Perth Amboy evening news., 1910-08-19
STOKES HAS
PRAISE FOR
Mr.. MURPHY

Trenton, Aug. 19:-Former Governor
Stokes yesterday issued a statement in
which he praises former Governor Muir
ply for coming out with him in a race
for the United States senate. Cover
nor Stokes thinks this kind of a con-
test will stimulate Republican voters
and help the ~gubernatorial campaign.
He said:
~ am very much gratifed at the
turn of affairs. Governor Murphy's
attitude is most satisfactory. In a
special message to the legislature 1
recommended the enactment of a law
providing for primaries for candidates
for United States senator, and drafted
the present act, which was passed dur
ing my administration. I was the first
to announce my determination to submit
my candidacy for the United States sem
ate to the republican voters at the pri-
maries. The endorsement of an exper-
fenced and tried party leader like Gov
ernor Murphy, therefore, is a compli-
ment which | make no pretense of I'M
dervaluing.
Moreover, every loyal republican
must rejoice in Governor Murphy's ac-
ton. Party interest was dead. 1t is
now awakened. The interest that will
be created at the primaries by a healthy
senatorial contest will arouse an enthus-
iasm which will aid party victory at
the polls. Nothing could have happen
ed more conducive to our party success
this fall.
candidates who object to making
the people the arbiters in the senator
ial contest do SO IN two grounds. First,
that the law is not, binding upon the
members Of the legislature. This view
is entirely erroneous. The law is abso-
lutely binding upon all fair and sin
cere members of the legislature, 1t is
far more specific in its obligations than
the custom which binds the presiden-
tial electors in their choice for presi-
dent and vice president. No one would
dream of these electors violating the
expressed wish of their constituents as
expressed at the ballot box. No more
would we expect the members of the
Legislature to violate the expressed wish
of the people as voiced at the primar-
les on the question of the United
States senatorship. Those who intimate
that the law is not binding reflect upon
the good faith Of the members of the
legislature of this state. They are rep
resentatives of the people, and to init
mate that they would not be bound by
the law is to say that they will misrep-
resent the people.
"The second suggestion of the oppo-
nents Of this act, that they are follow
ing constitutional methods as outlined
by the fathers, is a plea in avoidance.
The law providing for q senatorial
choice at the primaries does not change
or attempt to change the constitutional
method of electing a United States SEN
atoR. 1t is not unconstitutional to per-
nit the people to say whom they want
to serve them in the United States
senate. 1t is simply granting to the
people the right of petition which is
guaranteed by the constitution and
which John Quincy Adams said belong
ed even to a slave Under this law,
the candidate for the United States
senate goes to the doors of the legisla-
ture with the credentials Of the people
behind him. By what rule of logic is it
that a candidate for United States SEN
ator who refuses to permit the people
to say whether they want him or not Is
a constitutional candidate, and the can
didate whom the people say they do
want is UNCONSTITUTIONAL
"Surely the republican party of this
state will not attempt to go into the
campaign this fall upon any platform
that by expressed terms or even by in
ference denies to the people the right
to choose their representatives in the
United States senate. Such a policy
would be an objectionable slight to the
people whose votes we need in order
to win.
"This issue is now well defined, and
it is a question of whether, as one of
the candidates expressed it, the senator
ial question shall be attended to after
the legislature is elected, which was the
|! case in Illinois, or whether the people
shall have the right at the ballot box
to pass Judgment on the various eandl,
dates for the high honor in question and
say who shall represent New Jersey in
the United States senate. The state is
on trial and the right of the people to
ru1a ia tho issue'