Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-05-22


nights meeting Off the Newark city
committee against 'star-chamber'
meetings of Progressive leaders in
New York city. Mr.. Osborne in his
statement comments on Mr. Colby's
recent resignation from the Progress
sive state Committee, and states his
own attitude in regard to the Pro-
gressive nomination for governor.
Mr.. Osborne's statement follows:
Nobody who really understands
the meetings that Progressive leaders
have been holding in New York dur
ing the last few months can criticise
their motives or the methods.
These meetings originated with the
State Legislative Committee of which
ex-senator Colby is chairman. A
meeting of the committee was held
last January in Trenton to consider
the Hennessy bill for d constitutional
convention. At this meeting Mr.. Colby
stated that in his judgment the Pro-
gresive party ought to declare for the
single tax. All those present agreed
that such a step should not be taken
until after thoroughgoing discussion
by the leaders of the party
| Another meeting of the committee
was held in Newark and the. discus
sion was devoted principally to the
single tax proposition. AS a result
of this meeting 1t was decided that
the leaders should hold conferences
| to exchange views about the policy
and platform that the Progressive
party, in their Judgment should
adopt for the forthcoming campaign.
Members of the legislative committee
formed the nucleus of the first con-
ference, and it was agreed that those
who attended the meeting should in
vite to subsequent meetings any
other Progresives who, in their judg-
ment, would help in the deliberations.
They did so, and the attendance
grew; as many as forty or fifty
attended some of the meetings.
They were held in New York
because that was the most con-
venient place. Mr.. Colby was in Ber-
muda during portion of the winter
and was unable to attend the first
conference, but he was present at
several of the last meetings.
| Only One Critical Question Possible.
! There is only one question to. be
asked in criticising these meetings
were these men there for a good
motive or bad motive? Were they
| devoting their time to serving the
party. or to their own selfish inter-
ests? The questions answer them
| selves, with anyone who knows the
u-l. IL
ings dealt almost exclusively with
the proposed platform. / think there
never has been any discussion about
| the candidates. The conclusion rep
resented nobody but the men present,
and these men have no power to en-
! force their views upon the party.
They were simply trying to think the
subject through and make up their
own minds about what the party
ought to stand for in its platform.
There is no more reason for cen
surfing these leaders, who have me-
to discuss the party's welfare, than
there would be to criticise Judge
Sweeney and me if VIC were TO spend
an evening together in his library,
trying to plan the best way To put
into effect the principles that we be-
lieve in common. Any other group of
men who desire to get together and
discuss the welfare of the party are
free to do SO, and the more of such
meetings and discussions the better
for the party and the State.
-. p.,. =, rr,..,.,
:
Inc anliouiioe,,leiie ~ '"e PISS "
MI COPY resie iia'ioh itohi ~
state frogressiNe eoiiii''ie. ,'as
given the pubic .ne iiipiession .,,a.
there is serious ih.ernal uisseiiSion
IN the party that the leauels ar
divided with 1eaiousies ana nunser
for once, ana .nat !, III par.i'u'ei'
am hosthe " W.. -.eN
90 not "ariah' s,.,s soe' - .s',,,'
KNOW INC ts. 81,
there Is no scia.ioie ioi 49,
among the Fios ~
not peneVe .neie 70 any iian "a -.
state committee WY nos ep,,l
est feeling OF jealousy lor MI. ooiuy'
If there Is any ehihils DEW cen MI
| Colby ana me- ne mas eiie Nionopois
OF IT, am not anu siai. ny 70 az
enemy to any man "no Is liyins "
work for the SAINT pfincipies ma.
am. and l nave no question doo o,'
Mr. Coloys SINCERE ueeo'ion ~ VIC
principles we po.h peneVe III.
| No member Oh the otaee coiiiiiii..ee'
in my OPINION entertalns any ieeiiiis
! toward Mr.. Colby that shouio MAKE
it difficult for MIN TO work on the
! committee. We frequently dlsagree
| with Mr. Colby sharply about party
policy but there is nor, L ieei SURF
a single man on the state commit
tee who is his enemy, or VINO Woulo
injure him politically OF otherwise
We all want the progressive party
to get the best possible service MT
Colby can render IT, and we snail be