New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-01-05
JERSEY PRIMARY
BILL AN ENIGMA
Measure Will Be Passed,
but Terms a Mystery
TO Lawmakers.
STATE CONDITIONS
BATTLE SOLONS
California Legislative Plan Is
Raped - Republicans
Hard at Work.

From a STAFF Correspondent OF The Troune'I
Trenton. y. j., Jan A preferential
primary bill that will allow tho voter
first and second choice IN selecting can
didates will he passed by the New Jersey
Legislature, which meets week from
tomorrow. That Is assured, "a both the
Democratic and Republican parties are
pledged 10 H.
But there isn't single lawmaker VINO
knows just what the bill will contain TOT
discussion OF the change has brought 10
light the fact that the drawing OF such
a bill 10 fit conditions i'm this state IS
going TO be one OF the hardest problems
Of the session.
If conditions were in the same in NEWER
sey as they are in those states where the
preferential primary is used IT would ne
an easy matter TO prepare this legislation
But they are not. and because or this
the lawmaker TO whom the task Is as
signed OF drawing the preferential pri-
mary bill is going TO have his own
troubles.
The two things that are now perpleXing
those who would frame the measure are,
ordinary intelligence can understand, and
second TO arrange il i'm such way that
the average election officer will be able
TO count the choice in an intelligent man
ner without making numerous errors. IT
il were not for the obsolete method OF
voting for Assemblymen by counties the
task might not be so hard. but when one
considers that the voters in Hudson and
Essex counties will have to select twelve
first choices and twelve second choices
from about sixty names the task Of pro-
viding for a simple ballot is not so easy.
The Massachusetts, form of ballot is
used IT. New Jersey, and the suggestion
has been made that square be placed
to the left and to the right OF each cam
didate's name, with heavy rule separat-
ing the columns. on the top of the left
hand column the words First choice"
would be printed, with instructions to
vote for the required number Of candi-
dates.
The right-hand column would have over
it the words Second choice" also with
instructions TO vote for the required num-
Der of candidates. Then when the boxes
are opened the election officers would
count the left-hand column only and If
they found that there was no ma jority
candidate for a specific place they could
take up the ballots again and count the
second choices. keeping track Of them on
separate tally sheet
II seems probable that plan Of this
kind will be adopted. although there is
considerable opposition to il on the
ground that the not over-intelligent voter
might mark his first choice" in the Sec
ond choice" column. at the time. perhaps
having only single choice.
In a nutshell. what IS bothering the
politicians is this: II voter should vote
in the second choice column only, thus
indicating he had only one choice, why
shouldn't the votes thus cast be counted
as FIRST choices" too? 1t may be pos
sible to word the law so as to take care
CT this. but it will require some shrewd
and careful thinking TO do it, II the whole
law is not to be confused.
If New Jersey had a different method
Of compensating It's lawmakers, the COM
ing session would see the adoption Of
the California plan of lawmaking. The
lawmakers here get 500 a year, and 1t
was feared that If session were held
exclusively for the introduction of bills
il would be difficult TO get quorum OF
lawmakers, for after a lawmaker had
introduced his measures he would at once
start for home. because there wouldn't
be much to keep him from his business.
OF course, If the lawmakers received
PER diem allowance. as they do out West,
a quorum would be an easy thing 10 hold.
While the Democrats have been dis
cUssing progressive legislation and other
changes I'm lawmaking the Republicans
have been quietly at work preparing
measures which will put the progressive
ness OF the Democrats 10 test.
The Republicans are keeping their plans
to themselves, but II is understood that
they have few progressive bills ready
for introduction a week from Tomorrow
that are Cookers" 1t wouldn't be bit
surprising If they endeavored TO have the
California system adopted. now that the
Democrats have turned II down.