Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-03-13
CAUCUSDEvELOPS
QUITE A MYSTERY
who Called It?" Is the Cues
tion, Even Among the Demo-
cratic AssembIymen.
TspecIal 10 the Evening stnr1

TRENTON, March 13.-'Who called
| the caucus?" That appears to be the
| burning question, even among Demo-
cratic asSemblymen. This refers to
that Democratic family party in Gov
ernor Eielder's room In the capitol
building on Wednesday last, from
which seven members of tho lower
house broke away. Then another ques-
tion supplementary thereto and
amendatory thereof of the first ques-
! tion. It is: "If no one called the eau
GUS who inspired the thought of con-
verting q conference into a caucus.
thereby raising "Old Ned more or
| less?
Fielder DiscIssinis Responsibility.
Governor Fielder declares that he
| is in no sense responsible for the eau
Gus feature of the proceedings and
it's unpleasant afterelap. He invited
the Democratic assemblymen to meet
with him and confer with him on GER
tain measures that he desired 10 have
enacted into laws. He had pursued
like course with the Democratic
senators. But as for caucussing on
from his mind, he says, and the gov
ernor's say-so is accepted as the alb
solute truth.
Now, who did take il upon himself
to work the time-worn snap" game
on suspecting lawmakers?
In speaking of - matter the Gov
ernor said:
II have done my duty in suggest
ing to the Democratic Assemblymen
the great necessity Of passing the
automobile bills and the bank stock
bill as additional revenue producers
The idea yesterday of having a
caucus on these matters was not orig
inal with me. My idea was merely
to have a conference with my Demo-
cratic associates. l was not respon-
sible for the motion to turn the con
ference into a caucus, and 1t was this
motion that started the bolt. How
over. the sentiment of those Assem-
blymen who remained was SO en-
phatic In favor of both the auto bills
and the bank stock bill that l believe
the House of Assembly will next week
pass these bills If the Democrats do
not see fit to do this, the responsible
ity will rest on their shoulders, and
they will have to face the alternative
of a State tax. My duty in the mat
ter is ended. ! shall exert no further
pressure. Such a thing as q special
session is farthest from my thoughts.
1t is clearly up to the Democratic
legislators
Majority Leader Joseph M. Brane-
gan also denies responsibility for
planning or precipitating the embar-
RAISING caucus project, which has
aroused bitter resentment among not
only certain assemblymen but others
familiar with political manipula ton
and who therefore understand the
significance of binding men by eau
Gus rule. 1t is looked upon as taking
an unfair advantage and is only
availed of when persons with axes
to grind see in the caucus method the
only way by which the axes can be
ground Caucus rule grlnds men as
well as axes.
Those Who Left Are Not Bound.
Those who left the conference,
Messrs. Carhart, McDermott, Fisk,
Brackner. Rowe, Foley and Eaton, in.
leaving the "Anfetence" before it
was turned into a caucus, left them
selves free and untrammeled to vote
as they please on legislative bills, and
also escaped the odium of "bolting"
party caucus. For a conference
conclusion is not binding; a caucus is.
Reports have it that Assem- blyman
Arthur NJ. Agnew, of Bergen county,
sprang the motion to change the
conference into caucus. Did AgneM
do this of his own volition or was he
acting under healed orders TO take
the brunt of responsibility off Leader
Branegan's shoulders or shield 9TH
ers?