New-York tribune., 1913-11-17
PREFERENTIAL BALLOT
NOW STIRRING JERSEY
Plan Advocated by Wilson
When Governor May Cause
Lively Contest.
FIELDER TO LEAD BATTLE
Proposed Measure Would Ap-
ply Only to Primaries
Azariah Beekman in
Lead for Speaker.

tFrom STAFF Correspondent Of The Tribune
Trenton, n. j., Nov. 16.-The prefer
ential ballot, which President Wilson ad-
vocated during his last year as Governor
of New Jersey. promises 10 furnish one
of the big contests before the coming ses-
sion of the New Jersey Legislature. The
Democratic platform this fall, however,
pledged itself 10 the enactment of a pref
erential primary ballot and if the Demo-
Gratis stick to their pledge New Jersey
will again get into the limelight as the
home of progressive primary legislation.
In nutshell, the preferential ballot
provides for a majority nomination for
office. Under the present law a man can
be nominated for Governor or some other
office by minority Of the voters. pro-
viding. of course. there are three or more
contestants in the field. and it is to
obviate this possibility that the prefer
entail ballot was designed. 1t is not prob
able that il will be extended to elections
by the next Legislature, but the advo-
Gates of the plan expect that II will prove
so successful at the primaries next fall
that its adoption for election will come
automatically.
Under the preferential ballot the voter
is allowed TO vote for two names for
nomination 10 a specific office. One of
these IS termed first choice" the other
second choice" After the ballots have
been counted and il has been found that
no first choice" has majority OF the
ballots cast then the second choices
are added, and the candidate having a
majority of first and second choices wins
the nomination Under this system il will
be possible for candidate to have a
plurality OF first choices" and yet lose
the nomination, for he may find the
second choices" heavily against him.
This was one of the reforms that
President Wilson hoped TO put through
before he went TO Washington. but he
did not have time James +. Fielder. who
well become Governor In January, is a
firm believer in President Wilson'S lead
ership. and he has let it be known that be
intends following along the lines that
Mr.. Wilson did when he was Governor Of
New Jersey. which means that he is
going to fight for the preferential pri-
mary ballot
The contest for Speaker Of the House
seems to have smmered down 10 the Sc
lection of Assemblyman Azariah Beck
man, Of Somerset. a Hudson man, prob
ably Walter McDermott. will be made
majority leader, and Mark NJ. Phillips,
of Newark. again chosen as clerk. The
Assembly caucus will be held early next
month, Assemblyman Holcombe. Of Hun
terdon. the dean Of the House, having the
fixing OF the date.
The Republican Senators and Assem-
blymen viii hold a conference at the
State House on Tuesday. and it is prob
able that some definite idea of who will
lead the minority in each house will be
gathered before they 20 home
Governor-elect Fielder has been rest
ing up for the last few days at Lake
wood, preparing for the strenuous times
that are ahead Of him. He will have con-
siderable patronage TO distribute, and the
officeseekers have already become as busy
as summer flies One OF the biggest places
that he will have at his disposal is Clerk
in Chancery, a 5000 year plum with a
INS-AedT term. + OH lic TAIN HpN l''ai W.
Prosecutor George Silzer. OF Middlesex.
will have the first chance at this post, If
he cares 10 take IL.
Ex-Mayor II. Otto Wittpenn OF Jersey
CITY will have a conference with the
President tomorrow relative to his ac-
ceptance Of the appointment as Naval
Officer Of the Port Of New York. II IS
understood Mr. Wittpenn has made up his
mind TO take the post but wants TO find
out first whether II is going TO take him
out Of the political arena. He wants 10
stay in the game. and he probably will
learn tomorrow that he can do so 10 his
hearts content
New Jersey suffragists have been
cheercd by the news that even If their
bill did get lost after passing the Legis-
lature. and consequently wasn't adver-
tised. It's validity will be all right This
can be brought about by the Legislature
passing a resolution saying that, in its
Judgment. the bill was properly adver-
tisod: consequently the suffragists are
happy. After passing the coming Legs-
lature the amendment to the constitu-
ton providing for equal suffrage will then
no suhritted TO "A vote Of the people.