New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-09-17
Sd PARTY CAN'T AGREE.
Convention Fails to Nominate
Justices for Supreme Court.
WRANGLE ON PROCEDURE
Delay of Week May Enable
Delegates to Determine
Candidates Merits.

The New York County organization Of
the National Progressive Party met last
night at the third party headquarters, No
II East 2Sth street. 10 nominate two SUI
preme Court justices for the LIST District.
After a noisy controversy over parliament
tary procedure. the meeting was adj
/ jOurned for one week 10 allow the dele
gates more time 10 look into the qEalit-
cations OF the four or five candidates. The
little room was so crowded that q motion
was made To- get larger quarter for the
adjourned meeting
Francis w Bird. former Appraiser Of
the port OF New York. as county chair
man called the meeting TO order. Acting
at the suggestion Of the executive COM
mittcc which had q meeting in the ar
tternoon. Coroner Jacob Shongut leader of
the Gath District. got the floor and moved
to adjourn for one week to permit TIE
delegates 10 get a line on the candi-
dates" \ dozen voices seconded the mo-
ton.
one delegate said he knew very well
that motion To adjourn was not debat-
able. but ne recommended that commit
tee composed of a delegate from each
Assembly district be appointed To look
into the qualifications of the candidates.
This was objected 10. and was finally
thrown out
BY that time some ono had risen to a
point Of order, and demanded 10 know
why a motion To adjourn could be acted
on when the convention hadn't organized.
Chairman Bird held that the procedure
was perfectly proper. one indignant del
ogate jumped up ana yelled.
And how did you happen TO De chair
man Tonight"
I'm the temporary ciunty chairman,
replied Mr. Bird. with some heat
Tim astounded," exclaimed another del
egate. who was put out 10y the arbitrary
ruling that would adjourn a convention
before any one could be heard. Talk
about the right of the people To rule'' ne
shouted. why. here i'm this incipient
convention. the vital principle of the Pro-
Crcssivc party is ignored"
Chairman Bird was getting bit stirred
up because the crowd in the room
wouldn't come to the terms Of his gavel
IT an those who are not delegates vii!
leave tho room. wen have space enough
TO conduct this convention" hc said.
While a dozen or more spectators am
several altcrnates were getting up one by
one and leaving the room, the chairman
got time to confer with those about him
and IN jiny a motion was made To
organize the convention.
This was done with James ~ Reynolds
Assistant District Attorney. as chairman.
and William Ferguson. secretary. Quick
as q flash another motion FOR adjourn
mcnt was made and seconded. Before
the motion was put 10 the convention on
excited delegate declared that tho conveu-
ton wasn't organized until the roll had
been called. Mr.. Reynolds ruled this
suggestion out and again the adjourn
ment motion was put and passed. with
thunder Of ayes The noes were noisy.
but strained.
THE ayes seem 20 have it, shouted
AIr REYNOLDS At that there was a lot of
wranglng, but IL soon quictcd down.
Delegates were Informed they would Dee
told later as 10 tho place FOR holding the
next meeting.
The possible candidates FOR the nomina-
tion are Abraham S. Gilbert. against
whom there is lot ~ opposition be-
cause he received the regular Republican
and Independence League Inducements
James j. Fitzgerald, a former Tammany
man and 4 candidate Tor nomination as
Attorney General at the Progressive state
Convention Hugh Gordon Miller. James
W. Alger, Peter r. Gatens and Leon San
ders
The object Of the convention Is to nom
mate candidate who will be Endorsed
by the Bar Association. Last spring
Colonel Roosevelt at oyster Bay declared
that the utmost care should be exercised
IN selecting the judiciary candidates
None but PrOgrcssives should be consld-
cred, he said