New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-09-26
WILSON WARNS VOTERS
Governor Also Points Out Duties
of Election Officers.

One IF the most exciting primary cam
paigns in the history of New Jersey came
to a close last night, and to-day the voters
will have the opportunity directly TO select
the candidates of their respective political
parties. Every effort has been made TO In.
terest the voters, the new Geran law pro-
viding that the polls shall be open from
o'clock in the morning until o'clock at
night.
Governor Wilson evidently fears fraud
may be practised by the members of his
own party in Essex County to defeat the
Wilson candidates for nomination, as was
shown yesterday. when he issued the fol-
lowing statement
1t IS evident that the Geran election law,
if properly executed by the election officers,
will prevent the frauds which, it is plain,
have been pracused in the past. The return
of over l,00O official envelopes addressed 10
voters ia Essex County alone, 10 say moth
ing Of the many thousands in other coun-
ties, proves that frauds were perpetrdted
At the last election and presumably at the
| last primary.
1t is plain also that those who planned
and executed those frauds last year VIII
endeavOr to repeat them this year, and
/ that an attempt viii be made TO vote upon
/ the. fraudulent names on last years POI
election officers and other authorities pre-
J vent IL.
There arc two ways to prevent these
! frauds. The first Is for the election officer
| to compel every voter who offers TO vote
/ at the primary TO thereupon register for
1.-THE ensuing general election The second
+, is for the Prosecutor i'm each county 10
make preparation 10 gather evidence OF
every attempt TO vote on these fraudulent
names. I'm which work the police authori-
ties of every city should cooperate.
/ There have been some opposing views
] cN as n 1 he intent Of the Ia ~
with reference 10 registering for the gen
| cral election. I have examined the law
/ carefully on this point, and have consulted
experienced lawyers. and am clear that the
intent of the Geran act Is to prevent Notlns
at the primaries upon last years tfaudu-
| lent names bv compelling the intending
voters 10 register for the ensuing general
election, and thereby answer ,hc questions
which no fraudulent voter can answer.
/ II there was any doubt on this point II
! is plain that every bona ide voter would
desire to so register on primary day, ana
thus save himself the trouble OF coming 20
the registry place on another day. Any
voter therefore, who menifeSts desire 10
vote at the primary without registering Tor
tho general election puts the election off.
GERS and the watchers on notice that ne IS
al least a possible and very likely prob
able fraudulent voter.
Every Prosecutor should make Careiul
preparation to gather evidence Of false Not-
ing ana Of violating the law by the cleo
lion officers The new act imposes new
duties on them with respect to these and
other matters. and even without that edcl
Of them ought 10 regard II as an essential
part of his duty to cooperate with All the
other authorities in preventing FRAUDS AZ
primaries and election: a..
False voting at primaries Eoes 10 mo
foundation Of free government, and give
tubIic notice that | will use the utmost
power Of my office 20 bring the run penalty
os the law upon any person VINO traudu,
Iertlv votes at to-mOrrow's primaries, and
rpon any election officer and other pubic
Official who neglects any duty imposed upon
him by law In this regard.
A new style Of ballot much different from
the little slips Of paper formerly used, will
be given 90 the voter, on which he VIII
find the name Of each candidate arranged
alphabetically In some counties these bal
lots are exceptionally large, especially in
Fssex and Hudson. In the latter county
the ballot is IS inches long and inches
wide. The voter must put an tx" opposite
the name Of each candidate he wishes 20 see
nominated.
Both the Democratic machine and the
supporters Of Governor Wilson claimed VIC
tory for their respective tickets in ESSEX
County last night while on the Republican
side the regulars were exceedingly optimis-
tic predictions being freely made that their
entire ticket would be nominated. with
Colonel Colgate running away ahead for the
nomination for Senator.
In Camden Senator Bradley's friends as
serted that he had the Baird machine beat
to-a fragile" and that he would surely
be the next Republican candidate for SEN
ator in Camden The friends Of Assembly
man Geran, who is seeking a denomination
in Monmouth County, were not so opti-
mistc, however, and charges We're freely
made that the Democratic organization was
going to knife him because Of his part
ia passing the new election law bearing