Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1911-02-27
CONFERENCE ON
W|LSON-RECORD
MEASURE TODAY
Governor Invites to C0nfab a
Few Favored Senators and
Assemblymen.
COMMITTEE PLANS
TO REPORT THE BILL
Fight Coming in House When
Absurdity Is Presented
for Action.
[Fra a star Correspondent

! TRENTON, Feb Ex-Governor WI
son is to confer today with certain
favored legislators as to the Geran bill.
The purpose of the conference. 1t is
said, is to provide for certain slight
notifications in the measure There
after according to present arrange
ment, the bill is to be reported favor
ably by the judiciary committee.
The friends Of the governor assert
that the bill now is in friendly hands.
Assemblymen Geran, Simpson and
Streitwolf constitute a majority of the
judiciary committee. They have thus
far shown a tendency to be docile and
tractable under executive suggestion.
No one is now looking for a show of
opinion, or a display of aggressiveness
by the assemblymen named, in any
way hostile to the wishes of Governor
Wilson.
VIII Report Bill.
The campaign. as outlined, for the
promotion of the Geran scheme, seems
to be this: The bill Is to be reported by
the committee with great acclaim. The
Governors Chorus" is to sing har-
moniously of its merits, of the great
principle which underlies it, and the
need for giving ii support
When the decks are cleared for action
In the House then the real work of
the governor will begin. Up to date
he has been fairly vigorous in his do
nunciation. He has intimated that he
would Feep a list of the opponents of
the measure, which might be useful for
ready reference, and implied what
might follow.
But it is asserted here that when the
measure comes before the House the
governor will give a striking exempli-
/ flcation Of what he is capable Of doing
when his will is thwarted.
Discount Governors Favor.
] But the fear of the governors dis
pleasure seems to be losing its terrors.
In the past he won many to his side
by the fact that he had patronage to
bestow But he is now so industriously
engaged in preparing to bestow 1t upon
! persons and interests that have always
! been al war with democracy that his
favor is not so highly regarded.
! member of the Legislature said to-
day: II am opposed to the Geran bill,
and if given the chance / will oppose
It on the floor of the House. The
| Governors views / will treat with re-
spect. His position entities him to
that. But IL he goes beyond the power
of his office; if he seeks to impute to
me anything dishonorable because OF
my opposition to the bill, he will meet
with a rude awakening.
81 am opposed to the bill, and so
are many of my colleagues. In it's
present form it is not to be thought
=. There are many provisions in 1t
which must be eliminated. We all
know that it is George L. Records
idea, not the Governors.
Arguments RiddIed.
1T is described by its friends as u
step toward freer government by the
people. What rot this Is, when we
look at the real purpose of the bill
As things are now arranged, the peo-
pie, through many representatives, have
something to say in tho drafting of
their platforms; in the choice Of the
State committee, in the designation IF
the presidential electors.
But In the Gersn bill all this IS
considerably taken from the people
and lodged in the control of the gov
ernor of the State. / predict the defeat
of the BILL.
1t is understood that Governor Will
son has invited Assemblyman Geran
and Senators Osborne, Silzer and Geb
hardt to the conference to be held in
the executive chamber this afternoon.
Senator Nichols's bills, extending the
direct primary act to the nomination
of Governor and Congressman, are on
the Assembly calendar ready for final
passage. They embody all that the
Democratic or Republican parties
pledged to accomplish in the recent
election in the way of extending the
direct primary act to the nominations
for Governor and Congressman. The
bills amount to a fulfilment of those
pledges, and yet it is probable that
because they do not meet with the
approval of George L. Record, who
framed the Geran election law revision
bill, friends of the Governor will try to
have the Geran bill, which is not yet
reported. substituted for each of the
y Ta.I.- - I'll