Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1910-08-18
EX-GOv. STOKES
SAYS OPPONENTS
DODGE The ISSUE
Lauds Franklin Murphy and
RidicuIes John Kean and
David Baird.
Especial to the Newark start

TRENTON. Aug. 1S.-Former Cow
ernor Edward G. Stokes, In a statement
given out today, lauds former Governor
Franklin Murphy in deciding to follow
| the formers example in fling a petit
ton for the purpose of having his name
placed upon the primary tickets for the
| Republican voters to express a choice
| for the successor to United States sem
ator John Kean.
While Governor Stokes does not men-
| ton the names of Senator Kean or
David Baird, at the same time he
criticizes both by the way OF ~ridiculing
their reasons for not filing petitions.
| He also raps both on their contention
that the law is not binding upon the
members of the Legislature once the
voters express their choice. Former
Governor Stokes insists that the. party
| will benefit by the senatorial contest.
which is sure to arouse enthusiasm to
aid the party at the polls. Tho former
governors statement follows:
situation Statistics.
"I am very much gratifled at the
turn of affairs. Former Governor MUIR
phys attitude is most satisfactory. In
a special message to the Legislature I
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. ! was the first
to announce my determination to sub
NIT my candidacy for the United States
Senate to the Republican voters al the
primaries. The Endorsement of an ex-
perienced and tried party leader like
former Governor Murphy, therefore. IN
a compliment which I make no pretense
OF undertaking..
Moreover. every loyal Republican
must rejoice in former Governor Muir
phys action. 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 enthusiasm which will aid party
victory at the polls. Nothing could
have happened more conducive to our
party success this fall.
Candidates who object tN making
the people the arbiters In the sena-
torial contest do so on two grounds.
First, that the law is not binding upon
the members OF the Legislature. This
view is entirely erroneous. The law is
absolutely binding Upon all fair and
sincere members of the Legislature. 1t
is far more specific in its obligations
than the custom which binds the
presidential electors in their choice for
President and Vice-President. No one
would dream Of these electors violat-
ing the expressed wish OF their con-
~stituents 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 primaries on the ques-
ton of the United States S~enatorship.
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 Representatives
of the people. and to intimate that
they would not be bound by the law
is to say that they win misrepresent
the people.
Dodge Issue.
THE second suggestion Of the OPP
p~onents of this act. that they are fol-
lowing constitutional methods as out
lined by the fathers, is a plea in avoid
ance. The law providing for a sena-
orial choice at the primaries does not
change or attempt to change the con-
stitutional method of electing a United
States Senator. It is not unconstitu-
tional to permit the people to say
whom they want to serve them in the
United States Senate. It is simply
granting to the people the right ot
petition which is guaranteed by the
| Constitution and which John Quincy
Adams sale belonged even to a slave
Under the law, the candidate for the
United States Senate goes to the doors
of the Legislature with the credentials
Of, the people behind him. By what
rule of logic is 1t that a candidate for
United States Senator who refuses to
permit the people to say whether they
want him or not Is a constitutional
candidate. and the candidate whom the
people say they do var Is unconsti-
tutional?
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
inference denies to the people the
right to choose their representatives In
the United States Senate. Such q
policy would be an objectionable slight
to the people. whose votes We need In
border to win.
This issue Is now well defined. and
1t Is q question of whether. as n OF
the candidates expressed II, the soma
toria1 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 candidates for the high honor
in question n say who shall repre-
sent New Jersey in the United States
Senate. The State Is on trial and tins
right OF the people to rule Is tins