The Penn's Grove record., 1919-01-31
Democrats and Republicans
Agree to Abide by 81 Ma
iority Arrangement.
EACH WILL USE MOVE.
Two Republicans Absent at Roll Call,
Vote Standing 80 to 20 for Nc
Ateer-CouId Have Put House
Under CaIl-House Recess.

lean members out of the chamber
when the first ballot of the assembly
for spcakership was taken. the vote
stood 30 for McAteer, Democrat, and
Is for PiersOn, Republican. Clerk JEFF
ferys at once declared no choice, but
Democratic Leader Barrett appealed
from that decision. This precipitated
a lively battle, which ended only after
the house, having taken six futile bal
lots, adjourned.
Republican Leader keIlam called at
tention to the resolution adopted on
the first day of the session requiring
a majority of all the members, or 81
votes, to elect the speaker and other
officers. Leader Barrett said he was
ware of that action, but, under the
constitution, there was nothing to pre-
vent the election by a majority of the
members present.
Leader Kellam declared there was
neither law nor precedent to establish
such a course. His opponent moved a
recess of half an hour, but this was de-
feated in a tie vote, as a hasty call had
brought in the absent Republican MEM
other ballot, but Assemblyman Barrett
objected on the ground that Assembly
man McAteer had been duly elected
speaker. The Republican leader said
-,,aH n -.4- ~, Ia Ial n TpDr
the Democrats, who, to guard against
/ just such a contingency, had stood for
the resolution. He said the Republi-
cans were ready to proceed TO the
election of the speaker, and to stay all
night, and all the rest of the week, if
necessary, to bring it about, and if the
Democrats wished to bear the odium
of blocking the way, the Republicans
could stand it.
My answer to that" retOrted AS
semblyman Barrett, lis that the speak
er has already been elected" This
evoked groanS from the Republicans
and applause from the Democrats. On
the same tie vote the Kellam motion
to proceed with another ballot was
lost, and that put the situation up i'll
the air for fair.
Democrats c~ourteously Recede.
The Barrett motion for a half-hour
recess then went through with the ON
SEM of the Republicans.
The Democrats Immediately went
into conference and after full discus
sion of the situation decided not to in
s.st upon the stand they had taken, hui
to hold the ballot as Il precedent for
any future action that might follow.
When the session resumed, Assembly
man Barrett said that as a party lead
er he stood for its welfare and was
/ proud of its achievements.
He said he had received word that
the Republicans had asked for a ruling
from the attorney general as to how
many members We're really necessary
to elect a speaker, and il was to pro
tect his own party that he had taken
advantage of the temporary absence OF
tie two Republicans to declare Assem-
b,yman McAteer elected.
He was proud. he said. 10 be aNle to
declare that not one of the Democrats
would stand for the election of Il speak
err without the required 81 VoleS. l.
was to for estall. he said. any possible
effort on the side TO reach q result in
/ any other way. Leader kellam CON
graduated the Democrats upon the
stand they had taken. as It was clearly
Indicative of their good sense. He said
there was no ground whatever for the
rumor that the attorney general had
been asked his opinion with respect
to the situation.
I'VE are here to play fair, he eX-
claimed. "and to stand by the pledges
made at the beginning of the session =
That smoOthed things out finely, and
It was Leader Barrett himself who
moved for another ballot. The result,
however. was the same. without a sign
of a break on either side. Three more
ballots were taken, making is in all,
with no difference in result, and adj
journment was taken.
All sorts of plans and schemes have
been put forth from one source or an
other to cut the Gordian knot, but none
of them was of such nature as to meet
acceptance. There was Il conference OF
Republican leaders in Governor Edges
office, at which the situation was dis
cussed in the hope of reaching a con.
clusion as a form of procedure by
which a settlement could be reached
but nobody had a working plan to of
fer. and nothing came of 1t.
fractional Feeling in Senate.
One of the first moves in the senate
session was the resignation of Senator
Allen of Salem county as a member OF
the Committee on Appropriations. The
| senator is one of the "Casmacs" an(
has beer a member of that committee
three years. He is said to have OK
pected the craftsmanship, which Se,ia
tor Wells held for two years, but Presi
dent Runyon appointed Senator Whit
ney of Norris, a "Runwell," to the
craftsmanship. 1t was but one more
little manifestation of the feeling be