Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-10-01

Fight on Convention.
| The fight over Hennessys constitu-
tional convention plank started at the
meeting of the platform committee
and was resumed when Mr.. Hennessy
| introduced it before the convention
after it had been beaten by a vote of
IL to in committee. The plank pro-
posed by the Bergen County man was
bitterly opposed in committee by AS
semblyman Ackley, of Cumberland,
and former Senator ]. Warren Davis,
of Salem, who presided over the
convention, on the grounds that 1T
would defeat the party's nominee for
| Governor, as well as the candidates
for State Senator in the smaller coun-
| ties. The statements of Ackley and
Davis brought from Charles NJ. Egan,
candidate for Senator in Hudson. the
statement that the candidates in those
counties who represented rocks. trees
and stones" should be willing to SUBJ
nit to the representatives of the
| larger counties who represented thou
sands of people.
| After considerable discussion Gov
ernor Fielder arose and declared he
could not agree with the sentiment eX-
pressed by the gentlemen from the
smaller counties. He was of the opin-
| ion that the constitutional convention
plank should be inserted in the plat
form, even if it meant his defeat at
election time. He was willing to die
fighting for principle, he declared.
Despite the Governors efforts in its
behalf, Mr.. Hennessy's proposition
was beaten by a vote of IL to and the
| latter declared he would bring 1t be-
fore the convention.
When the convention assembled at 3
O'Clock and the preliminaries had been
gone through Mr.. Egan, as secretary
of the platform committee, read the
platform which had been adopted by
| the committee and the Governor
moved that the platform be adopted.
| At this point Mr.. Hennessy brought
up his constitutional convention plank
which was incorporated In last years
platform, but which was beaten in the
Legislature In speaking for the
measure the Bergen man declared that
| 1t would be an insult to Progressive
sentiment and an act of political dis
honor of this plank were not in
corporated. He was aware, he said,
that the opposition came from hon.
orable gentlemen and good Democrats
from the smaller counties. His chief
appeal, he said. was that it would be
a qualification of the party IL the
plank were not inserted.
| A motion to have Hennessy's
amendment to the platform tabled
was lost by a vote of forty-one to
twenty-nine and the discussion then
began.
/ Senator Peter ]. McGinnis, of Pas
sale, opposed the proposition because
he said it meant certain defeat to the
Democratic candidates for State Sem
ator in the smaller counties at the
approaching election and urged for
the sake of party harmony that the
p.ank be kept out of the platform.
The Senator then referred to the fact
| that he had voted for the constitu-
tional convention at the last session
of the Legislature.
| Governor Fielder reiterated at this
| juncture the statement he had made
| in committee that he was good
enough Democrat and party man to
accept the wishes of the majority in
the matter. Whatever was the result
! of he convention he was willing to
stand by he said.
MY own fortune is not being con-
| sidered by me-" declared the Gov
ernor, land l wish sectional feelings
could be buried. / am in favor of
the adoption of this plank and hope
the majority will vote fer it,
Assemblyman Ackley. Of Cumber-
land, opposed Mr.. Hennessys plank.
He was in favor of constitutional
convention, he said, based upon equal
representation, not upon population.
| Assemblyman Beekman, of Somer-
set, referring to the remark of Mr.,
/ Hennessy that the party would stul-
| tify itself IL it did not include this
plank declared that the party had
stultified itself last year by incor-
porating the plank and then being
unable to pass the measure in the
Legislature. 1t would meet with no
better success this year, Mr.. Beck
man added, and asserted that the in
sertion of the plank would insure the
| defeat Of the party's nominees in
! South Jersey.
! Assemblyman Fisch, of Essex, and
Bredenbek, of Hudson, took d fling 1T
Mr.. Beekmans remarks, declaring
| that the South Jersey men were
acutated by personal feelings and
were not in accord with the principles
of Democracy. Assemblyman Rowe,
of Essex, arose at this point and adj
vocated a compromise in the matter,
providing for the appointment of a
constitutional commission to prepare
a revision Of the Constitution for con-
sideration by the next two Legisla-
lures and then submitted it to the
| people.
Mr.. Egan opposed Mr.. Rowe's COM
| promise measure and declared the
stand taken by Acting Governor
| Fielder was most admirable and not
| like that of some of the other men
present at the convention. In the
course of his remarks Mr.. Egan said
| there were some present who thought
| they lowed allegiance to the corn
stalks and radishes, rather than to
| the people of the entire State
The Hudson mans remarks refer
ring to the representatives of the
smaller counties were not relished by
| them and Senators Wheaton. of Cape
May and Slocum, of Monmouth, and
| former Senator Davis, of Salem, took
exception to his remarks. Mr.. Rowe's
substitute was then moved, but was
| lost. The Hennessy plank was then
voted upon and defeated by a vote of
80 to IS, the entire delegation from
Essex voting in favor of the propo-
stion for constitutional convention
The roll call was a stormy one, AS
semblyman Carhart. of Warren, and
State Committeeman Tiff, OF Sussex,
! having been recorded as voting, al
| though they were not in the room.
| Mr.. Egan then attempted to rein.
troduce in the platform his personal
| tax abolition plank which had been
opposed in committee by Assembly
man Beekman and other South Jer-
sey representatives. but was unsuc-
cessful. after which the platform was
adopted in it's entirety. The plank
advocated by Mr. Egan was sug-
gested by Commissioner of Finance
| George +. Brensinger, of Jersey CITY,
who explained that under the pres
ent system the poor man was being
taxed whereas the millionaire who
| had his money in stocks and bonds
was unable to be reached.