Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1911-03-13

at trenton To-Day prior TO ire gen
eral conference of the Democratic
Assemblymen.
Among the more important changes
the Essex men favor is a restoration
of the convention system, State, county
and municipal mot for the nomination
of candidates, but to adopt platforms
and enunciate party NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
candidates for all elective offices, IN
Guiding Governor and Congressman, file
their nomination petitions.
These conventions will be conducted
by the regular members OF the county
committees, chosen as at present at the
rimaries in every election district OF
the State. All the members from every
county will comprise the State conven-
tion. The number VIII be about the
same as the number Of delegates now
chosen 10 State conventions,
In presidential years the State con-
ventions will name, as at present. dele
rates to national conventions ana
presidential electors until such a time
as the constitutional methods OF choos-
ing the latter may. II ever, be CHOSEN.
The Essex members feel that IT Is a
marty duty to choose delegates 10 ma
tiopal conventions.
All the members Of each county COM
mittee will ~promulgate county pat
forms. those Of Congressional distrlets
he nlatfcrms on which representatives
nav stand, and municipal members
the platform on which local candlca1es
viii appeal for support.
Cownty Committees ChoOse Chairmen'
Il was also decided that county
ehairmen should be chosen as now by
The county committees. n election
officers through the county boards er
election as at present, instead or oy
what the Essex men declare the i'm
practical method of the Intervention
of the Civil Service Commission N
courts and final appointment by me
lottery method.
With the Geran bill plan it is shown
that as many as $4,000 candloates
might be certified to the civil service
Commission for appointment as electioh
officers In one year, and 1t Wonid De
impracticable for the commission 10
properly certify the papers in the time
fixed by the act. II Was further heiu
that the county and circuit courts, al
ready fairly we'll worked, have enough
TO do without being required 10 ASSIST
in selecting district election officers py
lot.
The delegation also insists, If there
Is to be a change in the form of ballot
used. that the Australian ballot, with
candidates grouped under party titles,
on the style now followed in New YORK
and Pennsylvania, is preferable 10 the
Massachusetts plan Of alphabetical ar
rangement, as provided by the Gerah
bill.
Prohibiting the distribution Of ballots
outside the polling places, except sam
ole ballots OF a separate color, Is not
objected to, and personal registration
with no transfers and all the other
arrangements designed TO safeguard
the ballot were agreed TO without dis
sent.
The Essex members after theii con-
ference expressed the belief that with
an open and free discussion their sub
stitute bill would be ADMITTED to be
more of a true election reform meas
ure thar the Geran bill. If the Hud-
son substitute is exactly on similar
lines 1t will make little difference which
of the two supersedes the pending
measure.
After disposing of the strictly par
tisan measures the delegates took up
the several important bills affecting
Newark and Essex County, like the
Mechanic street widening. subway and
various measures affecting existing tax
laws, all of which will be considered
further at today's conference Of the
Essex members, which Senator OSBORNE
will be invited to attend.
Editorially today the New Jersey
Freie Zeitung had the following to a
with reference to the Geran bill:
Freie ZeituDg's Editorial.
,lFrom Today's New Jersey Frsie Zeitung.1
Governor Wilson remarked the other
day that politicians are very useru'.
and that all that was necessary was to
give to them the right kind of power.
He added that the election reform bill
of that honest referee, Record, was a
case In point.
Governor Wilson has been either mis-
led as to the possibilities of the bill by
Record or he has Interior motives. The
DILL gives TO a certain class OF politl-
c~ians-that OF the Record Colby stripe
the false kind Of power. Throughout
the whole bill, like a red thread, there
appears favorltism for this clique. That
is done under the guise of abolishing
the political machine" and the bosses
and their power, and bringing 10 the
front the independent citizen The
bill wants to open a little back door f5r
d small, malicious clique, which has
been repeatedly defeated. year after
year, often oy an enormous majority in
this and in other counties, so that 1t
can once more assure the reins of
power.
That Governor Wilson is in sympa-
thy with the ambitions of these reform
ers has been stated many q time. He
himself never found it necessary to make
q denial. His activity in behalf of the
bill. which is an insult to decent citi-
ems, and appears to have been drafted
for the purpose Of making the regis
traitor and election as difficult as pos
sible for them, goes a great ways to
prove the governors sympathy for the
families and know-nothings.