New Jersey Firemen in Convention.

New Jersey Firemen in Convention.

31日的年度大会上新耶ey State Firemen’s association, held in Atlantic City at the Steel Pier, with Bird W. Spencer president, in the chair, on September 10, was chiefly remarkable for the disorder that accompanied its proceedings—all arising from a spirit of jealousy so rampant as almost to break up the gathering. From the opening address that of Mayor Stoy, who welcomed the delegates, the apple of discord was thrown into the midst of the convention—of course, with the accustomed results. Mayor Stoy, instead of steering clear of State and local politics, severely criticised as “malicious and unfounded” the recent utterances of Governor Fort on the excise question, and was evidently more than taken aback when Gen. Spencer, in responding to the address of welcome, expressed his opinion that the “excise laws were intended for all cities in the State, for Atlantic City just as much as for any other place,” adding that he could not see where the governor was wrong in insisting that the lawshould be complied with in Atlantic City. When the report of the legislative committee of the association was read, there arose an uproar at the recommendation to local relief association not to pay the expenses to the Atlantic City convention of the exempt delegates who are authorised to attend under a bill passed last March giving exempt firemen representation in the relief association. William A. Cotter, of Newark, charged that volunteers exempt from active service were endeavoring to deprive members of the paid firedepartments of the big cities of the State of the benefits of the pension and protective fund, and order ceased to exist when a Plainfield delegate said that the volunteers were entitled to the lion's share of the State fund, because they had fought lire as a civic duty. Conspiracy on the part ol the delegates representing exempt firemen’s associations was alleged. These delegates were charged with doing their best to secure control of the million-dollar fund maintained for the protection of injured and permanently disabled firefighters This precipitated a bitter struggle that may end in the disintegration of the body. Other reports showed that there are 201 firemen’s associations in the State, and that $38,000 of the relief funds are in banks which pay no interest on the account. After a conference of the heads of the volunteer factions, it was decided to abandon the tight in the convention and urge legislation giving absolute control of the million-dollar fund. The old officers were then re-elected (although it was claimed that they were to be bitterly opposed), as follows: President, Bird W. Spencer, Passaic; vicepresident, Bayard C. Stately, Haddonticld, Samuel Carhart, Ocean City, Edward Simonson, Freehold, Jacob II. Goenert, Somerville, Robert F Oram, Wharton, Charles S. Steele, Newton, Arthur Russell, Glen Ridge, John B. Mayer, Milburn, Egbert Seymour, Bayonne, Charles Sncatli, Guttenberg, treasurer, John J. Lane, Summit; secretary, William Exall, Newark ; financial secretary, George T. Everitt, Hackettstown; counsel, W. A. Cotter, Newark, in the course of his annual address President Spencer was cheered, when he predicted that the association would soon reach the $6,000,000 mark. Now, as had been told, paid firemen, through their respective relief associations, receive half of the 1 per cent, assessed on all contracts made by non-resident fire insurance companies. Besides this, they may draw on the State fund for medical bills and funeral expenses in cases where injury or death results from performance of duty. They claim, jt is said, that this is not enough. On the other hand, it is contended by volunteer firemen that the fund was primarily established for them, and that they should have the exclusive benefit therefrom. Those who say they represent the conservatives in the association criticise these objections on the ground that the division of assessments is equitably distributed and that it is only by the policy of the existing administration that the fund can maintain its present efficiency. They point out that the fund had reached approximately $1,100,000 under the present control, and that last year $55,000 had been paid out for relief; $36,000 to the pension funds of the paid fire departments and $10,500 for the maintenance of the Boonton home.

31日的年度大会上新耶ey State Firemen’s association, held in Atlantic City at the Steel Pier, with Bird W. Spencer president, in the chair, on September 10, was chiefly remarkable for the disorder that accompanied its proceedings—all arising from a spirit of jealousy so rampant as almost to break up the gathering. From the opening address that of Mayor Stoy, who welcomed the delegates, the apple of discord was thrown into the midst of the convention—of course, with the accustomed results. Mayor Stoy, instead of steering clear of State and local politics, severely criticised as “malicious and unfounded” the recent utterances of Governor Fort on the excise question, and was evidently more than taken aback when Gen. Spencer, in responding to the address of welcome, expressed his opinion that the “excise laws were intended for all cities in the State, for Atlantic City just as much as for any other place,” adding that he could not see where the governor was wrong in insisting that the lawshould be complied with in Atlantic City. When the report of the legislative committee of the association was read, there arose an uproar at the recommendation to local relief association not to pay the expenses to the Atlantic City convention of the exempt delegates who are authorised to attend under a bill passed last March giving exempt firemen representation in the relief association. William A. Cotter, of Newark, charged that volunteers exempt from active service were endeavoring to deprive members of the paid firedepartments of the big cities of the State of the benefits of the pension and protective fund, and order ceased to exist when a Plainfield delegate said that the volunteers were entitled to the lion's share of the State fund, because they had fought lire as a civic duty. Conspiracy on the part ol the delegates representing exempt firemen’s associations was alleged. These delegates were charged with doing their best to secure control of the million-dollar fund maintained for the protection of injured and permanently disabled firefighters This precipitated a bitter struggle that may end in the disintegration of the body. Other reports showed that there are 201 firemen’s associations in the State, and that $38,000 of the relief funds are in banks which pay no interest on the account. After a conference of the heads of the volunteer factions, it was decided to abandon the tight in the convention and urge legislation giving absolute control of the million-dollar fund. The old officers were then re-elected (although it was claimed that they were to be bitterly opposed), as follows: President, Bird W. Spencer, Passaic; vicepresident, Bayard C. Stately, Haddonticld, Samuel Carhart, Ocean City, Edward Simonson, Freehold, Jacob II. Goenert, Somerville, Robert F Oram, Wharton, Charles S. Steele, Newton, Arthur Russell, Glen Ridge, John B. Mayer, Milburn, Egbert Seymour, Bayonne, Charles Sncatli, Guttenberg, treasurer, John J. Lane, Summit; secretary, William Exall, Newark ; financial secretary, George T. Everitt, Hackettstown; counsel, W. A. Cotter, Newark, in the course of his annual address President Spencer was cheered, when he predicted that the association would soon reach the $6,000,000 mark. Now, as had been told, paid firemen, through their respective relief associations, receive half of the 1 per cent, assessed on all contracts made by non-resident fire insurance companies. Besides this, they may draw on the State fund for medical bills and funeral expenses in cases where injury or death results from performance of duty. They claim, jt is said, that this is not enough. On the other hand, it is contended by volunteer firemen that the fund was primarily established for them, and that they should have the exclusive benefit therefrom. Those who say they represent the conservatives in the association criticise these objections on the ground that the division of assessments is equitably distributed and that it is only by the policy of the existing administration that the fund can maintain its present efficiency. They point out that the fund had reached approximately $1,100,000 under the present control, and that last year $55,000 had been paid out for relief; $36,000 to the pension funds of the paid fire departments and $10,500 for the maintenance of the Boonton home.