Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1910-05-02
FOUR REPUBLICAN
ALDERMEN OBJECT
TO SP0|LS SYSTEM
Party Leader Deserted by New
Idea Men on Account Of
Threatened DismissaIs.

Four Republican aldermen served
notice in writing upon Majority
Leader Emil Wohlfarth. of the Com
mon Council, today that they would
not attend tonight's conference to
consider ousting city employees and
officials and that they would attend
no other conferences that have for
their object the removal of men
from office for purely political pur-
poses. The letters mean the abso-
lutte defeat of the plans of the Re-
publican organization to throw men
out of office to make room for po-
litical workers.
The letters we're sent to Mr.. Wohl-
farth's home by Aldermen Jerome T.
Congleton and George w. Taylor, of
the Eleventh ward, and Aldermen
Charles l.. Whitfield and Daniel
Hopper, of the Eighth ward. They
are all New Idea men. Originally
Aldermen Charles w. Baum and w.
Frank Hopping were committed to
a program that was against a return
to the old-time spoils system that
regards nothing but the political
value of the man who is placed, but
they have been persuaded to join
with the thirteen Regulars, who have
been working for months to use city
Jobs to recompense their lieutenants
and hackers.
Seventeen Oppose System.
The Common Council consists of nine
teen Republicans and thirteen Demo-
Gratis. The bold def Of four Republi-
cans leaves the spoils crowd with but
fifteen votes, and shows q lineup of
seventeen aldermen in favor of busi-
nesslike government of the city and
abandonment of the peanut political
methods that would oust competent
men to make room for men whose expe-
rience and qualifications are at very
best an unknown quantity.
Mr.. Congleton has been fighting hard
in the steering committee of the major
ity to defeat the plans for rewarding
political heelers at the expense of the
city by giving them places now occu-
pied by efficient men, whose only
offense Is that they hold different views
as to the tariff than do the leaders of
the Republican party. He has had the
cordial support Of the other three men,
bers OF the Council, who Joined him to-
day in the written ultimatum to Major
ity Leader Wohlfarth. In effect the
four men have thrown down the gage
Of battle to the whole Republican party
for 1t is q fact that County
Chairman Alfred N Dalrymple and
those who stand with him in the COM
mand Of party affairs here are behind
the program which President William
Pennington, of the Council. and Alder
man Wohlfarth are trying to carry out.
1--WE are willing to meet with the
other Republican aldermen when the
question of city offices is approached
in proper and businesslike manner"
said Alderman Congleton when asked
about the letters he and his three New
Idea associates sent to Wohlfarth. 1--WE
are ready to consider the question
when the other majority members
agree to take up first the matter of un-
necessary places that should be abol-
ished. We are prepared to discuss the
question Of incompetency in the City
Hall. too. and to vote to remove any
placeholders. We do not
PROPOSE however, to participate in con-
ferences where men are chosen without
the slightest suggestion as to their
ability to I'LL the offices intended for
them. If we are to remove incompe-
tents, 1t must be shown that the men
who are selected to succeed them are