Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1921-10-03
best MINDS
CONFER AGAIN
Van Ness "Dry" Act to Again
be Taken Over by the
Republicans
READY FOR CONVENTIONS
Both Republicans and Demo-
Gratis to Convene Several
Problems to be Considered
READY FOR CONVENTIONS

TRENTON, Oct. S-The Republi-
can best minds" whom State Chair
man E. C. Stokes has gathered to
draft a tentative platform for the
consideration of the official dele
gates to the party convention to-
morrow. will go at their problem
again here this afternoon beginning
about 4 o'clock. The most vexing
question which the leaders have be-
fore them for decision is what to
say or not to say on the much dis
cussed Van Ness Prohibition En-
forcement Act, a creature of last
winters overwhelming Republican
legislature.
With the Democrats expected to-
morrow to have some ringing decla-
ration against the drastic features
of this piece of 1921 legislature, the
G.. o. p. platform drafters are con-
fronted with the question whether
it would be wiser to leave the act
severely alone and please the Anti
Saloon League forces or placate tho
evident discomfort in the populous
North Jersey counties with a -provi
sion urging modification of the
measure at the next session.
Control of the House
Control of the lower House may
depend upon what the attitude OF
the two party state conventions take
tomorrow on this question. If the
Essex "wets' support the Demo-
cratic ticket sufficiently to elect 1t
and Hudson returns an expected
Democratic delegation that party
will start with twenty-four of the
required thirty-one votes TO organ
ize the next House of Assembly. The
Republican leaders do not want
this set back a year before the big
1922 contest for governor and
United States senator. but with
Speaker of the House George S. Ho-
bart, of Essex, Mrs. Jennie c. Van
Ness also of Essex. Mrs. Lillian F.
Feickert of Somerset, vice chairman
of the state committee and others
who will have a vote and voice in
| the convention tomorrow insisting
upon no change in the enforcement
| act which bears Mrs. Van Ness
name prospects of hard tussel to
get an expression for modification
are in sight.
1t is understood also that State
| Chairman Stokes wants to have the
platform silent on the measure. but
| former United States Senator David
| Baird, of Camden. has been quoted
as advocating several changes to the
| measure. including a trial by jury
for wet" offenders, a modification
of the clause under which dry"
officials may enter and search the
/ individuals premises and reduc-
ton of the penalty to be inflicted
upon first offenders.
In the view of political observers
| here Mr.. Baird, who has had a long
schooling in New Jersey politics. is
| afraid the Van Ness act may cause
| the House of Assembly to be lost to
| the Republicans in November. He
has a very pertinent interest In see
| ing that this is prevented inasmucn
as the next legislature will on joint
| ballot elect a state treasurer to sue
ceed William T. Read, of Camden,
personal friend and one of the Baird
| lieutenants incidentally Mr.. Read
| is Camden's choice for governor
whenever the opportune time ar
rives TO put the state treasurer for
ward for that honor. If the Demo-
Gratis should control the assembly
they might have sufficient votes In
| Joint ballot to control the election of
| the next state treasurer, or at least
make the Republican margin on
| joint ballot so close that Mr.. Read
| friends might have trouble holding
| the G. o. p. votes in line.
/ 1t is expected that James r.
| Nugent will come to Trenton tomor-
row from Essex with a plank in his
| pocket containing stirring denun-
citation of the provisions of the Van
! Ness act. This is the Nugent card
in the assembly fight in Essex this
year. The Democrats are particu-
larly encouraged there by the way
in which the Republican primary
voters "cut'' Mrs. Van Ness week
! ago in the balloting.
The attitude of Governor Edwards
and the Hudson Democrats tomor-
row will be of interest. They may
or they may not support the Nugent
plank and indications would point
to another stormy convention, SINH
lar to that of last year when the
Essex leaders wet" fight was de-
feated on the floor by a questionable
roll call.
1t is expected that there will be
| Democratic women in the conven-
ton who will oppose any concessions
to the wet forces and some dry
delegates among the men will join
forces with them. Mr.. Nugent will
start with a solid delegation of 'thir-
teen votes in his own county and
will likely draw support from Union.
Middlesex, Passaic and scattering
| strength from other counties.
So far as is known no Democratic
pre-eonvention platform conferences
are scheduled for this city today.
That preliminary work will be taken
UP tomorrow morning when the del
| egateS arrive.