Perth Amboy evening news., 1920-03-06
BROWN DEFENDS
HIS CANDIDACY
Senator Cannot See Anything to
Criticise in His Entering Dis
trict Delegate Race
CHALLENGES ERRORS MADE
Up to Democratic Voters to Have
Man Elected Senator Go a..
to Convention

to Convention
In statement to the EVENING
NEWS today, Senator Thomas Brown
of this city tells why he is candidate
as delegate to the National Demo-
cratic convention. According to Sena-
tor Brown had Congressman Thomas
J. Scully, desired to be a candidate
he would not have entered the race,
but in view of the fact that Tho Con-
gresham was not a candidate, he
felt it his right a. state senator from
the county and third congressional
district to ask the democratic voters
of the district TO send him as their
representative. Senator Browns state
ment follows:
Senator Brown said today:
The reasons for my candidacy as
q delegate for this congressional dis
trict to the Democratic national con-
Vention are to me so Justifiable in
view of my official position and the
circumstances that 1 cannot see any
warrant for adverse criticism Of my
candidacy. 1t is simply a case plain
ly put to the Democratic voters to
say whether the man they elected as
their senator has rendered them such
service as will entitle him to the dis
tinction and duty Of being their
spokesman at the national conven-
ton of their party. There IS abso-
lutely nothing personal to this, and
L cannot leave unchallenged any
wrongful surmises or erroneous sup
positions as to why / entered my
candidacy.
1t seemed to me appropriate and
customary that the congressm an
from the district should be one of
the delegates if he so desired, but
when I was reliably informed of his
-. ~
ton, I honestly felt that by all pre-
cedents and fair rules Of politics, and
generally, that I had the right, as
state senator of the county, to ask
my fellow Democratic voters to send
me as their representative. If my rec
ord had fulfilled the pledges 1 made
to them during the canvass for that
this distinction and feeling because
of my office and my work in that
office, 4 could efficiently represent
their desires and judgment, and hear
ing and knowing of no opposition. l
declared my candidacy. Was there
anything wrong in this? Did l vio-
late any rule or law? Was there
anything that I should have done ex-
eepting to honestly and openly put 1t
up to the people? This announce
ment of my candidacy was made days
before the state committee met and
was in no way suggested. Influenced
or controlled by them. 1t has always
been the custom OF the party to have
their state committee endeavor to ar
range a proper geographical distri-
button OF delegates and alternates,
where the district contains more than
one county. When the state commit
tee subsequently met for this purpose
and my name was included, / natur-
ally was pleased with that fact, but
IT,. Il - "a =
daey and could not have had any
thing to do with It's making as 1t was
already @ fact.
Any insinuation or supposition that
my candidacy is antagonistic to tho
regular organization of my party 1s
not honest. The regular Democratic
county committee, elected by the party
voters consists Of eighty six members.
representing the different polling dis
tricts of the county. Do those who
suggest the insinuation or supposit1on
referred to, act on the assumption that
1t really consists of but one or two
men and that other eighty-four or
eighty-five are mere f1gure-heads?
recognize that they all have full men,
bership and hold each one Of them
in high regard.
Every fair-minded member Of tho
Democratic party of this county knows
test and up to the present minute.
/ have worked Loyalty at all times
for the regular organizations; for the
party so absolutely believe in. and
for the best interests Of the citizens
Of the county generally; and I am
confident that my record in this con-
nection has met with their almost
unanimous approval, and Is fact
beyond dispute that has also been DIS
tinctly recognized throughout the en-
tire State Of New Jersey.
When I ran for senator of the
county of Middlesex understood that
il elected senator then by virtue of
that Office became the spokesman
Of the Democratic party of the county.
The people Of Middlesex county elect
ed me by a splendid majority. And
! now ask my fellow Democratic
voters II I have proved worthy as
their spokesman in the state senate
to send me as their spokesman to
the national convention of our party.
I have given the best that Is in
me to the service of the people gen.
orally and thereby to the strengthen
Ing of my own party. gratefully recog
nize the fact that have been select
ed as the leader of my party in the
state senate and especially am grate-
full to have been the chosen spokes-
man of the governor of this state In
matters of important legislation rec
commended by him. / have stood by
him Loyalty. and he unhesitatingly
recognizes that, and If my party sends
me to the national convention. Cover
nor Edwards knows that he will re-
ceive from me there the same un-
questioned loyalty and unfagging sup
port that he has received from me in
tn senate.
have no personal grievance against
anyone. I have given the honest rea-
sons and arguments why I ask the
Democratic party to elect me their
delegate. AS Of right and Of law.
it is entirely UP to the Democratic
voters-to determine; and I confidently
appeal for the support of those voters
and the regular Democratic organiza-
ton upon the basis Of my record and
work as the state senator Of this
county, and as an ardent. loyal. and
regular Democrat"