The Newark star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1909, 1909-10-14
WILSON RULING
MAY PUT COLGATE
OUT OF CONTEST
Party Leaders Now Believe
Decision on Chairnen Makes
Him Ineligible.
FRIENDS SUGGEST PLAN TO
LIFT BAN FROM CANDIDATE
Would Have Some Committee
man Resign and Elect Him
to Fill Vacancy.

That the opinion given by Attorney
General Edmund Wilson to Governor
Fort at Trenton yesterday in regard
to the election of chairmen Of county
political committees has direct bear
ing on the three-cornered fight in Essex
county is the general opinion of most
local politicians.
In the absence of the full text of
the opinion handed down by Mr. Will
son, the view generally taken of the
matter is that 1t takes Colonel Austen
Colgate out OF the running entirely
and leaves the Craftsmanship fight be-
tween Alfred M. Dalrymple, the incum-
bent and Major Carl Lentz, who is
anxious to wrest it from him.
The opinion given by the attorney
general is based on a fight in Ocean
county, where there was a plan to
make Joseph ". Thompson. an adherent
of the Shinn faction, chairman despite
the fact that he was not a member of
the committee. This was brought to
the attention of the governor and the
opinion of the attorney general is the
result
On the first receipt of the news here
1t was generally thought that it would
not affect Essex county, as the county
committee here has clause in its con-
stitution giving it the right to elect a
chairman from its own members or not,
as it saw At. But after several Trenton
r,of ioia ho1
distance phone and the text of the
opinion more fully understood. the feel
ing changed, and the opinion is now
thought TO affect Essex county as well
as all other counties in the State.
AS a matter of fact, Essex and Pas
sale counties are the only counties In
the State that have such a clause In
the constitutions of their committees.
The old law allowed counties to elect
their committeeman by wards instead
of districts IL they so chose by simply
filing q written request with the coun-
ty officials. This plan was followed in
Essex and Passaic counties for several
years. A year ago Governor Fort had
a new law passed making 1t compdl-
sorry to elect county committeeman by
districts, and 1t is this law on which
the opinion of Attorney General Wilson
Is based. This law also makes 1t man
datory to elect the chairman from the
membership of the committee.
A prominent Newark lawyer, who
was in Trenton yesterday, heard of the
decision while there and Investigated 1t.
After reading the opinion he called up
Republican headquarters here and told
Secretary John r. F'lavell that 1t bore
directly on the situation here and that
it would render Colgate ineligible for
the craftsmanship. Several other prom
inent lawyers, who have seen outlines
of the decision expressed the same
opinion.
None of the three parties vitality in
terested, A. N. Dalrymple. Colonel Aus
ten Colgate or Major Carl Lentz, would
go very deeply into the matter pending
a receipt of the full opinion. SO that its
scope can be studied.
Mr.. Colgate said IT have no direct
information on the matter at all.
only know what have read in the
papers. i do not intend to retire from
the fight unless forced to by the de-
cision. and, of course, l cannot talk on
that matter until / have discussed the
matter with my supporters and sought
legal advice"
Major Lentz did not take the matter
seriously at all. He said: II was In
Trenton Wednesday and heard OF the
decision while there, but had no chance
to get copy of II or to discuss 1t
with anyone who was acquainted with
its text. 1t does not affect me in the
least. in any event, as ] am regularly
elected member of the committee. and
as such am eligiblesfor the chairman
ship. and expect to land 1t easily"
A. N. Dalrymple, the present chair
man. would not discuss the matter un-
til he knew more about the opinion
handed down by Mr.. Wilson. las far
as / am concerned personally 1t does
not affect me-" he said. II was elected
a. member of the committee at the re-
cent primary, and have majority OF
the members pledged to me for reelec-
ton as chairman. If the decision
states, as i understand it does, that a
candidate for the Craftsmanship must
be a member of the committee, why, of
course, Mr.. Colgate Is out OF the run
ming. as he was not elected a member
of the committee at the primaries"
II was pointed out by q prominent
local politician that even II the ruling
of the attorney-general did force Mr..
Colgate out of the race there is still a
Ioophole by which he could enter the
contest. The scheme as outlined by
this party was to have one of the Col
gate supporters resign and then ap-
point Mr.. Colgate a member of the
committee to fill the vacancy. 1t was
pointed out, however, that to do this
the Colgate men must have majority
of the committee, and it was also
stated that there might be doubt as
to whether the encouragement would
consider the filing of vacancy in that
manner legal way In Hudson coun-
ty at the last meeting of the county
committee two vacancies were filled
in this manner. and 1t is said that one
of the men made a member in his man
ner stands q. splendid chance of being
elected secretary of the committee at
the next meeting.
l.