Perth Amboy evening news., 1911-04-14
Election Reform Measure
Passes Senate Without a
Vots in Opposition.
VICTORY FOR GOVERNOR
Republicans and Democrats
Vie With Each Other Say
Ing Nice Things.
GOVERNOR WILSON ON
PASSAGE OF GERAN BILL.


Indianapolis, April 14-"The
passage of the Geran direct
primary bill by the Republican
senate in New Jersey is the re-
suit of popular uprising in
which the voice of the people
made their demands so clear
that there was no escape" said
Governor Woodrow Wilson, of
New Jersey. today. "The men
who are fighting me IN the
legislature are not Republicans
or Democrats, they are merely
body of men banded together
for selfish interests.
? f'We are interested in fighting
machine which is not non-par-
tisan, but which is bipartisan.
One of the hiding places of
those seeking special privileges
is the old state convention.
"The primary bill passed by
the senate is as progressive a
piece of legislation as has been
enacted in any state in the
= union
s***
Trenton, April 14:-What may
be set down as the most remarkable
scene ever enacted in the Legislature
of this state came yesterday as the
days finish to the Senate session as
the night shadows began to fall. The
Geran elections bill, the second of
the four dominating measures OF
Governor Wilson's program for keep
ing pledges to the people, a sweep
ing reform OF the election machin-
Z -
out vote against it, Republicans
vieing with the Democrats to add
their words of commendation to a
Democratic governors honest effort
| to bring about honest elections and
good government Almost every
senator spoke in favor of the meas
ure and it had eighteen votes, with
/ four absentees: Hand, Republican,
| of Cape May; Nichols, Republican,
of Cumberland; Gaunt, Republican,
lof Gloucester, and Johnson, Demo-
erat, of Bergen. All had been called
home upon business which could not
be delayed, but it is probable that all
would have voted for the measure,
! making for the fr~t4sis.<9sn. a1eqna1
perhaps, unanimous vote
litieal measure.
1t was more like a good old NJ
odist love feast than the action OF 4
political divided legislative body
! passing political measure A6great
| lot of routine matter had been pass
| ed when Senator Bradley, of Cam
den, as chairman of the elections
committee, offered the new bill
framed by that committee and moved
| its adoption. 1t was adopted at once.
| Then he offered two or three amend
ments to correct the merest trifles
| of typographical errors and one max
| ing it mandatory upon the part of
county clerks to give up registry
books to township clerks on order
! OF supreme court Justice.
All were promptly adopted and
Senator Bradley at once moved the
suspension of the rules to place the
bill on third reading and final pass
! age at once. That required two
thirds vote, which it got, the only
opponent being Senator Leavitt, of
Mercer. who merely made the point
scan the reprinted bill which had ap-
| peared upon his desk at fIs3a
O'Clock yesterday morning. 1t was
not because he was opposed to the
bill, he said, but it was unfair to ex-
pect senator to vote for the meas
ure which had been so multifarious-
| ly altered from the original without
being given chance to see it.
Bradley Explains Changes.
The Bradley motion prevailed,
however, and the bill was at once
/ placed upon final passage The sen
ator said it was not necessary to say
much about the measure, which had
been discussed so thoroughly since
the opening of the session, but he
did wish to explain that the commit
! tee on elections, after finding the
original bill IN such bad shape that
much work had to be done upon It.
| considered it its duty to put the bill
| into proper form. Every possible
effort had been put forth to bring
about the best results and 1t was felt
| that now the measure was in form to
! accomplish what was intended. While
it might not bring about all OF the
good that was expected of 1t, still It
was step in the right direction and
he was in favor of it.
| Senator Fielder, of Hudson, ex-
planned that the only change made
/ in the bill was the elimination OF the
provision for the election of county
chairman for parties and the addi-
ton of the provision for assistance
/ to ilHterate voters Senator Leavitt
Continued on page AZ