Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-12-02
BEEKMAN UNANIMOUS
CHOICE FOR SPEAKER
tcont,nuea from Flr.t Psreo

Taylor held forth in the executive
offices, while City Counsel James r.
Nugent, of Newark; former Mayor
H. Otto Wittpenn, of Jersey City;
Assistant Secretary of State Job H
Lippincott, State Treasurer Edward
e. Grosscup and other leading Demo
Gratis exchanged greetings In the cor
ridors.
The nine Democrats from Essex
soon after arriving at the capitol
went into conference. Governor-elect
Fielder said he would take no pari
in any of the deliberations of the
| caucuses. He said he was here mere
| ly to get In touch with the situation
and familiarize himself with the new
assemblymen. The legislators filed
into the executive office and extended
their congratulations to the governor
elect
Simplicity is to mark his inaugu-
ration, he said. He expressed de-
sire today that the ceremonies be
along the lines followed when Wood
row Wilson was inaugurated Cover
nor.
IT don't want any great display,
such as calling out the National
Guard he said. When asked as TO
what the contents of his message to
the Legislature would be the Cover
nor replied that he had six weeks yet
to think of writing the message.
The Essex delegation was in con-
ference for nearly a half hour. 1t was
decided to nominate candidate for
speaker and the leader from the Essex
delegation. Assemblyman Joseph d.
Bloom was selected for speaker and
Assemblyman H. ]. Rowe for floor
leader.
Frank A. Foley was chosen as lead
er of the Essex delegation.
The Democratic Senators, besides
selecting Senator Slocum, Of Mon
mouth, for president, Senator McGtn-
mis-, of Passaic, for leader, and Will
lam l.. Bill, of Passaic, for secretary,
followed the action of the House
Democrats and declared for the re-
election of Edward |. Edwards as
State Comptroller.
One of the absorbing topics dis
cussed here today, and from all ac-
counts, on the trains that brought
the various Democratic delegations
to Trenton, was the Hudson Assem-
bly, conference, which was later
transformed into caucus, in the Of
flee of Senator-elect Egan. In the
Jersey City. last night. But all the
talk went up In smoke, today's de-
velopments leaving 1t merely an in
cident of political history and hep
penings.
At the Jersey City gathering AS
semblyman Beekman was made the
choice of nine assemblymen-elect for
Speaker and the same number agreed
upon Assemblyman Joseph M. Brane-
gan for leader of the majority on the
floor.
Wittpenn Framed Slate.
The slate. 1t was declared. had
been framed by II. Otto Wittpenn,
President Wilson'S secretary, Joseph
p. Tumulty and several others, and
that 1t had been decreed that Assem-
blyman Walter l.. McDermott should
not be Hudson's preference for either
Speaker OF floor leader. McDermott,
so the story goes, was to be penalized
for his temerity in asking President
Wilson, who opposed a certain plan
OF legislation, to suggest something
that could be used as a guide for a
different proposition. The President
offered no suggestion, but he evident
ly took umbrage at Mr.. McDermott's
attitude.
That Jersey City gathering fur
nished food for gossip during the
time the members were awaiting the
calling of today's general caucus.
The Jersey City caucus followed a
conference in which nine of the Witt
pennies took part. together with
their colleague, McDermott. who
again demonstrated that he could
not be persuaded to do the bidding
of Mr. Wittpenn. mblyman-elect
Griffin, who Is also known to be
against Naval officer Wittpenn in his
role as dictator, and Assembly1nan
Fisk, who is Wittpenn man, were
not present.
Egnn Stays Ont.
Senator-elect Egan was Invited by
the assemblymen to take part In their
conference, but he refused on the
grounds that he was senator and
did not propose to interfere with the
deliberations of the assembly dele
CATION.
At the outset, Assemblyman Bred
enbeck, who all through tho proceed
ings was the irrepressible master of
ceremonies, wanted the conference
changed to q caucus. To this Nc
Dermott at once objected most Wig
orously on the grounds that the meet
ing was distinctly called as con-
ference and that he would not stand
for n deal OF that kind.
While Bredenbeck, together with