The Sunday tatler and Jersey City express. (Jersey City, N.J.) 1883-1886, 1885-01-04

The Organization - Nichols Seeking
Donovan's scasp-The state Prison
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Tuesday, the 18th inst. The preliminary
game of euchre, which is to decide the
organization is near its close, and the play
ers are reserving their big trump cards for
the final throw. We don't hear so much of
Griggs in connection with the Senate
presidency, or Of either Keasby or Jenkins
in connection with the House Speak ership,
as we did in the early days of tie canvass;
and it seems to be practically settled that
Armstrong will preside over the lower
branch, and Schenck of Middlesex ever
the upper The railroad influence, which
is known to have been exerted in behalf of
both the foremost candidates is less dis
tasteful than it has been in former years,
and the attitude of the Pennsylvania rail-
road towards the new railroad tax law, has
given the candidacy of both boom that
makes their defeat at this writing an ap
parent impossibility. Even Mr.. Young
blood, who detests the very name of the
Pennsylvania railroad, will cut the little Sem
ator from Passt ic for the ssive Senator
from MiddIesex; and the Anti-monopoly
sentiment Of the House, which has made
the Pennsylvania railroad the special OBJ
ject of its attack, hangs to Armstrong as
the Speaker who will the most surely aid
the State in the enforcement Of the tax act.
The combination that is to place Mr..
Armstrong in the Speakers chair includes,
SO it is understood, Toombs of Orange, for
the clerkship, and there seems to be as little
doubt of his occupying the seat that Henry
D. Winton filed last winter, as there is of
Armstrong succeeding Stoney. At the
same time Gal" Dayton of Hudson will go
into the caucus with good backing from the
northern section of New Jersey, and he may
prove formidable competitor against the
Orange editor. Ex-Assemblyman Sheldon
of Union was talked of a little at one time
in connection with the position. II he ever
had any very serious thought of entering
the lists, he has probably abandoned it.
John w. Newlin, once reading clerk of the
Senate, has some as yet unquenched aspir-
atoms in the same direction. He has had,
in times past, aspirations to be Congress-
man, or State Senator, or anything else
that was handy; but has never yet been
called out of his editorial chair in the Mill
vile Republican Office Bad luck seems to
go with him in all his political ventures,
and there is no sign of a change in his
favor this winter. The Reading Clerkship
contest shows but two competitors. These
are "Herby" Potts, who was once an
Assemblyman himself, and John Il. Glib
son, editor of the Dover Era Potts has
been the House Reader in times past. He
made an excellent one, has wide acquaint-
ance with the public men of the State, and
seems to be the likely man in this contest.
There are hosts Of candidates for the posi-
ton of Sergeant-at-Arms. Nothing can be
said as to the probable outcome of the
struggle between them. The Sergeant-at-
Arms wins his place by buying Assembly
votes, with promises of making Pages of
assemblymen's sons, cousins and nephews,
and the competitor who can induce the
largest number of assemblymen to take
stock in his promises, is the man who will
come out at the big end of the horn. Maj.
Way, conspicuous member of the Grand
Army of the State, is one of the candidates
for the place and the most notable among
them.
It is beyond question that Secretary
Stiles and heading Clerk McClellish will be
reelected by the Senate, and the contest
for places there is only over the Engrossing
Clerkship and the position of Sergeant-at-
Arms. ''0lly" English, who was the En-
grosser last year, has had his full compli-
ment of terms, and makes way this year
for new man. His very valuable assist
ant for two winters, Mr. W. Scott Snyder,
is ambitious to step into his shoes, and is
more likely to succeed than to fail. This
brings another newspaper man into the
arena. Snyder is South Jerseyman, but
for the last year or more lie has been edit
ing the New Brunswick FRIEDMAN. Some
time ago an effort was made to form a COM
bination against him, but it seems to have
.allen through, and now it is gener-
ally agreed that he has the call on all COM
petitors.
The liveliest race on the Senate side Of
the hall, is for the Sergeat-at-Arms prize.
Donovan, of Union, the Sergeant last win
ter, is after it, but he is unfortunate in
having the Senator from his own county
against him. Vail chaperoned him last
winter, but Vail won't be here this year to
do it for him again. The man who hasn't
his own Senator with him, counts for little
in a caucus, and Donovan is seriously
handicapped by his bereavement. Senator
/ Nichols, of Cumberland, has written to
him that he proposes to take advantage of
his helplessness and is going for his scalp.
Two years ago Nichols wanted to make a
certain Mr.. Claypole the Sergeant-at-A Arms.
The aforesaid Mr.. Claypole was challenged
as to the straightness of his Republication,
and he was forced to admit that he had
helped Tom Terrell beat George Robson
in the First District Congressional contest
in the fall of 1882. That settled him.
Claypole was thrown out as traitor, and
Donovan went through with flying eolors
It is not known whether Mr.. Nichols pro-
poses to force the caucus to swallow his
backsliding candidate this year, but it is
assumed that he still has his protecting
wing over him, ana it is among the possi-
bilities that Mr. Donovan will have to give
way to the antagonist whom he has once
defeated
The scramble for the organization is not
the only one that is in progress. A joint
caucus will be held the second or third
week of the session to select State Treas
urer, State Comptroller, and the State
Prison inspectors. Major Anderson has
no one to fight for the State Comptroller
ship, and Col John j. Toffey, of Hudson.
has SO steadily grown in favor and strength
that he may be looked upon as the next
State Treasurer; but there is merry hell
among the candidates for the State Prison
Inspectorships. There are five State Prison
Inspectors. The terms of three are about
to expire. They are the terms for which
candy" Kerr, Barclay Griscomb, and ex-
Assemblyman John f. Post were appoint
ed. Kerr, you know, died during his term,
and Governor Abbett appointed SAP Hoff-
man to serve to its end. Post is generally
credited with having sold his vote for
Treasurer Wright for an Inspectorship.
Party usage entities the Inspectors to two
terms. If Kerr had lived to the end of his
term he would have exhausted his usage
claim. Griscomb has also held two terms
Post has had but one so far, and his claim
for second one is good one. no matter
how he achieved the Office originally. For
the other two vacant places ex-Assembly-
men Sheldon of Union, Pancoast of Glou-
cester, Bennett and Cartwright of Essex,
are candidates. Who Of them will win? I
give it up. Ours.
New Year Day Party.
Misx Allie O'Brien. assisted bv her sis