Newark evening star and Newark advertiser., 1910-05-03
REPUBLICANS ARE
BALKED IN SPO|LS
SYSTEM PLANS
Desertion of Four Aldermen from
Steering" Committee Results
in Change of Front.

The action of Aldermen Congleton.
Taylor, Whitfield and Hopper, repre-
senting the New Idea wing of the Re
publican majority of the Common
Council, in withdrawing from the eau
Gus that had been called lastSnight to
outline plans for ousting forty-nine
Democrats from obce, spoiled the ef-
forts of the steering committee and
resulted in a modification of the orig
inal plans.
There were only thirteen of the nine
teen members of the Republican ma
jority present last night. Alderman
Hopping, of the Ninth ward, another
New Idea man, and Alderman Huegel,
of the Thirteenth ward, who is i'll,
being absent. together with the four
aldermen who earlier in the day served
notice on Majority Leader Wohlfarth
that they would not take part in any
further conferences having for their OBJ
ject the displacement of competent
men for political reasons alone.
The members who were present last
night We're very angry at the action of
the New Idea men in so unceremo-
niously seeding from the ranks of the
Republican majority. and who declared
themselves as opposed to the pro-
gram that had been practically de-
cided upon at former conferences.
1t did not take long to get down to
business. and Leader Wohlfarth was
instructed to offer at Friday nights
meeting of the Common Council a reso-
luton abolishing sixteen offices that
are considered unnecessary"
That the resolution will be bitterly
opposed, and in all likelihood defeated,
is the opinion of those who are in a
position to know.
1t was decided also to favor submit
ting the civil service regulation law 20
the voters at the November election,
which is in the nature of victory for
at least one of the demands of the
New Idea members.
The fact that the original list of
forty-nine Democrats that had been
slated to go was cut to sixteen, and
these placed under the head of "un-
I ecessary Offices Is also a move in
the direction of the stand taken by the
| four aldermen who broke away from
| the caucus.
| They have insisted all along that re-
movals were justified only when the
| men were incompetent or the offices
they filled unnecessary. After the
action taken at last nights session 1t
is evident that all hopes of whole
sale cleaning out of Democratic office
| holders has been abandoned, and the
| anticipated removal of competent men
| for purely partisan reasons has been
| sidetracked.
| Even when tempered by the term
unnecessary offices" 1t is extremely
doubtful IL the sixteen men slated for
removal will have much reason TO fear
for their positions, and the compromise
agreement reached last night Is regard
ed more as an attempt to organize a
graceful retreat than to attempt, even
in part, fulfilment of the plans that
had previously been arranged.
It was agreed. after the thirteen
members at last nights conference had
sized UP the situation, that no attempt
would be made to put through any ap-
pointments until the meeting of the
entire Republican majority on May 1S.
1t is believed that by that time the
steering committee will be able to
bridge over some of the breaks in the
present situation. aEt.S
The places to be abolished include
three In the city sealer's Office; four In
Tax Receiver Ross's office; one in the
poor and aims department, and eight In
the City Hall. including the head jan
itor. Seven other Jobs of minor char
acter are to be wiped out.