Perth Amboy evening news., 1910-08-26
NO CANDIDATE
PLEDGED VOTE
Optional With Senate and
Assembly Nominees as to
How They stand.
PROVISIONS IN THE LAW
Especial Correspondence.

NSpeCidl
Trenton, Aug. 26:-The secretary
OF states office has not thus far been
notified of a single candidate for
either the nomination OF state n
tor or member of the House of the
of the section of the direct primary
act which permits legislative aspi-
rants to officially pledge themselves
to respect the popular vote on the
question Of electing a United States
senator.
Under the primary law, legisla-
tive candidates can declare them
selves on the United States senator
ship in n of two ways. The first
provision Is a pledge whereby the
candidate agrees to vote for the can
didate for United States senator who
receives the largest number of votes
in his party in the county where the
legislative candidate is running.
The other provision is in the form
Of a pledge to abide by the popular
vote on the senatorial question as it
is affected by the result In the state.
1t was the duty of county clerks
to submit the form of these pledges
to the legislative aspirants when
their petitions were filed last We'd
nesday afternoon, but In some u
ties this duty may not have been
fully complied with because OF the
fact that the clerks did not receive
official notifications of the United
States senatorial candidates. until
after the legislative petitions had
been received. Where such has been
the case, the law requires the county
clerks to communicate with the
county candidates Immediately upon
being notified by the secretary of
state.
Optional With Candidates.
1t Ia optional with the legislative
candidates whether they will sign
one Of the two pledges, and no time
limit Is set for the filing of such q
pledge.
While it is likely that some candi-
dates for the state senate and the
assembly will sign the pledge, it is
the opinion of those who follow
state political affairs closely that the
great majority of aspirants will not
do SC. The general inclination among
the leaders of both parties is to rest
content with taking advantage Of
the primary law without insisting on
official pledges from the legislative
candidates. 4
Stokes Opens Camp align. 1
Former Governor E.. G.. Stokes
opened his campaign for the sena-l
torship yesterday afternoon when he
delivered a speech to several thou
sand Cumberland county republicans
at a big political picnic at Tumbling
Dam park. Mr.. Stokes expects I'd
announce definitely his plans for the
primary campaign by the first Of
next week, He expects to speak in
nearly every section of the state ba-s
fore primary day. September 10. !
Friends Of Mr.. Stokes believe that
his chances for a large vote among
republicans has been greatly inns
proved by Representative Charles M
the senatorial fight through the
direct primaries. Inasmuch as he 10
backed by the Progressives, Mr..
Fowler is expected to rally a big
vote in Essex, Hudson and Passaio
that will split up support that Mr..
Murphy might otherwise profit by.
That McDermit Petition.
The reason for Frank M. McDers
nit, a Newark lawyer, filing a pets
ton nominating himself as a demo@
cratic candidate for the United
States senate, still remains a myg-
terry. Some democrats seem to think
1t Is merely an evidence of monu@
mental nerve on the part of McDers
NIT, while others analyze 1t as q.
yelled attempt of former Senator,
James Smith, Jr., OF Newark, to en4'
nance his own chances of being
elected to succeed John Kean, Id
case the legislature is demooratio'
mex winter, by seeking to make the
contest before the direct primariez
appear ridiculous through injecting
an inoonsequental local politician
into the fight.
Marines Statement. =
James e. MARITIME today issued the
following statement: 4
II sincerely thank my fellow citi~
gens Of the State of New Jersey wing
SO disinterestedly secured the res
quired number Of signatures to mN
petition as q candidate for United
States senator from this commons
wealth. Whatever may be the res
suit Of the contest later on, 1t shall
not alter my fealty and convictiona
as expressed in my declaration Of
principles upon entering the contesta
Whether In public position or priYs
ate citizen, / shall fight on al long
as God may spare my life"