Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-05-17
In the Field of
Politics

There will probably be appointed
Monday a conference committee OF
the House and Senate to recommend
a course for the Legislature to pursue
on the jury bill. This committee can
do three things: Suggest that the
Senate wair until Senator Munson
returns from Europe and then pass
the chancellor bill with referendum;
suggest an amendment to the chan
cellor bill providing for the immedi-
ate restriction of the sheriffs' powers
by having the Supreme Court judges
strike off the names and have the
Jurors drawn by lot and then let the
section providing for the appointment
of a county commissioner to act with
the sheriff go to the people on ref
erendum vote, or suggest winding up
the work of the Legislature by pass
ing the McDermott bill. The last
named course seems to be the most
favored at the present time In this
county. 1t is pointed out that there
would be more of a change in the
jury system under the McDermott
bill for the reason that the chancellor
bill would meet defeat at the polls.
leaving, the jury drawing situation
the same as it is now.
Followers of the gubernatorial sit
uation take the figures from last
Tuesdays commission government
election in Jersey City as an indica-
ton that Mayor Wittpenn's chances
of becoming governor are diminish-
ing. Although the five candidates
whom he supported were among the
ten successful ones, it did not sur
prise anyone: on the contrary, II
would have been surprising il they
had been beaten. The surprise lies
in the fact that the Wittpenn candi-
dates received less than 20 per cent.
of the total vote, while Frank Hague.
who led the opposition, polled over 70
per cent. of -the vote. Before the
election, Wittpenn conceded that the
election of Hague would ruin ms
chances for the gubernatoriai nomi-
nation.
Democrats in this county are Won
dering what the prosecutor is gong
to do with the charges made by three
Essex assemblymen that they we're
approached to change their attitude
on the jury bill question. 1t is pointed
out that the prosecutor declared ne
would make an investigation If the
alleged attempt at bribery happened
in Essex, and If there subsequently
nroved to be some foundation for the
charge. Two of the assemblymen say
they were approached at their ofnces
in This city. There is evidently some
foundation for the assertion that the
assemblymen were approached De-
cause the assemblymen would have
little to gain by making the matter
public If the charge was later proved
untrue.
In the death of julius A. Leb-
kuecher. the Republican party in Es-
sex loses one of its stanchest sup
porters. Although Mr. Lebkuecher
virtually had to retire from business
FIVE years ago owing to his health,
he remained active in politics up to
the first of the year as president OF
The Passaic Valley Sewerage Commits
sion. In 1894 he was elected mayor
of Newark to succeed Joseph y.
Haynes by almost 5000 majority he
came to this country from Germany
in 1874 when he was 4 years old.
! Civic, religious and political organ
nations have been invited to attend
meeting in Turnbuli Auditorium to-
night of the federation committee OK
the Clinton Hill Improvement Assoc
citation. The purpose is to organize
| Commission Form of Government
League.
| Winter and spring feel so much
alike nowadays that it takes q smart
Teller to tell 'em apart.