The star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1908-1909, 1909-03-16
SPECIAL SESSION
. IS THREATENED IN
FORTS MESSAGE
Governor Demands That Legis=
lature Pass Reform Elec.
tiOn Laws.
BLANKET BALLOT is
PARTICULARLY URGED
Public Sentiment Demands Im-
mediate Change, Declares
Executive.
lrr,m a Sal, corresrondent.1 i

lFrom star Corresr ondent1
TRENTON, March 1e.--ln a special
! message today Governor Fort threat
ems the Leglsla ture With being recon-
vened In special session il sine die ad-
tcurnmcnt Is taken without enacting
reform election laws. His message
Went 10 both branches and after being
/ read was ordered spread upon the min
utes. The executives dissertation on
erection and primary legislation was
inspired by the report of his special
commission TO revise existing statutes
lhis report and two bills one revising
! primary acts and the other covering
election laws of the state, were trans
| united to the lawmakers with the mes
sage
The Governor sets forth that the
people Viii rule in state and Nation"
ana with great finality advises that the
wise course Tor the Legislature is TO
cure defects in the present laws and
40 something toward reforms which lie
believes public sentiment demands.
blanket ballot is particularly urged
ny Governor Fort. He believes that
ne voters want the right TO vote for
men as individuals and that the pa per
ballots of today with their pastors are
NOT meeting requirements
Following the reading of the jnessa se
IN the Senate, Majority Leader Freijns-
hussen offered 4 resolution proyidiu.
Tor the appointment of a committee
consisting of three members of the Sem
ate and five from the House to con-
I slder the primary report. Senator Sill
ger, who wished to amend the resolu-
'lon 10 make the committee report within
Ten Gays reused the ire of F'relinyhuy-
sen. who said that such an amendment
inlpnsned his good faith in Offering the
resolution. His idea. he said was to
get the facts AS soon as possible.
silver Grows snresstlc.
! While il may be- said Silzer. that
all wisdom Is vested .n tho majority
and the board OF guardians that hoyers
over them, it is customary In delbera-
tive bodies to discuss these things on
the floor. a
II sec that the Governor hints mt n
special session, unless this bsn is
passed. That is n dire threat, but Ia
not so serious as the consequences TO
the majority at the next election II
something is not DONE"
! Mr. Silzer went on to tell of his
! troubles In trying to get out a blanket
ballot bill and the fruitlessness of the
work of committee appointed to in
vestisate. The amendment, however,
! was lost.
The Message.
| Here is the message In part:
Reform in the matter of primary
/ election hN direct Inn if.t,
selection of members of county com
mittees by direct vote of the respec-
i've parties in their election districts.
pursuance of the declaration in the m
party platforms of both the leading
tha'I Parties Of this, State, as declared IN
this question the Republican, party de-
clared as follows: Our primary law
Republican enactment--has done
away with violence and fraud at the
primaries. and has enabled voters to
express their choice and exercise their
| VIII In the nominating conventions
ments of this act as will simplify and
Improve our primary system. We favor
the codifcation and simplification Of
the present primary law in the respects
Intricate, and we believe that the most
effective method to accomplish this pur-
pose Is direct primary for candidates
FOR al municipal and county Offices, in
cluding senators and assemblymen, and
we favor such an amendment OF the
primary law as will accomplish this
end, with proper provisions for judicial
| review and recount"
There should be but one ballot, sim
pie IN form and easily comprehended
! by the most illiterate voter. The law
should retain the party identity of each
candidate, for without parties the voter
! cannot properly give EXPIRE ssion to the
principles for which he stands. Tho
separate pieces of paper ballots in our
state are no longer satisfactory to our
| people.
Issue IL Vital.
The issue is so vital and far reaching
in our Statehood deem 1t to be my
| which ] consider has been cast upon
both the legislative and executive
branches of government, and to advise
| the Legislature that an adjourn m ent
without some action on this all i'm
portant question will cast upon the
executive duty to seriously consider
that the party pledges may be kept as
the people demand
On any question touching the Sc
curity of the right of suffrage and Of
the selection of candidates at primary
election. all partisan consideration
should be sunk in the strife to secure
system of primary election. In this
spirit, this subject Is brought to your
attention that IT may not be forgotten
| in the haste of the last days OF the
session, and tht there may be no mis-
understanding as to the views of the
any future action he may see. fit to
ment should occur without meeting by
proper legislation, this, the most vital