Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-09-30
JESS PRESIDING
At CONVENTION
OF FPROGRESS|VES
Open Session at Headquarters
of State League in
Trenton.
IFrom a stan Correspondents

TEENTON. Sept. 30. Wit Frank
B. Jess, of Camden, presiding The
Progressive State convention opened
ar rocn today in the Prosressiy ".
State League headquarters, at 80
West State street. Most of the dele.
ganon did not arrive until just be-
tore tie opeuing of the session.
Ir'n ediately after organizing Il two
r1ur recess was taken in order to al
low the platform comt o:Lt, time 10
complete its report. II is understood
thnt the platform will contain rlanks
on home rule, waterway Development
and a demand for a change of the
Ceran law, which, 1t is claine1, dis-
ftarchised many of the Progressives
1t the recent primaries.
1t is understood that the chairman
snip will go to Mr.. Jess who is a
nlejnber of thu State Board of Equal
izati,p of Taxes.
The State convention was opened
W, h prayer by Rev. Samu 4 S. Merri-
man, of this city.
The committee on credentials was
named as follows: Edgar Il. Knapp,
Elizabeth ~. &C. Reeves, Mercer; H.
c. Whitehead, Ocean; Nathan Ber-
ger, Essex; Eli II. Chandler, Atlantic.
On platform: Abram Lyon, Middle
sex; Everett Colby. Essex: Harry
Wright Essex; william II. Hughes,
Somerset; J. H. Hopkins, Morris;
George L. Record, Hudson.
Joseph Marvel, from Atlantic, was
chosen sergeant-at-arms Francis D..
Potter, of Cumberland, was elected
secretary.
Mr.. Colbys entrance shortly before
the opening of the convention was
the cause of applause.
The convention was called to order
by former Governor Franklin Fort,
who made an informal address, in
which he said:
"The representation here indicates
that those who are in this movement
are in to stay, sink or swim, live or
die. They will be Progressives to the
end.''
Speaking of the primary laws, Mr..
Fort said:
"Our percentage was a good one,
although it is not so per cent. of our
whole vote. owing to the workings of
the Geran law. If it had not been for
that our vote would have been as big
as any of the other parties.
The Progressive platform has twen-
ty-four planks, as drafted by the
platform committee:
Among the planks were: Amend
ment of direct primary, commission
government, local self-government,
granting to municipalities the right
to own water, light and sewer plants,
more recognition of the r,gB. of
labor in disputes; strengthening of
| faoScry !. inspection law, minimum
wage standards, prohibition of child
labor, penal reforms, consolidation of
State machinery prevention of tax
evasion by banks, abolition of grade
crossings, Strengthening of the school
service.
After the reading of the draft of
the platform, Mr.. Colby stated that
it was a purely personal one. He
asked that it be discussed. He was
satisfied to any suggested changes.
Mr.. Colby declared he was not in
principle opposed to municipal own
that under present conditions It
isfied that cities should own light,
sewer and water plants.
Mr.. Record stated that he thought
the delegates could get together on
most of the suggested planks. He
was opposed to partial municipal
ownership. That difference mad Eecn
the trouble all the way through. The
party should not dictate to the people
what kind of municipal ownership
they ought to have.
In answer Mr.. Colby said it was
not usurping the peoples prerogative
but was merely exercising Judgment
on a very complicated question.