Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-04-16
FIELDER EVADES
JURY BILL SPEECH
In Address Before Trade
Board Ignores important
Issues of State.

Members of the Board of Trade
were greatly surprised last night by
Governor James F. Fielder, who ad-
dressed them on the subject of
state Government and legislative
Problems. More than 100 represent
tative men who attended did so with
the impression that the Governor
would speak about the constitutional
convention and changes intthe jury
law and were prepared to discuss
both matters. But the Governor
lodged the two greatest problems of
the last Legislature and the ones
which will form the greatest prob
lem at the special session of the
LEGISLATURE on May 6.
When asked after the meeting why
he had not explained his ideas of the
changes he thought should made in
the jury law the governors reply
was:
II didn't know whether that would
go or not"
A card had been sent by the Board
Of Trade to Governor Fielder, telling
him that the subjects which would be
discussed by that body were: "A
Constitutional Convention, What it
Means. How it Should Be Conducted"
and IF Jury Commission, How
Shall it Be Composed?"
The executive thus knew what
would be fitting to talk about, should
he desire to do so. The secretary of
the board, James M. Reilly, was
asked why 1t was that the announced
topics of the meeting had not been
discussed. He replied significantly
that "a man could not be forced to
speak on a subject If he did not want
to do So"
Ever since the failure in the last
legislature of those who believe the
people are not competent to say what
they want in the matter of selecting
Jurors to force judge-made 1uries or
Governor appointed commissions upon
the State. Governor Fielder has re-
peated day after day his assertion
that he was ready and eager to go
to any part of New Jersey and stand
IN for what the Legislature refused
to enact into law and for what he
has called the members back again
into special, session. So far he has
not made a single speech to the pub
lie on this question and he has only
two speaking dates ahead of him
now-one in Asbury Park and an :
other in East Orange.
There is speculation now as to
whether Governor Fielder will actu-
l., III, ne 70
form" when he fulfilled his engage
ment to speak at East Orange and
Asbury Park, for, it is pointed oat.
his failure to do so last night before
an audience Of representative eiti-
GEMS distinctly non-partisan as a
body, is a virtual admission that
such reform" as he is advocating
would not be met with very much
approval.
In the course of his address Gov
ernor Fielder said that the members
Of the Legislature had so much to
do that they couldn't really be blamed
sometimes when bad laws got on the
statute books, and that such men as
those of the trade board could do
much in keeping interested in various
bills coming before the Legislature
and in imparting whatever informa-
ton they had about the objects OF
those bills to their Assemblymen OF
the Senator from the county.
| The Governor left early, as he hac
to speak at the Westfield Board OF
Trade dinner, and as soon as he hae
gone the meeting adjourned, no one
apparently, being enough interested II
having jury bills enacted without
referendum to stay and debate TIT
! subject