The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1910-10-11
How VIII They Vote +?


of The News, but is from the pen of
prominent and respected citizen of tn
! county:
To the Editor and to the Republican cote
II Of Burlington County:
The New Jersey Mirror, of Mour
Holly, under date of September 21st, 1911
contained an editorial upon the questio
of United States Senatorship, which |
part says:-"Just what effect the opera
tion of the new law will have upon th
Senatorial election to take place durin
the next Legislative Session is problemat
cal.-How far the members of the tw
branches of the Legislature will feel boun
to follow the expression of sentiment O
the majority of those voting for the tire
candidates on the primary ballots, is
matter of conjecture"
These expressions are indeed a surpris
and it is hoped that they do not reflect tn
personal views of the editor of that paper
who has always considered himself ant
wished to be considered by others al
i honest, consistent Republican.
AT the recent primary election nearl,
114,OO Republican voters in the Stat
expressed their preference for United
States Senator, In accordance with tn,
laws CT New Jersey, and ex-Governo
Edward @. Stokes received the highes
vote, a plurality. Will this expression b,
ignored Can 1t be ignored by homes
men2
The Republican State platform of 1907
declared expressly I'VE favor the enact
ment of law for expression, In som,
authoritative way, by the voter of hi
choice for United States Senator" Upor
that platform the Republican candidates
were elected, and In fulfillment of thai
pledge Republican Legislature passed
and Republican Governor approved the
present law, which In substance provides
that any person desiring to be candidate
for United States Senator. might with the
endorsement of at least one thousand
voters of his party, submit his name to
the voters of his party, at the primary.
At the recent primary three names were
submitted, two former Governors and one
member of Congress. Notwithstanding d
determined effort upon the part of certain
political leaders, so called, to suppress the
vote, nearly 114,000 Republican voters
exercised their legal right and expressed a
preference. 1t Is contended by some that
the vote Is not binding because the entire
Republican party did not vote. In 1907,
the last gubernatorial ELECTION, the entire
and the entire Republican vote last year
was 210,6 58, and at the recent primary
election, as before stated, nearly 114,O00
Republican voters, more than a majority
OF the whole, expressed preference for
Senator. 1t can readily be seen that a
majority of the Republican voters favored
the law and voted In accordance there
with. II the next Legislature is Republi-
can, dare the Republican members ignore
the peoples direction2
In the county of Burlington there were
4736 votes cast by the Republican party
upon the Senatorial question and of these
Edward Q. Stokes received $685. If any
candidate for Assembly, other than the
present nominees, Messrs. White and Pine,
had received vote equal to that of Mr.
Stokes. that person would now be one of
the party's nominees, instead of either Mr..
Pine or Mr.. White.
There are rumors of what our Republi-
can nominees will do In the Legislature If
elected. These rumors should be put at
rest at once. The law of the State re-
quires that the County Clerk shall prepare
and hand to each of the Assembly nomi-
nees a statement, which statement calls
for declaration by the nominee as to
whether he will support for United States
Senator, the choice of his party's voters of
the county, as expressed at the primary
election, or declaration that he will sup
port the choice of his party's voters of the
State at the primary election. Has our
County Clerk furnished the Republican
nominees with these statementsi If not,
why notS Let it be done at once, and let
the Assembly nominees make their declar-
ations forthwith. If they fail so to do the
people should be advised so that they NAV
act accordingly
1t has been suggested that every Re-
publican voter In the county, who Is in
terested In this matter, and hundreds OF
them are, write to and personally demand
OF the nominees declaration of their
position, and If they neglect Or refuse to
make any, then let the voters determine If
they can trust men as their representatives
who refuse to comply with the people's
direction. This plan has considerable
merit, but the candidates should not put
the people to this trouble, but If the can
didates won't act, the people should. For
one l would rather vote for an honest
Democrat than a dishonest Republican,
and there are many others who think
likewise.
The only instance where a Legislature
has ignored the expression of the people
on the matter of United States Senator
ship is in the state of Illinois, and we
have read of the bribery and corruption
which prevailed In that Legislature
Even now public Investigation is being
made In the city of Chicago, concerning
this disgraceful matter. Why any legis-
lator should hesitate about making an
open declaration that he will obey the
peoples expressed will, is unanswerable,
except it be that the Legislator, unmind.
full of his own and his party's honor, is
seeking financial gain or is controlled by
bosses.
The people should and are demanding
to know what Messrs. White and Pine
propose doing. What are these gentle
men going to do about 1t: The people
should not and are not going to vote
blindly or to take any chances, and If
Legislative candidates want the peoples
support at the polls, they should make
their positions known. If they do not do
this then well-wait until the morn
ing after election and the candidates will
be apt to say "who threw that first brick
last?"
Yours respectfully,
1. N. DOUBT.