New-York tribune., 1909-09-06
Am ENDMENT FIGHT ON
GoUernor Fort Hopes TO 1rouse
VOtcrs at Series of Meetings..


Trenton, y. J., Sept 5.-One week from next
Tuesday the voters or New Jersey will have most
important duty TO perform, for that day they
win be called on TO the proposed amend
ments to the state constitution. The amendments,
on the whole. worthy OF adoption. and represent
the work of a special commission appointed for
the purpose, but much opposition has developed
among the politicians and labor unions to their
adoption that unless the voters turn out in large
nunfbers there is good chance Of their being de-
Ieated.
The opposition Of tho politicians, of course is
based selfish motives, the benefit that would
accrue to the voters not being considered, while
the enmity of a certain class Of I6bor leaders Is
said to he due their prejudice against the
in general How far this kind of leadership will
he effectusl In diverting the rank and file from
what many believe to be tneir true interests re
metns to be seen.
The ballots for the special election are 14Ia by 20
inches in size. and set forth in detail the proposed
changes. Beside each amendment Is \ space in
which is printed For and Against IF
tsYors the change he must mark out the word
Against, and If opposed the reverse On next
Tuesday the boards Of registry in the different
voting precincts win sit and revise the registry
list. II is NOT necessary for citizen who voted at
the last election and st lives in the district
10 register in order to vote the proposed
charges, bur IL he has moved TO = different voting
precinct he must go 10 the polling place next Tues
day and have his name placed the list OF voters
in the district in which he lives.
There are FIVE amendments in all. The first
changes the numbers Of the para graphs; the
ono creates board of pardons to consist of
four members and the Governor; the third wipes
out The present court system and replaces 1t with
one Supreme Court. Of three divisions the fourth
Increases the salary of the members of tho Senate
and Assembly to 81 900 year. and the fifth provides
FOR the election of Assemblyrnen nv districts instead
of by counties is now the case. This amend
nent also Increases the terms of the Governor and
members Of the Senate to four years Assemblymen
10 two years and county officers 10 six years, the
object being TO separate state, county and city
elections.
Governor Fort is heartily in favor OF the pur-
posed changes. and backing him are nearly all OF
the lawyers in the state. The Governor will speak
in favor Of the amendments in Jersey City on
Thursday night. On Friday night he will speak in
Paterson, and the Monday preceding the cleo
ton in Newark. While 1t is expected that the
vote will be light, due TO the many demands the
voters time this year, the hope Is expressed that
at least a fair proportion OF the 100000
voters Of the state VIII take enough interest IN the
purposed alteration 10 90 the polls express
themselves one way or the other. In former years
the average vote cast at the referendum has been
about 10 or Is per cent, but those advocating the
changes hope that AT least 80 per cent will take
part in the election September u.
The entry OF Colonel Austen Colgate into the con-
test for chairman of the Essex County Republican
Committee has had the effect Of strengthen the
candidacy of Alfred \. DaIrymple the present
chairman, who Is seeking reelection. With the
contest between Major Lentz and nalrympe the
fight would be a warm one, hut popular IS
Colonel Colgate that many of the who have
heretofore been supporting Lentz have gone over
To palrymple, The fear being Expressed that tine
New Idea men might win. There Is nothing which
the Regulars, whether of the JDent7 or DsIrypple
brand fear more than New IDEA chairman
As matter Of fact some good friends oS Colonel
Colgate have moi hesitated TO express regret that
he entered the contest at all. The county chair.
ma Ie
70 deal with al kinds and classes of men and
while the colonel has had much experience in the
handling Of men. IS : large employer, IL IS not
thought he would have the patience and diplomacy
10 handle the cficeseek ekerr what nor who daiIv
gather at the committee headquarters snd make
the life Of the county chairman anything but
hsppr. Colonel Colgate Is not 3 practical poll.
tctau snd therein lies the of his success aa
candidate for elective office from the peonIe
direct He could he elected TO the Assembly or
almost any other office long as he cared to run
Now that the colonel Is In the contest however
much against his Will he will have host Of
friends, all New Idea men. either AT work to
help to gather IN the necessary committeeman to
insure his election county chairman
Assembyman Isaac T. Nichols who paid little
attention 10 the commands of the bosses Trenton
last winter is candidate for reelection. and he
lras Joined forces with ex-Assemblyman I.ouis Miller
in a contest at the coming primaries for the nom
ination against the candidates by the ma
chine of Cumberland County Ex-Governor E. c
stokes is the Republican leader, and defeat by
the combination would probably have some
effect his political future
There Is stiu ? disposition among The men who
in former years have been able to 90 into the con-
ventiors with the of their delegations IN their
vest pockets force Stokes into the Covernorship
again. But the eX-Govemors friends frown upon
this proposition. maintaining that 1c is candidate
for United States Senator and will never agree TO
any cut and dried plan 10 make him the Republi-
car nominee for Governor next year. As matter
Of fact some shrcwd politicians point that the
Ex-Governor, while he might get some New Idea
support because Of hs friendship for that faction
while in the Governors chair, might also find
Il cnbarrH SsnS 70 take the stump and explain how
he 70 reappoint sam Dickinson as Secre-
tary OF State, 'Dorv' Strong as Il member OF tie
State Boa rd of Assessors.