ir., the Democratic nominee
for Governor, as one illustrating his point.
He said Mr.. Katzenbach was not a man Of
wealth, and would have been handicapped
had it been necessary for him to make a
fight at the primaries in every voting pre-
cinct in the State.
Assemblyman Joseph Tumulty. of Hud-
son, in a fiery speech, said that there might
be some truth in the statement that the
bill went beyond reasonable limits, but
the spirit underlying the measure should
appeal to the hearts and intelligence of
every one as one of the most important
matters ever considered by a New Jersey
Legislature, attempting, as it did, to do
away with a party system that was "a
very. very bad one"
Assemblyman Drake opposed the bill,
claiming that despite the fact that both
parties were pledged to the enactment of
the law he believed direct primaries would
give the bosses a better chance to control
than ever.
Assemblyman Levi Morris, of Sussex,
in previous discussion, had differed with
his partisans on the bill, but he announced
at this point that he was not going to take
his playthings and go home because 1t did
not meet with his approval in every par
ticular. He said he would vote for the
bill.
Assemblyman Thompson, of Mercer, and
Y dkt. OF beIEeHt Sdlu iitS Wpuiu uOl NONV
for the measure, as it contained numerous
errors. technical and otherwise and should
be laid over for at least a week. On the
roll call there were twenty-siX Democratic
votes in favor of passing the measure
under suspended rules ON third reading
and final passage, and eleven Republican
votes against it.
Before the result could be announced Mr.,
Klenert changed his vote to the negative,
and then succeeded in having a motion
adopted for the reconsideration of the tally
by which the bill had been defeated. The
measure went back to second reading on
suspension of the rules, and the Taylor
amendment. previously offered, was taken
up and ADOPTED. I
There vas great confusion in the House
to just what the bill provided with
the Taylor changes. Finally, after bitter
debate. the Republicans took the attitude
that the measure should be laid over, and
it came again to final passage, de-
it.
Mr.. Barber moved a reconsideration of
the measure Immediately, having arranged
with Mr.. Taylor to lay his motion on the
table, and although the Democrats voted IN
chorus on viva voce against the Tay-
lor motion, it was declared carried.
POTABLE WATER BILL RECALLED.
TRENTON. Oct 3.-Just before adjourn
ment of the Assembly yesterday, Demo-
cratic Leader Abram Klenert, Of Passaic
County secured the adoption of a resolu-