Perth Amboy evening news., 1919-12-24
To KEEP PLEDGES
DEMOCRATS SAY
Senator Brown Choice for
Minority Leader at COntab
ARRANGE 1920 PROGRAM
Governor-elect Edwards Meets
With Party Leaders to Plan
for Legislature Work

That the campaign pledges and pre-
election promises of the Democratic
Party in this state will be carried out
to the letter was the declaration fol-
lowing a conference of the Governor
elect Edward 1. Edwards, Democratic
Senators, Assemblymen and State
leaders held at the Robert Treat Hotel
in Newark asst night. The conference
was called at the suggestion of Gov
~ernor-elect Edwards to arrange a
legislature program for the year 1920,
and to organize both branches Of the
legislature. Senator Thomas Brown
of this city was choice for minority
leader in the upper house.
GoVernor-elect Edwards, all the
Democratic senators and assembly
and state leaders. James r. Nugent,
Frankie. Hague, Joh Milton were
present. Speeches were made by MI
gent, Hague, Milton. James MacInteeI
Alexander Simpson, senator-elect OF
hudson county. Senator Brown was
chosen chairman of the meeting.
Senator Brown in an address stated
the purposes of the party and urged
q constructive legislation program in
order to carry out the campaign
pledges of the party. All other speak
ers spoke along the same lines, urg-
ing a constructive program in order
that the party should do all 1t could
to carry out the planks in the plat
form.
1t was decided that immediate ac-
ton will be taken as soon as the legls-
lature W. by the Democrats for
the passage of laws wherein the state
of New Jersey can regulate the sale
of intoxicating liquors not for bev-
erage purposes as provided by the
eighteenth amendment. Special feat
ures as to punishment for violatorS
and methods of infinement will be
part of the law, as the Democrats
are of the opinion that they nave with
Congress equal and concurrent power
to pass laws as far as the state OF
New Jersey is concerned.
The law will also contain the
amount of fines, what shall be consid-
cred intoxicating liquor, the penalty
II proceeding whereby a mar may
be convicted. The feature of the law
will be such as will retain to the state
as nearly as can be retained all the
rights and liberties enjoyed by the
State of New Jersey.
This law will have a provision TO
the effect thai the same shall remain
in full force n affect until the Su-
lpreme Court of the United States de.
cides whether or not the eighteenth
amendment Is constitutional insofar
as New Jersey is concerned, by q suit
which will be instigated through the
fundamentally of the Democratic
party to test the constitutionality OF
the eighteenth amendment. All the
remaining features of the platform
pertaining to the Public Utilities Com
mission and others will be performed
insofar as it is possible for the
Democratic legislature and Governor
elect to perform them.
1t was plainly evident at the meet
ing that the Democrats are united as
never before. AS a result of the con-
ference Senator Brown was the choice
for minority leader of the Senate and
Senator Henry T. Kays of Sussex was
the choice OF the conference for the
honorary office of temporary chairman
of the organization Of the Senate
Senator Thomas Parker of Warren. is
10 be the choice of the Democrats fol
the president of the Senate,
The conferelce also discussed the
lgovernor-eleGt's message. A commit
ee consisting of governor-elect Ed
wards, Senator Brown, Senator Bar
cit, Senator Simpson and John Mil
ton to prepare legislation that will
carry out the provisions of the mes
sage. Senator Brown said the mes
sage will be concise and to the point