Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1911-02-16
Resent BarefaCe Effort
to DiSfranChiSe Large
Numbers.
SAY DIR. WILSON HAS
FORGOTTEN HIS PLEDGE
Central Unions Will Act in Pro-
fest, Claim Prominent OF.
ficials and Leaders.

Governor Wilson's intimation that
he will mark, label and remember
anybody who dares oppose his Geran
bill brought forth a storm of oppo-
sition in Newark today when men
read the provisions of the act he seeks
to jam into law with threats. The op-
position came from many different
sources and from many different
classes of men. But IL was particularly
pronounced among the men Of the
labor unions, and the direct result OF
that will be that when the Essex
union delegates to that body who don't
fear to be labeled and remembered'
by the Governor will arise In an indig-
nant protest against several provisions
of his bill, and will demand that all
worklngmen of New Jersey Join with
them in campaign to cast out at
least that provision which calls for the
closing of the polls on election day at
6 o'clock, instead of o'clock, at night
! A dozen leaders Of as many unions
declared today that no other reason
can be read Into that provision save
"a Slmon-pure purpose to disfranchise
the workingman who has to stick by
his job until or $40 o'clock.
Thinks Governor Forgot Promise.
Hugh Reilly. business agent of the
machinists unions of North Jersey,
put 1t very succinctly when he said
Speaking personally. can't see how
the governor expects to cut off any of
the clubmens vote by cutting an hour
Off tho voting naU I i,a
means to, I think he must have for
gotten all those promises of the square
deal he borrowed for the last cam
paign. He knows, as well as I do.
that a. man who has TO work until
o'clock or half-past 5 at night can't
wash up and ride two miles home to
vote at g."
Reilly seemed to have the sentiment
Of his fellow workers pretty pat. Henry
Hilfers, secretary of the Trades Coun-
oil said that he would personally see
that the matter was made a subject OF
discussion at the next meeting. and hs
said that, If no one else did, he would
certainly call upon the body for q
/ denunciation of that provision of the
Geran bill
Affects Labor Men, Not bankers.
+ If were a banker 1 don't think I'D
kick about 1t personally" Mr.. Hiifers
said for personally IL probably would
not affect my vote. But the majority
of workngmen in Newark. and all
through New Jersey, have to be up
long before in the morning to get to
their work on time. They have small
chance to vote on their way to their
jobs unless they take time off from
their jobs to do the voting. Their
one opportunity to do their work and
/ their civic duty, too, on election day
comes in the provision of the present
law that holds the polls open as at
present l daresay many thousand
workmen would be virtually disfran-
chlsed by this bill, If it were passed.
And In all fairness to Governor Wilson
| / cannot see an honest reason for the
provision
Building Trades OfHcIal to Protest.
James Douglass, president Of
the Building Trades Council, declared
hatly that the unions will protest. I'm
my own union alone" he said, Il know
of hundreds of men who would be
actually dlsfranchised by that bill ,
haven't a chance to talk to all OK
them. but those I have ia ked TO de-
clare that they'll join any movement
that will kill that part of the blll-and
most of them don't like many of its
other provisions
1t is probable that the protest of the
labor union men will take the form OF
a formal demand upon the Essex coun-
ty legislators to vote against the
Geran- Wilson measure. At half
dozen union headquarters today the
leaders gathered and took Informal
action upon the affront the bill would
put upon worlSingmen throughout the
state. When they were through the
statement given out by Business Agent
Brennan, Of the stationary firemen
summed up their determination with
hrmness and dispatch;
You'll find that labor will rebuke
the Governors efforts to close the
polls at o'clock" he said. 1T looks to
us like a direct slap-the rankest kind
Of class legislation. 1 look for official
action by all the central bodies of the
state, and / know that Newark union
men will protest"
Printers Resent Action.
Quick to show the resentment Of the
short election day act were the print
ers, three-fourths of whom work all
day from early morning until at least
O'Clock on election day. They saw
at once how the Geran bill would GER
tainly have the effect of disfranchising
the great majority Of them. and they
declared their intention of adding their
formal protest to the others that came
from union men throughout the city
1t had not been determined this aft
ernoon just what form labor's protest
against the Wilson-Geran short cleo
ton day would take, but it Is certain
that II that provision at least is not
cut out of the bill the governor VIII