The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1909-05-16
Big DINNER TO DAVID BAIRD
NAN GOV. FORT TURNED DOWN
Guest Of r. n. M'C.ARTER.
No Politics In II. President Of Public Ser.
Vice Corporation says-New Idea
Leaders Counsel Calls II a bel.
sha1/ar's Feast or Special Privilege"

RED BANK, n. j., May 15.-There was a
big gathering Of the great and near great
men Of New Jersey at the dinner given to-
day to State Assessor David Baird by
Thomas n. McCarter, president of the Pub
lilo Service Corporation OF New Jersey. at
his fine country seat on the Rumson road
about a mile from here. The hundred or
more guests were met at the Red Bank
railroad station by special trolley cars
and conveyed to Fair Haven, near which
village Mr.. McCarter's summer home is
located.
The fact that Mr.. Baird was not reap
pointed to the Board Of Assessors during
the recent session Of the Legislature.
although allowed to hold over. gave rise
to tho rumor. expressed in many quarters.
that the dinner was given as a vindica-
ton Of MIR. Baird and a slap at Gov. Fort.
The Governor was invited to the dinner.
He declined because Of a previous engage
ment in the South. That is said to have
been his only reason.
Mr.. McCarter declared the dinner was
purely a social affair and without
any political signiican nee whatever. He
merely invited a company of political and
DUblDtSS lNAtllS 70 tllIt WIN HlT1 anu III
spect his country estate, which is the
finest in this section,
While the gathering lacked the pres
ence ~ the Governor there we're ex-
Governors and wouldbe Governors
a-plenty. Among the ex-Governors
we're Foster VI. Voorhees,, John W. Meiggs,
Franklin Murphy and Edward Casper
Stokes. Among the wouldbe Governors
we're Vivian NJ Lewis. Senator Joseph
s. F~relinghuy sen. State Railroad Com
missioner Thomas J. Hillery and Senator
Oliver II. Brown.
While The guests we're gathering at
Rumson Hill, George l.. Record. ex-
Cooperation Counsel Of Jersey City,
leRal adviser 10 the New Idea leaders,
gave out the following statement in that
city,
in real politics will I've centred to-day
upon III dinner given at The McCarter
home on the Rumson road To David Baird
this afternoon. The ostensible purpose
OF the dinner If OF course only a con-
venient pIeteNt for a gathering OF the old
guard.
"Aftsr IN, dow nfall Of Dickinson and
Lentz Mr.. Baird was by far the most
conspicuous remaining representative Of
the system Of corporate control of politics
Wnen GOV. fort, contrary to the confident
expectations Of all the managers Of the
system, failed TO send in Mr. Baird's name
for reappointment upon the State Board
of Assessors he in effect issued a challenge
TO the whole system Of running politics
which has prevailed in this State for a
generation.
'Instinctively the system recognized
the tremendous significance Of the Gov
erpor's action. They now realize hat
II Ia not a battle in which they are engaged.
but a war. and this dinner is nothing
but a roundup Of every representative
Of a special privilege OF the State. When
Che people are able to scar the list of the
men who attend this dinner its full sig
n~iicance will appear.
1T lie a good guess that this particular
showdown of the allied forces Of the
system will reveal conspicuous and in
f~uential politicians in both political or
CARNATIONS. The system works through