The Penn's Grove record., 1919-02-07
VETO PLAN TO
BREAK DEADLOCK
Refuse offer of Democrats. to
Cast Lots for Speakersh,p
in the Open Assembly.
SENATE CANNOT FUNCTION.
What Is to Be Done With Pressing
Matters Deeply Concerns the State
Officials, Department Heads
and institution Managers.

and Institution Managers.
Trenton, Feb. 4.-Rejecting a pro
posal Of the Democrats to break the
assembly deadlock by casting lois for
the ~sneakership, the Republicans in
sisted upon fighting it out. Seven more
ballots, therefore, were taken, but tie
result was the same as the preceding
- woes. 80 for Assembiylf@n 'efS"n,
Republican, OF Union, and 80 for ~
SeMblgman McAteer, Democrat, of
Hudson.
The Democrats reached their dpci-
sion 10 offer the casting OF lois in q
long, earnest conference, which As'd
up HE session until after 9 O'Clock.
When they appeared from the commit
tee room Clerk Jetferys banged for iAe
opening. and -AssemblylIan McAte"r
lle candidate, acting as spokesman for
his party. related what had tTanspireG
in the conference.
I'VE are now in the fourth week Of
the session." he said. ''and there is no
more prospect Of agreeing than in the
first week. In their conference the 30
Democratic members decided to offer
the suggestion of breaking the dead
lock by casting lots, for, if we continue
week after week with no prospect of
settling the matter, the people will tell
us to retire. The Democrats, there
fore. delegated me to speak for them
and to say that the two candidates
draw lots for the speakership, but
draw them on the open floor of the as
semhly. We recall with sorrow the
scandal which followed the choice OF
speaker when there was a similar tie
in 1887, and we do not wish any repe-
titisn of such a situation"
Democratic Leader Barrett said he
was glad to supplement what Assem-
blyman McAtrer had said. and 1T show
ed a fine spirit upon his part TO be
willing to give up the post of honor to
which all the Democrats felt he was
entitled.
Both Sides Stubborn.
Republican Leader Kellam showed
that the Republicans were not UMPIRE,
pared for this new development of the
situation, as it was evident all after
noon and early evening that something
of the sort was under serious consid
Grafton.
1T is with great surprise" he said
with considerable warmth, that we
here see the great Democratic party
ready to barter away a principle for
which it has fought by the toss of Il
coin. When this plan was suggested
weeks ago it was Spurned by them.
The time has come TO settle the queS-
ton of the selection of h speaker To
preside over this house of assembly.
For three weeks the business of the
people of the state of New Jersey.
whose servants we here in the assem-
bly are. has been delayed and neglect
ed. Numerous ballots have been taken
and yet no decision has been reached.
ITO us on the Republican side there
appears to be no valid argument for
selecting a Democrat. no matter who
he may be. for that position. Clearly
the state of New Jersey is still in the
hands of the Republican party, placed
there by the people of this state. The
governor is Republican, the senate Is
Republican and the house equally di-
vided.
THE Democrats advance the argu-
ment that the last election showed
that the voters desired to record Il
protest against the Republican admin
istration of the affairs Of the state for
the past two years and that they. the
people, intended that the house of as
semhly should he presided Owe by q
Democrat. Any analysis of the facts
of the last election will show that the
contention Of the Democrats is not
borne out by the real conditions
Says State Went Republican.
Assemblyman Kellam then proceed
ed to quote the election returns TO
show that outside Of Essex and Hud-
son counties Governor Edge as a can-
didate for United States senator re-
ceived a majority as large as that Civ
en- him for governor two years before
and that the result in Essex. which
elected - Democratic assemblyman,
was due purely to local conditions and
had nothing whatever to do with the
Republican party in the tate.
The attempt to use the results in
two counties, Essex and Hudson, as an
argument TO demonstrate a reputation
of the Republican party seems too silly
TO need of a reply. except that the
Democrats build their entire case upon
such a premise went on the Repub-
lican leader. THE position of the Re-
publican party in its demand hat the
speaker of the house be Il Republican
is either right or wrong. If right, We
cannot and will not barter that right
away by submitting it to chance; if
wrong, we have no right TO obtain 1t
by luck or drawing lots.
I'VE know hat we are right in u
contention that the speaker 81 this
house should be a Republican. We
have in the person of Arthur \. Per
son a candidate for speaker who is adj