Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-02-18
PRIMARY BILL IS
PASSED BY SENATE
Provides for Ballot SO Voter
Can Choose Three Candi-
dates Instead of One.
FISH TRUST BILL OUT
ON FLOOR OF ASSEMBLY
Griffin Substitutes His Bill for
Small Freebooter Boards
Because of Criticism.

TRENTON, Feb. aS.-The Senate
Yesterday afternoon unanimously
passed Senator Charles O'Connor
Hennessy's preferential primary bill,
providing for form of ballot to be
used at the primary which will allow
Inc voter to express his preference
Tor three choices of any nomination.
Minority Leader Read and Senators
Colgate, Pierce and Edge, Repub-
iicans. spoke in favor of the bill.
In advocating his bill Senator Hen
messy reminded the Senate that all
parties last fall bound themselves TO
the enactment of such bill as he
proposed. He reviewed the necessity
of selecting majority candidates for
office and referred to the recent
United States Senatorial primaries,
where there were four candidates for
the office of United States Senator.
lie told how two of the candidates,
former Judge John w. Wescott and
Supreme Court Clerk William c. Geb-
hardt, were removed from the race.
Someone exercised an influence
which we must be frank to say was
not a Democratic influence" Mr..
Hennessy said in commenting upon
cratic aspirants~ from the primary
contest for the United States Sem
atorship
Three Preferred Candidates.
He related how under his bill the
voters would be permitted to name
their first. second and third choices
for such an office hereafter. Senator
Hennessy claimed that under the
RNStpm rronnSpd fha form of tba ha l.
lot is preserved precisely as 1t is to-
day and the new system will only
require voters to express a first
choice for an office, leaving optional
with the voter whether or not he
prefers to name his other choices.
Senator Colgate, of Essex, explained
how he had introduced a preferential
primary bill embodying the Wisconsin
system of voting. With a few excep-
fions. Senator Colgate said, his bill
was almost identical with the bill in
troduced by Mr.. Hennessy, and he be-
lieved the majority party in the Sem
ate should have the honor of present
ing to the people a preferential pri-
mary law. He. concluded by urging
the passage of the Hennessy bill
Senator Hennessy in his closing re-
marks, said that the proposed bill was
In line with the platform of the DEM
y
first step looking toward the abolition
OF primaries altogether. He said he
hoped the platform of the next DEM
rcratfc convention would go even fur
ther in extending the system of pre-
ferentisl voting.
Five Year Limit Broken.
The Senate passed Mr.. Hennessy's
concurrent resolution providing that
constitutional amendments can be
submitted to the people only once in
five years. 80
Before the resolution was adopt
ed Senator Rathbun. Republican. OF
Morris, succeeded in having 1t amend
ed SO, that in those cases where pro-
posed amendment failed of ratifica-
tion by the people, the amendment
could not be submitted to the people
again for another five years.
Fish Campaign Now on Floor.
Assemblyman Oliver C. Holcombe,
chairman of the fish and game COM
mittee. yesterday reported concurrent
resolution No. 6, known as the Byrne
resolution. This brings the Newark
Evening Stars cheaper fish campaign
out on the floor of the Assembly.
where it can be openly discussed.
The Assembly resolution immedi-
ately passed second reading, but I'M
der a rule of the House cannot be
advanced to third reading and final
passage until ten days have elapsed.
Tt petitions the Legislatures of the
different States to join with New
Jersey in petitioning the Senate and
the House of Representatives of the
United States to enact a law giving
ample protection to migratory fishes.
The campaign of The Newark Star
for cheaper fish as means of help
Ing to reduce the high cost of living
meets with the approval of a number
of the legislato tors. who offered their
hest wishes To the delegation that