Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1911-03-22
Measure Must Be Amend
ed to Win Repub-
liCanS.
REPUTED SUPPORTERS
ARE NOW WAVERING
Movement to Add Referendum to
Bill Gains Popular $.
Favor. ~


TRENTON, March 22.-Tne Geran bill
will not come to vote IN the Senate
until next week. It was today. referred
to the committee on elections.
Senator Bradley. chairman of the
committee, said no action on the bill
would be taken this week. Il Is un-
derstood that the other members OF
the committee, Senators FrelinghuyseD
and Fielder, would not make any effort
to move the bill at present
One thing is certain. The bill in it's
present shape will not be passed by the
Senate One of the Republican ser
ators, upon whom Governor Wilson IS
said to rely as a supporter of the bill,
would not say whether he would join
the Democrats in supporting the bill,
but he did say that it would have to be
amended before 1t would be passed
in the Senate He would not indicate
now. he said. what these amendments
would be. That would come later
The rumor that Mr.. Fitzherbert, Of
port the Geran bill seems to be wen
founded. At any rate he is seriously
'deliberating upon his future action on
the measure.
President Ac<erman's Position
President Ackerman's position Is not
known. Those who know him init
mately say that he will insist that the
bill shall be a different measure before
twill receive his support. Whether
these reports refer to technical matters
or important principles is not indicated.
1t is pretty generally agreed that the
fate of the bill in the Senate is IN
doubt 1t cannot pass until it has bsen
amended. There are some palpable
errors in it which the House refused
to correct. One of the probable courses
mentioned today is that the COMMITTEES
on elections may prepare and report
substitute measure, in line with the
course taken on the public utilities
bill. which received support in the Sem
ate yesterday afternoon.
Dehes Conservatism.
Many Republicans declare that Gov
ernor Wilson has failed to comprehend.
or has resolved openly to defy the
conservatism of the people of New
Jersey in the manner and method OF
holding elections, and that for any Re
publican to aid him in foisting the
Geran bill upon the party would be the
equivalent of relegating such Republi-
can to private life.
A leading senator said just before
noon that the Republican majority Of
the Senate was compact and united
body when important political matters
were under consideration OF course.
he said, he could not speak by author
ity as to the individual opinions OF
/ the Republicans on the bill beyond the,
positive fact that the measure would
! be amended.
/ He added that the Senate Republi-
cans would have conference on ths
! bill in due time, but there would b
| neither haste nor delay about it. This.
the Senator said. was a time 10 keep
cool. act deliberately and be sure OF
being right before going ahead
| II was also said that the Republican
senators were individually endsavoring
TO obtain the opinions of their constitu-
ents on the bill. A significant remark
heard here and generally accredited 10
that not one voter in ten in either po-
llitical party was sufficiently familiar
with the bill to express an intelligent
opinion upon 1t.
Believe People SkepticeI.
The belief was expressed here pretty
| generally that the determination OF
Governor Wilson to force this bill upon
the State by autocratic processes and
pure domination of his viii had madn
the people more skeptical than they
had hitherto BEEN The more fully the
proceedings of the House yesterday
became known the more widespread
has been the opposition. not only to the
Governors methods, but to this bill.
which he seems determined to have
passed to met his own personal views
The movement started in the House
yesterday by Minority Leader McCran,
and championed by Assemblyman Nc
Gowan of Essex. to tack a referen-
dunn clause to the bill is meeting with
general favor The feeling is wide
spread that the bill will revolutionise
/ the electoral sytem of the State and
because of its vast Importance should
be submitted to the voters for examt-
nation and adoption If desired.
Those behind the referendum move-
ment will endeavor to have such q
clause added to the bill in the Sem
ate.
The Trenton state Gazette today
says: =.
"The people OF New Jersey voted the
voting machine out of business be-
cause they didn't understand. 1t, ana
if they had chance at the Geran bill
they would give it the same treatment
They don't want any mechanical or
theoretical obstacles thrown n~the way
of exercising their-right to cast ballot
nlarffuuru