, 1890-11-25
BARBE

fEhN Oh En-
The resignation Of Governor Warren
yesterday placed the reins of the state
government in the hands of Secretary o.
State Barber. who becomes actinR gov
ernor.
The case is governed by sections 6 and
I of article " of the state constitution.
which read as follows:
Section eli the governor be I'M
peached, displaced, resign Or die. OF from
mental or physical disease or otherwise
become incapable Of performing the
duties Of his Office or be absent from the
state, the secretary of state shall act as
governor until the vacancy is filed or the
disability removed.
Section When any Office from any
cause becomes vacant and NJ rode Is pro-
vided by the constitution or law for filing
such vacancy, the governor shall have
power to fill the same by appointment.
Secretary Barber therefore becomes
acting governor and will continue TO serve
iu that capacity for two years. until the
next special election, unless the legislature
should authorize the calling Of a special
election at an earlier date. In the mean
time he will serve the state il the dual
capacity of governor and secretary. but
for his services be will receive only the
salary of secretary. If no election is
called it is probable that the legislature
will allow him an additional contingent
fund for the payment of clerk hire.
Probably there never was a man who
had greatness thrust upon him more pal
pably han has Secretary Barber. He
never was a politician or an Office seeker.
His time was devoted exclusively to the
practice Of medicine and the enthusiastic
study Of his profession. In the whole
northern section no man has ever stood so
high as a physician and surgeon. He
was energetic, capable and competent and
the success which he met with was really
remarkable. Converse county still swears
by Barber in his professional capacity.
His nomination WAS intended as n sort
Of a blind. He was not seeking the place
and as he was enjoying a lucrative prac-
tice the politicians did not believe he
would accept the nomination. In the
event OF his deolinatiOn it wa then the
intention to replace Barber by some
one who would carry out whatever pledges
Warren would be Obliged TO make to Sc
sure the senktorship.
But Barber fooled them all. Upon the
urgent solicitation Of his Douglas friends
he accepted the nomination, and was
elected BY a very large majority. He now
stands at the threshold Of what may be a
remarkable political career, but he must
work out his own salvation. Surrounded
on sll sides by political friends, some of
whom are not overscrupulous in the meth
DDS they may employ to gain an ascen-
dency over him, with the knowledge that
pitfalls will be dug for him to get him
into the power of the political machine.
he will find from the ver5 beginning that
all is not plain sailing, and all is not gold
that glitters. BARRIERS chance will lie in
being a governor in fact as well as in
name; in not trusting too implicitly in the
fattery of even political friends, and in
being guided by his own strong common
sense in placing the good of the whole
people and state above all petty schemes
for hoodwinking the people and advanc-
ing the private interests of individuals or
cliques.
THE LEADER has = warm side for the
ncv governor. snd wishes him well e. ~
outset Of his lsrser