Perth Amboy evening news., 1923-10-03
DRYS WIN
FIGHTS In
JER SEY
Action of G. O. P. Convention
Yesterday Depends on In
depreciation of Plank
REFERRING TO REMEDY
StokeS-Edge Rule Defied-
Nugent Proposal Beaten at
Democratic Convention

TRENTON, Oct. S.--The Anti
Saloon League, aided and abetted
by one Dayy Baird, eighty-four years
old, and of Camden, yesterday upset
the applicant of the wet and old
time Republicans when the party
state convention met not only picked
dry chairman for its deliberations
but prevented any outspoken decla-
ration in favor of modification OF
the Nolstead act.
The test of it all came on the ques-
tion of picking the temporary chair
man and the selection of Senator
Stevens of Monmouth by vote of
fifty-seven to fifty indicated that the
anti-saloon forces were in the sad
die.
Here is the innocuous and milk
and water" sop which the firm of
Shields, Munroe and Baird designed
to cast toward the vets:
I'VE stand for a modification of
the state enforcement act to har-
monize with any modification that
may be made in the national act"
1t was adopted without a chirp
from the group who had favored an
out and out declaration for modifi-
cation. Having been brought in by
the platform committee, controlled
| by the drys, the resolution, which fiIs-
cluded the usual declarations about
the eighteenth amendment being the
law of the land and denounced law
/ lessness, was read by Robert John
son of Atlantic ,ity senate super
visor of bills. who was acting as the
clerk of the convention. Johnson
himself in decided sympathy with the
cause of liberalization, proceeded to
have little fun with those in thu
convention holding the same views
as himself.
I'VE stand for modification az
the state enforcement act" he read
in strident tones. Then he paused.
Immediately the modiicatlonfefs
broke into applause. Then TO har-
monize with any notifications tina,
may be made in the national act'
and it was the turn of the "drys'
to applause and they drowned on.
the opposition of the other side ,e
the liquor question as expressed
but few seconds before,
Senator Stevens, floor leader CT
the Republicans in the last legisa-
ture, having been made temporary
chairman became permanent CHAIR
sHteAt apOi Ailt ACPOEI VI the OTRdn-
ization committee. Had Mr.. Baird
cast his six votes in favor of his ole
political associate, Stokes, the ta-
bles would have been turned and the
"wets" would undoubtedly won the.
day, not only on the chairmanshif,
but in the drafting of a modif1ca-
ton plank in tho platform From
information cleaned after the con-
yention was over. 1t was explained
that the Camden leader had pledged
himself to vote for Stevens when
he learned that the "wets" planned
to offer Speaker of the House Evans
of Passaic, as their choice for
chairman of the convention. There
Is some feeling between Evans and
Camden county apparently, which
explains Baird's action IN part.
When the wet forces, led by
United States Senator Edge, Attor-
ney General McCran, Senator Mac
kay of Bergen. State Chairman
Stokes and others realized that
Evans would not be sufficiently
strong to capture the chairmanship
of the convention, this group decid-
ed not to put the speaker up and
urged Stokes to bear the brunt of the
test vote on the first roll call believ-
ing he would corral votes from the
dry side through his official position
and his friendships and long ac-
quaintance with some of the dele
gates in the opposite faction. Stokes
did land votes on the roll call that
Evans could not have received, but
Stokes old South Jersey ally OF
years of battling in campaign and in
convention, Baird, went back on him
at a crucial moment and the state
chairman went down to defeat. Az
ter the recess he was not seen about
the convention hall for the second
and final session of the day.
Stokes, himself, attempted to
smooth over the rippled waters after
he was beaten by a unanimous vote
for Stevens, but Senator Richards OF
Atlantic, one of the vets, an Edge
lieutenant and a supporter of the
state chairman, refused to be bound
by this action. Jumping to his feel.
he shouted, II for one won't vote
to make that election unanimous.
have been coming to state conven-
tons for ten years and 1t is the first
time in my experience that the state
chairman has not been made th-
temporary chairman of the conven.
ton. We might as well turn it ovet
to the people who wan. to run 1t.
With that he walked out of the cen
vention.
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