Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-07-21
WANT MOUNTAIN
TO MAKE PLEDGE
IF HE IS CHOSEN
East Orange Progressives Want
Promise to Take Up "City
Manager" Scheme.

Taking up the mayoralty situation
in East Orange last night, the Pro-
gressive Club, of that city, showed a
willingness to indorse Judge Worral F.
Mountain for the office provided he
agrees to a platform pledge which the
club has drafted.
Briefly, the pledge is as follows:
If elected, he will appoint repre-
sentative, non-partisan committee to
draft a charter to govern the city by
the "city manager" scheme. which is
in vogue in Dayton, o.. and Cadillac,
Mich. This provides for the election
of councilmen by voters throughout
the city. instead of separate wards;
election of councilmen by a majority,
instead of plurality; the governing
body to be composed of not more than
seven members and the city manager
to be selected by the City Council
with reference solely to his ability
and paid a liberal salary.
Judge Mountain will be given an
opportunity to give his views of the
pledge to the following committee
appointed to see him before next Mon
day night. Harry S. Gilbertson,
Jacob c. Taylor, William b. Daley,
Roger Kinds and Frederick P.
Schenck.
Previous to the debate over the sit
uation, which preceded the clubs
move. a letter was received from the
Citizens Committee of Fifty, which
is behind Judge Mountains candi-
dacy, in which he was quoted as hav-
ing declared that he did not think the
time opportune to consider seriously
revolutionizing the present govern
ment, and consequently was not will
ing to adopt the pledge. Notwith-
standing this, the club thought 1T best
to get him to impart his views to the
committee.
Attacks Gregory's Record.
Enlivening the meeting when it
was at dull stage, former Council
man Harry Burr, who is toiling labor
iously to get Judge Mountain into the
race and who is a leader OF the Citi-
zens' Committee, declared that Mayor
Julian A. Gregory, who will probably
oppose the jurist, should the latter
be successful at the primaries, has
plunged the city into a deep hole that
is going to cost the municipality lot
of money to get out of" He referred
to the efforts of the Democratic ex-
ecutive to have the City Council de-
lay the execution of a contract with
Montclair and Orange to erect a joint
sewage disposal plant at Belleville.
1.-TWO years ago | worked hard for
the election of Gregory" said Mr.
Burr But he has not broadened out
to be the constructive man he should
be-" He argued against the Progress
sives attempting to get Judge Noun
tain to commit himself on the pledge
the club proposed.
IF the club opposed Judge Noun
tain" he maintained, sit would make
possible the election of former County
Clerk John b. Woolston, who would
fight you tooth and nail along the line
the platform pledge suggests. We
don't want officials who will be led In
the city government by two or three
men, as has been done before" de-
clared Mr.. Burr.
Mr.. Burr was positive it would not
be possible to get a new charter for
East Orange within year. The Pro-
gressives said they were not of the
opinion that a change could be accom-
plished within that time, but they ex-
planned they wanted candidates who
would agree to work for revolution
of the present system should they be
successful.
Says He Is Through.
"If you men have not the interests
of the city at heart, then 1 am
through declared Mr.. Burr, some
mayor and see how far you will adj
vance for the next four years." he
went on.
Questioning the right of the Citi-
zens' Committee to style itself a nom
partisan body, School Commissioner
Louis Buddy Sd inquired of Mr.. Burr
why the organization had no Demo-
cratic members. ITO me it is plain
that the organization is a Republican
partisan body" declared Mr.. Buddy,
land it does not seem to have the
right spirit. l can't see why no Dem
ocrats are on it."
Jacob C. Taylor agreed with Mr..
Burr's views. IF Judge Mountain is
elected there will be improvement"
he said.
William b. Daley directed some hot
shot against the election of Mr.. Wool
ston. "He is a good fellow" Mr.. Dali
ley said, but is opposed to everything
we represent"