Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1911-03-27
Protests Against Geran Bill;
Senate to Reuamp Il

[LelLers OF protest against the Gerdn
bill are flooding the senator's mail.
Harold NJ. Anderson. of Montciair. a
member of the Essex County Demo-
cratic Cor. mittee. sent a very strong
letter to Senator Osborne. c~ondemning
he bill as iniquitous and pointing out
the vicious feature of the proposed act
In support of the claim which has
been made that the bill discriminates
against the illiterate voter and in a
Measure DISTINGUISHES him, he says:
"Under our laws, whether properly or
improperly, the i1liternte man In entitled
TO vote. enjoying that high privilege ON
the same terms as his better educated
brother. Whether this IL as II should
be Ia n broad and complex problem,
but the fact being what II IL, IL is obvt-
ous that no unnecessary ~hindrsnces
should be put 1 / the way of his exercis-
ing the right of suffrage. Yet the bill
now before you provides for o blanke
ballot without any emblem or sign to
guide the man who cannot read. IL
would not have been din to make
provision for the use of suitable em-
blems. Their practicabiIity has been
INV 1tdhEBy Dut N =
bill does not permit them. The erect
Of this must be evident to ali. The nit
crate voter II effectuaIiy d~isfranchised.
The privilege of voting remaias to him,
but the machinery of voting Is so arr
ranged as 10 make 1t Impossible for him
to exercise IT.,
Concerning the method of selecting
election officers he makes the following
forcefui comment:
Sections show Misapprehension.
Those sections Of the bill now before
you, In which is prescribed the
OF selecting election officers, appear 20
have been drawn under the assumption
that there is great rivalry for appoint
ment to the district boards of registry
and election. Such is not the case. On
the contrary, there are scores Of dis
tricts in which election officers are OBJ
tained only with the greatest difficulty.
In my own district it was necessary to
conduit one election with only three
officers, because the fourth could not be
found. One of the officers has acted as
a personal favor to me, not because OF
n compensation he receives. l fear
each year that he may refuse to serve,
1880 u VI WOAAJ
to me to find a man to act with him.
What will b. the result If the Geran
bill is passed? l do not expect or even
hope that my friends will consent to
undergo the loss of time and the nuis-
ance involved in a civil service ex-
animation, with the possibility of SUBJ
sequcnt sum ons to court and examin-
alton before a Judge at the instigation
~ q0na peraona1 apau1U prartipaI t0ker
or mere trouble-maker The work Of
the election officer Is hard and dis
agreeable. Men do 1t at a sacrifice Of
their comfort and their regular occu-
pations. Is 1t good policy for the State
to add to the difficulties we now ex-
p~erience in manning the polls?"
Mr.. nderson supports the view here
tofore widely entertained that the State
+ IS nc right to l~egislate with reference
to delegates to national conventions. In
this regard he says:
ST have been greatly interested in the
section Of the law providing for the
election of delegates and s%lternntes to
national conventions, because I hive at
tended several national conventions and
nav been deeply Interested In the
methods and practises that obtain in
them. of course, the national conven-
fiou is beyond any Law. New Jersey
cannot bind or control the actions of
these eatherings. The temporary or
ganization is arranged by the National
Committee. which prepares the temper
airy roll. This may be entirely changed
by the permanent organization. Sup
pose that, encouraged by the fact that
only 100 names are needed, under the
Geran bill, to put up a candidate for
deleEate-at-large, a plumber of csndi-
dates appear, the vote Is close. the deci-
sion dihicuIt and contrasting delegations
attend the convention, what will be the
RESULT The states influence will be
diminished, it's chances of obtaining rec
ognition Iessened and its Importance in
the councils of the party greatly re-
duced. Is such q ~tuati desirabIef
As to the provision permitting a vote on
the names of the aspirants for the NOM
i~nation for President. Of what use can
1t bes II binds nobody, 1t gets no.
where. Why not a choice for vice.
Presidentr This In, In my opinion, use
less numbering of the ballot. Today the
State may rejoice in having a short bal
lot. Let is preserve this cause for
thankfuIness.-
Mr.. Anderson opposes the provision
of the bill which denies a candidate
nominated by two OF more bodies for
any office from beneftting by the in
dorsement of more than one party.
Secs DANCE Regarding Chairman.
He also sees danger In the provision
which requires the election of the
county chairman at the primaries. He
ridiculous the section which calls for
an annual convention at Trenton Of
certain off1ce-seekers, and asks face
tiously whether the atmosphere Of
Trenton is more MORE. more conducive
to wisdom. more bracing to independ-
ence than that of any other place?
But, seriously, he inquiries: What
business is 1t of the Legislature where
ua hold orr coDvantiapsov