The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1892-12-12
Ahbett and Smith.

The New York World on Saturday
performed the remarkable feat of dis
covering that Mr.. James Smith, Jr.,
of Newark vas amusing himself at
Old Point Comfort. 1t sent down a
reporter who interviewed him-or at
tempted to interview him-on the
action of the Essex County legisla-
tors-elect in endorsing him as a can
didate for United States Senator.
There is nothing strange in all that.
1t was just the thing for an enterpris-
ing newspaper to do. The odd part
of it is that the World headed up the
interview and tackled on a lot of sup
Elementary stuff to it in a way to sug-
gest that Mr.. Smith himself had got
into the field. and proposed to race
Governor Albeit for the seat in the
Senate. There is not one word
quoted from Mr.. Smiths utterances
which gives color or pretext to this
notion. He says very little. What
he does say is guarded and in a de-
gree enigmatic. But every significant
syllable points to a conclusion the di-
rect opposite of that drawn by the
World.
We printed the entire interview on
Saturday. 1t opened with the usual
Introductory phrases ~portraying MI.
Smiths surprise at the sleuth capacity
of the World in finding him and then
it got down to business. Mr.. Smith
said he knew Senator Mcpherson
favored Governor Albeit, and then
the reporter told him of the action of
the Essex caucus and intimated that
many people thought it was prompted
by himself. To this Mr.. Smith re-
piled in the following words
They are wrong in thinking I had anything to
do with the calling together of the Essex mem
bers. knew nothing of their intention or what
prompted them. l presume they desired to pay
me a handsome compliment. would be I'M
grateful if l did not appreciate it. You are
wrong, however, that the caucus had any
further significance than what the members
themselves gave to it. They all know, and
doubtless will be willing to tell you, that have
received from, and sent no communication to
any Of them since left home, and. SO far as 1
know. their action was ~unthought of when l was
in Newark. Neither have 1 written a line to
any other person about politics since I left
home.
This seems to be explicit enough.
When asked if he approved of the
action taken, Mr.. Smith laughingly
suggested that the question was not a
fair one. He added these very sig
nificant Words
There is a difference between being the simple
object of a compliment and a candidate for
United States Senator.
The reporter followed this up with
a couple of questions to which he got
replies which must seem to the ordi-
nary mind clear and precise enough.
Here they are:-
"Are you a candidate?'
mo, sir"
do you expect to be?"
''That 1 cannot tell. The whirligig of time
may bring many things about to a man who
fails to do his duty to his family and himself by
retiring entirely from politics. They are going
to keep on electing United States Senators, you
know. for many years to come"
FROM this we should infer that Mr..
Smith thought it likely he might be
a candidate for United States Senator
some other year, but had no idea of
getting into the race this time. What
possible significance have his words
if you take them as referring to the
present time?