Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-09-22
PRIMARIES WILL
INACCURATE NEW
ERA IN POLITICS
New Jersey Voters, Tomorrow,
for First Time, Will Nominate
Candidates Direct.


30 to the primaries Of their respec-
tive parties and select their own can
didate for Governor at the coming
election November L.
They will also have the opportunity
TO select the members OF the State
committee of their respective parties.
President Wilson was the last Gov
ernor of New Jersey to be nominated
by q convention. and with his cleo
titon there passed away the pic.
turesque conventions, with delegates
from all parts of the State, the brass
bands and other paraphernalia.
feeling akin to sorrow over thu
passing away of these conventions Is
expressed by even the most radical
of Progressives, for IL was there also
that the orator had his fling" with
the keynote speech" and the dele
gates usually went home Allied with
more or less enthusiasm for the oan-
didates that had been nominated,
even IL they did not have much TO
say in their selection or In the MAX
ing OF the platform.
Conditions Are New.
Under the new condition of things
the candidates for governor will be
selected directly at the open pri-
maries, together with the candidates
for every other elective office In New
Jersey. A week after the primaries
there will be conventions held, but OF
kind far different from the old
ones.
The convention of each of the par
ties will consist of the candidate for
governor nominated at the primaries
the hold-over senators and the candi-
dates for the Legislature also chosen
at the primaries. AS rule, these con-
ventions will consist of about seventy
two members each, and their sole
duty will be to frame q platform, the
CARRYING out of which everyone TAX
ing part in the convention will be
pledged. In the old days the conyen-
lions usually had a thousand or more
delegates, and frequently, according
to friends of the primary law, the
platform was framed to catch votes
rather than to be fulfilled.
The same sort of bait, In another
form. 1t may be noted, is being hand
ed out under the new conditions.
Even IL 1t were not for the fact
that tonorrow's primaries have a ma
ttonaI interest, because the President
has a candidate for governor Wnom
he wants to see nominated, the pri-
rnaries would be Of considerable IN
terest to political students because of
tha curiosity as to Just how far the
voters will take advantage Of the prf-
maries to select candidates left to
Themselves to choose
. 1t would seem on the eve or the
primaries. however. that the voters
NAV not go to the polls in such large
numbers as the situation would war
rant. Take the Republican part OF
ii as an example. There are -FOUR
Richmonds In the field: Edward cas-
par Stokes Robert Carey, Charles N
Fowler and Senator Carlton b. Pierce.
1.here are two Democratic aspirants,
acting Governor James F. Fielder
and Frank s. Katzenbach, jr.; two
progressives, Everett Colby and Ed
faund B. Osborne. and one Proh1oi-
ZIONIST. Rev. J. G. Mason, of Metuch-
en- Yet enthusiasm and interest APP
pear to be lacking, particularly In the
Republican camp The election or
Henry NJ. Doremus, Republican, to
the State committee Is assured, as Is
Also the nomination of Republican
Assembly candidates and Board of
Works candidates
Hot Democratic Battle.
The fight between Governor Fielder
and Frank S. Katzenbach has been
exceptionally hot, and here in Essex
n looks as Il the outcome will be
Fielder was being secretly knitted In
fhis county fail. on inquiry, of crys-
talization. There is a feeling of I'M
easiness, however, among Fielder and
Katzenbach men over the outcome In
Essex
James D. Moriarty. chairman of the
Essex County Democratic Committee,
discussed the entire situation In this
way:
ut is reasonable to expect that the
fight between Fielder and Katzenpacn
In this county will be a close one
There are no imaginary districts In
connection with the gubernatoriai
proposition on which to base an esti-
mate. as in the case of the Assembly
candidates where a canvass or the
situation could be obtained.
"As regards the Democratic Assem-
bly, candidates, we had reports from
these imaginary districts and conse-
quently we felt justified in indorsing
the ticket"
ut is pretty generally conceded that
the regular Democratic candidates for
Assembly, Board Of Freeholdere,
Board Of Works and City Home trus-
tee will win hands down from the
the Progressive Democrats. 1t Is also
conceded that City Counsel James r.
Nusent will have little difficulty in de-
feating his rival for the office of State
committeeman, Mayor Julian A. Greg
CRY. of East Orange. Mr.. Nugent's
majority is expected to go over the
5000 mark.
"Mayor Gregory's TRADES about an
honest election are absolutely insin-
cere. He knows he Is beaten De1ore
he enters the primaries" went on Mr.
Moriarty. The men associated with
him are discredited former members
OF the Democratic party and do not
think there are many voters who VIII
be fooled by Gregory"
Former Governor Stokes is expected
10 win the Republican nomination
rather easily from his three rivals.
According to Herbert W. Taylor. Re-
publican county chairman, an
especial effort Is being made to
muster a strong primary vote. but, In
view of the fact that the guberna-
torial nomination is the only contest
In the Republican primaries, 1t is not
expected that very large vote will
be polled. The Republican organiza-
ton candidates for the Assembly.
Board of Freeholders, Board OF
works and City Home trustee have
no opposition to speak of at the pri-
nnarfes, and for that reason the only
interest is in the gubernatorial race.
A hot battle is expected at the Pro-
greesive primaries between Colby and
Osborne, with the odds in favor OF
the former. The controversy over the
Interpretation of the primary law will
undoubtedly have tendency to de-
crease the Progressive vote and may
change the complexion of things con-
siderabiy. Both Colby and Osborne
have their own slate of Assembly