Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-01-28
OPENS FIGHT FOR
commission RULE
Mayor Murray Hopes to Over
throw Democratic Rule
in Orange.

Leading the fight for commission
government in Orange, in the hope
that he will destroy the present Com
mon Council government now under
control of an efficient Democratic ma
jority, which, with ten united votes,
can override at will the vetoes of the
executive, Mayor Frank J. Murray is
making a vigorous canvass of the
city for a committee to take osten-
sible management of the anticipated
campaign. Mayor Murray, in COM
pany with Alfred Crosse. visited the
Second ward last night to enlist in his
campaign prominent citizens, and
will, 1t is expected, within a few days
announce the committee which is to
go before the public. Last night he
secured the assent of former Assem-
b1yman Coleman e. Nissan, Re-
publican leader, who will be one of
the committee group, which the Re-
publican executive is anxious shall
have a majority of Democrats. Other
men have consented to the use of
their names, and the fight for control
of the city will be started early in
February, and promises to be a warm
one.
The open hostility 20 the Demo-
cratic majority has awakened the
people of the city to an appreciation
of Mayor Murrays desperate play
for control, and while there is I'M
doubtedly a sentiment which Is in
favor of the commission plan in Or
ange it is expected the fight will be
a strictly partisan one, with the
Democratic ranks fairly well united
against a combination of Republic
cans, Wilson Leaguers and dissatis-
fed Democrats who are on the out
side Oh control.
The eagerness of many to land in
positions of authority is one of the
assets counted upon for vote-getting
by the Republicans. as they appre-
ciate the fact that Orange is Demo-
cratic city and most likely to elect
Democrats to the commission If that
plan is favored. Mayor Murray's
! term will end this year, regardless of
the success of the commission idea,
and his chances of reelection are
considered dubious, even by many of
his own party. The young mayor,
too, has an ambition to transfer his
oratorcal efforts to the large forum
of the House of Representatives at
Washington, d. c., and he is expect
ed to sacrifice" his own tenure of
Office as mayor in his fight for a COM
mission,
Mayor Murray openly came out
for the commission idea at the New
Years Day meeting, and his failure
to send along his annual message to
the Common Council. his famous
essay on the Police and Fire Com
mission appointments veto and
other utterances are in line with his
herculean effort to get his party in
control. despite the smashing defeat
of the Republicans in the entire five
wards last November.
The mayor is making the personal
appeal TO the residents he wants on
the commission committee in order
TO get the full benefit of a strong
front when the opening guns are
fired for the proposed change of add
ninistration. The nom partisan decla-
ration which the Republican candi-
date used with good effect in his
campaign in 1912 win, 81 course, be
repeated when the mayor opens the
campaign. and it is said his follow
ers count on Democratic support
from the source which aided in his
defeat of Arthur B. Seymour in that
campaign. No open move has been
made as yet by the following that
was openly accused of treachery to
the Democratic. executive. but men
who are close to the one-time leaders,
who were accused of knitting" for
mer Mayor Seymour, are cautiously
urging the commission idea.