Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1911-02-15

tation. For instance, a representative
of the New Ideaites could not be kept
off the board OF registry and election
1t is difficult to obtain enough officers
to serve on election day. The Geran
bill makes 1t harder to accomplish TINS
purpose BY imposing an examination
and requiring such officer to be a resi-
dent of his district for two years.
In the discussion of the bill its main
purpose must not be lost sight Of. It
is a scheme to control delegates to the
national convention, and In the effort
to accomplish this the whole plan may
fall apart. Since the Introduction or
the bill it has been urged in legal quar-
tiers that the Governor will not be able
: to further his ambition. for the reason
that 1t Is beyond the power Of the
State to leglalate with respect to a ma
tional gathering Of a voluntary char
acter.
Speaking of this phase Of the bill to-
day, a prominent lawyer of this city
' bsaid;
Assembly bill 175, Mr.. Geran' pro-
vides in sections 6 to q for the election
of delegates and a~lternates to national
conventions.
Delegates at large are nominated by
petition. filed with the secretary OF
state. District delegates are nominated
by petitions filed with the respective
county clerks.
A"These delegates are subsequently TO
be elected at public primaries.
without regard to the Interior pur-
pose which lies behind these provisions,
the proposed scheme seems a volun-
tary meddling with a subject beyond
the scope of the law.
National Conventions.
National conventions are voluntary
assemblies OF the people. They are not
provided for by law. They are not
contemplated In the Federal Const1tu-
ton. The latter document declares for
the appointment of presidential elect
ors, who, after election, are to meet
and vote for a person for President or
the United States.
1.-THE Federal Constitution leaves TO
the State the power to appoint in such
manner as the Leg stature thereof may
direct the number of presidential
electors to which K Is entitled.
''These electors are free to vote for
any person they may select, provided
he has the necessary qualifications, ana
provided further that their vote b
not go to a President and Vlce-Presi-
den from the same State.
Beyond state Control.
"The holding of national conventions
in advance of the elections Is a scheme
not provided for by law. Its purpose
is to decide, for party reasons, upon
the name of one whom the representa-
tives of that party favor for president
Conventions might be abandoned, and
the whole machinery provided by law
for the choice of a president would re-
main intact.
THE electorate do not vote for a
president. They vote for presidential
electors. The manner of choosing such
electors Is left to the State. but it has
no power, expressed or implied, 20 con-
troll conventions that are national in
scope, that are engaged in peaceable
meetings, whose duties are voluntary
and may be assumed or laid aside at
will. and whose recommendations when
made have no binding force upon any
one, except possibly the delegates VINO
have participated In the convention.
my conclusion. therefore, is that
Assembly Bill IFS. SO far as the fore
going matters are concerned, Is seek
ing to regulate a matter beyond stats
control"
Such view as the foregoing will I'M
doubtedly have weight with the Legis-
lature. There Is nothing to indicate,
however, that the Governor will be
infiuen ID by H.
state COMMITTEES a PInything.
The bill was summed up here today as
follows:
"If enacted into law il will mean the
death of political organizations. 1t
will encourage factions and strife. 1t
will do away with ell conventions. eX-
cept tn f~arcicrl one to be presided
over by the Governor. 1t will leave to
the him of the Governor and q few
candidates for office the duty of out
lining the policies and doctrines of the
party, and It will make of the State
committee a pisything for the Gov
ernor.'1
The Governor fears opposition to the
bill. In his characteristic way he tries
to stif1e 1t by saying that it will be
opposed only by those who fer to
establish the direct rule of the people"
He intimates that he Is to keep a list
of the names of the opponents of the
DILL. He doesn't say SO, but there Is
sufficient proof here to indicate that
they will be marked, labeled and re-
membered."
Governors Statement.
The Governor, of course, has much
patronage. and it is we'll not to Of
fend him.
His statement follows:
"As legislation begins to take shape
I recall two of the most important
promises l made to the people of the
State during the recent campaign.
promised, in the first place, that dur
ing the legislative session ] would
speak to them very freely and frankly
about the more important bills pending
in the Legislature, and | promised that
[ would do everything In my power to
promote such legislation as was likely
TO put the government of the State in
10 their hands. II speaking of the bill
which has been introduced into the
House by Mr.. Geran, of Monmouth,
can fulfill both promises at once. That
bill embodies an attempt to redeem,
with the utmost ~frankness. the most
important pledge of the campaign.
1.-THE main Issue of hat campa 'gn, II
/ understand 1t, was whether the bust