Perth Amboy evening news., 1915-03-02
VOTE ON COMMISSION
IN NEW BRUNSWICK
Mayor Garretson's Name Heads
Commission Government Pc
tition Here and About 100
Signatures Follow Already.

With the circulation of commits
sion government petitions here for
the first time yesterday afternoon,
and the gaining of more than one
hundred signatures within a little
more than an hour there developed
prospects that the special election on
the subject will be held April or
April 13. The name of Mayor Gar
reuson was signed at the top of the
first petition put in circulation.
The committee of the Central La
Dor Union received the printed petit
tions shortly before o'clock yester-
day afternoon, and by o'clock the
name of the mayor headed the list,
This morning the petitions bore more
than 100 names, among them being
some of the most prominent business
men throughout the city, which is
about one-eighth of the number OF
signatures needed to the calling OF a
special election, The committee is
working to get the required names
within one week, and IL the petitions
are filed Immediately thereafter un-
der the law, the city clerk would be
required to call a special election for
the third Tuesday thereafter. AL
lowing two weeks for securing the
necessary signers and the filing of
the petitions, would mean that the
citizens of the city would be given an
opportunity to express their opinion
at the polls as to whether Perth Am
boy shall be governed by a commits
sion of five men.
The committee of the Central La
Dor Union started today to visit the
ministers of the city and interest
them in the proposed change in gov
ernment. They also planned to have
an early mass meeting to be address,
ed by prominent advocates of the
new form of government, to be held
at either the Majestic or the Audi
torium, when the workings of the
commission government act will Us
explained by men who have seen 1t
In operation.
1t is likely that this meeting will
be set for Sunday afternoon II the
necessary speakers can be secured
for that occasion. Mayor Ferd Gar
retson has proffered his services in
securing speakers, and 1t is probabl
that Judge Carey, of Jersey City and
Mayor Donnelly, OF Trenton, both of
which cities are governed by COM
missions, will be the principal speak
ers.
The committee has sent for litera-
ture, which will be distributed broad
cast throughout Perth Amboy, set
ting forth the merits of the new
method of government.
The committee has been asked by
a number OF business men who would
be the five commissioners. The ques-
TONERS were always Informed that
the committee did not know as it
was not working for any set of men,
and that each man who desired to
run for one of the commissionerships
would have an equal opportunity
with another.
The committee declares 1t has
learned that most OF the politicians,
both Republicans and Democrats In
he city, are opposed to the change.
One Republican stated this morning
that 1t would not seem logical that
Republicans advocate the change, be-
cause the party stood good chance
of gaining control of the city gov
ernment next fall. However, a
Democrat thought his party should
not be especially anxious for the
change because he thought the Dem
ocrats would hold the reins Of gov
ernment following the fall election,
provided commission government
does not interfere.