Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1912-07-24
JERSEY C. 0. P
FIRES FIRST GUN
Votes to Ask National Commit
tee to Substitute ex-Gov.
Murphy for Whiting.

Members of the State Republican
committee held their first meeting
since the Chicago national convention
yesterday at the Washington. Plans
for the coming campaign were freely
discussed and several members of the
committee expressed their confidence
in the ability of President Taft to
carry the State of New Jersey in Mo-
vember.
at was the best attended and most
| enthusiastic State committee meeting
ever attended, said Edward w.
| Gray, secretary of the committee.
Want whiting Ousted.
The first gun in the political cam
! paign was aimed at the Bull Moose
party when the committee, by the
unanimous adoption of resolutions, re-
quested the national committee to
Dust Borden D. Whiting from that
body. Former Governor Murphy was
selected in his place. When Mr.. MUIR
ply was told that Mr.. Whiting had
said in his speech at Asbury Park
that he would not identify himself
with the Taft forces, Mr.. Murphy
smiled and nonchalantly replied:
"well, we'll try and get along without
him."
Former Governor Edward C. Stokes
was not at the meeting. He sent a
telegram from Trenton to Secretary
Gray saying: Delayed here. Won't
be able to be with YOU" Several on
the committee who were interested to
know just where Mr.. Stokes stood in
the present campaign were relieved
to know that he was not at the AS
bury Park convention of the Roose-
welt party.
When Mr.. Stokes was asked at his
home last night why he had not at
tended the meeting of the State COM
mitee he said:
mo Political Significance"
"I sent the committee a telegram
| saying thai I was detained on bust
ness, and have nothing to add to
that now"
What business was it that kept
you away?" was asked.
81 don't think that is material"
he answered. my telegram to Sec
rotary Gray, / think, covered the
case thoroughly. 1 might say,
though, that my absence had no po-
litical significance"
ut doesn't NEAR that you are pre-
pairing to join the third party move
ment?"
mo" answered Mr.. Stokes. lit
--. .1--4 Rt,a% r-- kha - To-, oo-
ing TO remain a Regular Republican,
nor anything Of the sort. I merely
was unable to attend, and at any
other time my absence would prob
ably have created no comment at
ALL"
"Will you have any statement to
make after the Chicago convention
81 can't promise that now" Mr..
Stokes said.
The former Governor did not attend
the State convention of Roosevelt
supporters at Asbury Park yester-
day. although he was there Monday
night and explained his position.
A resolution presented by former
United States Senator John Kean in
dorsing the platform and candidates
of the Chicago convention was passed
unanimously.
Rotterdam Is Non-committal.
John Rotterdam, of Hudson county,
did not vote on the resolution and
explained his silence later by stat
ing that the political situation in
Hudson county was such that he did
not feel disposed to commit himself
at this time.
At the meeting of the executive
committee, to be held next Monday,
arrangements will be made for the
establishment of the headquarters
of the State committee. Headquar-
ters will probably be established in
the rooms of the headquarters of the
Republican League at Halsey and
Academy streets.