Perth Amboy evening news., 1919-09-26
To ACT
ON BIC ISSUES
Platforms to Be Considered at
State Conventions
SUNDAY LAW QUESTIONS
Votes for Women, Dry Laws
and Other Problems for
Consideration
By Special Correspondent.

TRENTON, Sept. 26.-Thes Repub-
lican State Committee, the Republican
county chairman and the Republican
candidate for Governor, Newton A. K.
Bugbee, were the luncheon guests
here today of State Chairman E. C.
plans for the coming campaign and
the State convention which Is to meet
on Tuesday, of next week.
In addition to this meeting of to-
day, Mr.. Stokes is arranging for an
other conference to be held next Mon
day evening, prior to Tuesdays con
vention. for the purpose of whipping
tentative platform into shape.
That lively times may characterize
both the Republican and Democratic
conventions over the three leading
questions Of the campaign thus far,
namely, Prohibition. Public Utilities
regulation and ratification of equal
suffrage by the next Legislature, are
the indications now.
II will advocate platform planks
along the line of my stand in the pri-
mary campaign on these questions,
said Mr.. Bugbee when asked what his
attitude would be in these matters in
framing the G. o. p. platform. His
ideas on Prohibition are that 1t Is no
longer an issue In this State and,
therefore, he sees no need of a plank
on this subject. He will urge one
calling for an Independent appraisal
of the properties of the Public Ser
vice Corporation to be used for equit-
able rate-making purposes and he will
abide by what the convention plank
on equal suffrage says. These are the
propositions he committed himself to
In the primary contest In which he
was victorious for the nomination.
H
have been nominated In Essex and
elsewhere may demand another kind
of an attitude on the liquor question
in the convention and will probably
insist upon a declaration calling for
the strictest enforcement of National
Prohibition as it will pertain to this
State. Mr.. Bugbee himself expects a
lively convention on this and other
subjects. irrespective of the outcome
Of the questions on the floor in the
consideration and framing of the
day baseball will likely be urged by
Lieut.. William A. Moore, who defeat
ed the organization slate in Mercer
and wins place on the Assembly
ticket. He ran on a so-called liberal
platform and will likely ask for the
Sunday movie and Sunday base ball
planks.
One of the hot scraps In both con-
ventions is likely TO come over tho
question of ratifying equal suffrage
without a referendum. Mr.. Bugbee Is
known to still personally favor ref
erendum but he Is on record as will
ing to abide by the will of the Repub-
lican convention and the Republican
legislators elected in November.
Last year, 1t will be recalled, the
Democratic convention went almost
into a riot over this issue. James R..
Nugent by tie vote succeeded in
preventing the insertion of suffrage
plank in the platform. after he was
beaten in the resolutions committee.
Nugent will not have a seat in this
convention, he having refrained from
standing again for the Democratic
State Committee from Essex.
Edward I. Edwards, of Hudson,
who Is an ardent suffragist advocate,
and who will undoubtedly insist upon
a plank on this subject as the Demo-
cratic candidate for governor, will
most likely find the Nugent strength
in the convention represented by the
twelve Essex candidates for the as
sembly and scattering support from
other places. That Edwards will be
successful in this matter, however,
seems to be the indication.
The Nugent men cannot consistent
ly oppose the plank ne Will undoubt-
edly advocate against prohibition, in
asmuch as he is an 'anti' on the
dry question. Election of mem
bers to the Board of Public Utility
Commission in place Of the appoin-
tive system was one of the chief
planks in the Edwards primary plat
form and 1t would undoubtedly be a
leading one to be adopted at the
state convention.
Following closely on this will be a
declaration for the abolition of the
present Board of Highway Commits
sioners which Is in charge of the
highway system construction and the
substitution of single commissioner.
Abolition of the direct tax for roads,
bridges and tunnels will also receive
attention and bond issue to make
posterity bear some of these tax bur-
dens will probably be endorsed. All
these are Edwards propositions and
he is the candidate for governor and
will urge them strongly. it is expect
ed.