The Penn's Grove record., 1913-04-18
STATE POLITICS
STIRRED TO CORE
Return of President, Extra Ses-
sion, Fight for Governor.
TO BE THREE BIG MEETINGS
Jersey City to Have Most important
Affair Ever Held in State-Bitter
Feeling Over Question of Jury
Reform Bill.

AOPSNANA 80
Trenton.-With the calling of a spe-
cial session of the Legislature by Act
ing Governor Fielder, and the under
standing that it is to be convened for
the specific purpose of %redeeming the
party pledge pertaining to jury re-
form Of al adequate character, there
is State wide speculation as to the
likelihood of other matters being taken
up and as to the length of the extra
session. Those who successfully
thwarted the passage of a jury reform
measure providing for court drawn
jury commissioners, without a refer
endum, n saying little except that
they doubt that anything will bring
about the change which is desired by
Governor Fielder, and for which Presi-
dent Wilson has announced his inten-
ton Of coming back to talk to the peo-
pie at not less than three meetings.
They assert a belief that even the
taking of a hand in the fight by the
President is not likely to make the
members of the Legislature alter their
positions in the matter, and they are
already discussing many other things
which they will endeavor to have the
special session take up and pass, with
out regard to or the giving of great
consideration to the jury reform mat
ter. If all the plans now being talked
about are carried out it is nc. impos-
sible that the session will run into
another long grind, leading quite into
the summer months.
According to tentative plans which
have been made for the invasion by
the President there will be three big
meetings. One will be,in Hudson coun-
ty, probably in Jersey City, because
that is the home of Assemblyman
Thomas F. Martin, who persistently
held out for a referendum on any jury
reform bill that might be passed, thus
effectively blocking every effort hat
was made to get through a bill pro-
viding for court drawn jury commits
%sioners. 1t is also the home of Sher-
if N. P. Wedin, one of the strongest
opponents of the real thing in jury
reform, who went so far as to assert
that unless things went to suit him
and the branch of the party with which
he is affiliated he would get into the
gubernatorial fight as a candidate. 1t
is expected that the Jersey City meet
ing will be the biggest thing Of its
kind eve held in that section of the
State, as there has been stirred up a
bitter feeling within the party, since
the going to Washington of Governor
Wilson, by the seeming determination
of some of the interests in the party
to undo what he did while at the head
of the State government, and to pre-
vent the accomplishment of what he
planned before going to Washington.
Seaside Resorts First.
Monmouth county, in the centre of
the State and including many of the
famous seashore resort cities, will also
get que of the meetings to be ad-
dressed by the President. There has
been some discussion as to exactly
where it will be held, but the present
intention is to have it go to Asbury
Park, which is the biggest population
centre and is the most easily access
sible from the surrounding parts of
the county. 1t is possible that the
shore meeting will be made the first
in the series. 1t would be held in the
Casino, on the ocean front boardwalk.
which has a seating capacity of more
than two thousands and u~nexcelled
acoustic properties. Harold E. Dene-
gar. representing the Asbury Park city
government, sent a letter to Joseph
P. Tumulty, secretary to the Presi-
dent, asking that the initial meeting
of the State tour of the President be
held in the Casino, and offering every
possible cooperation by the city in
the making of suitable ARRANGEMENTS
for the meeting and for the personal
entertainment of the President.
President Has Facts.
One of the meetings will also be
held in Essex county, but whether in
Newark or one of the Oranges has not
yet been finally determined. 1t is
likely, however, that it will fall to
Newark, owing to the need for a
larger hall than could be obtained
elsewhere in the State. For extraordi-
nary occasions such as this, Newark
always has the big First Regiment
Armory to house the crowd. Newark
and Essex county form the stronghold
of the bitterest opposition that has
been encountered by the President
since the day he was elected Governor
and is also the home of some of the
warmest opposition to jury reform of