The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-10-12
The Shrieyalty Contest in the Light
of Colonel Toffey's Nomination..

SSAAAA ~ q
Toffey for Sheriff by the Republican
County Convention last evening,
places ia the field perhaps the very
strongest opponent whom the Demo
cratic party could be called upon to
face. this year. To shut ones eyes to
this in the present conjuncture would
be not only foolish but criminal. The
ostrich act" never pays in politics.
1t is by correct understanding of the
situation. by facing the realities as
they are that victories are it is
by blind assumption and empty va
porting that political battles are lost.
We would have the Democratic party,
leaners and followers, make UP their
minds today that it is going to be
hard work to win. We would have
them go to work on that basis. Then,
probably, they will win, bat not
otherwise.
Colonel Toffey is a man of high
standing, of clean personal record and
of attractive personality. His status
az q Wal fC1CE dD, LIS dlll1dblOu WILL
all the leading social and fraternal
organizations of the State, and his
business connections are worth many
votes to him. He has the aggressive
side of the campaign. He and his
writers and speakers have no end of
material for a~ttack-much of it un-
true, unjust, irrelevant, but all OF it
effective on the hastings. He will
have unlimited money. He is a hust-
Ter himself, and he will have the de-
terlnined backing of the same Union
League crowd who have SO success
fully conducted the campaigns of
Mayor Wanser and Mr.. Reuben Simp-
son, and these gentlemen are more
expert and courageous in the game of
politics than ever before, for they
have the advantages Of experience
and the prestige of victory.
This is, in all honesty and plain
speech, the strong side of Colonel
Toffey.
But, it must be said, there is a
weak side, too. The Colonel will be
far from having the whole-souled sup
port of all the leaders OF his party.
The warfare which he has waged for
years with the Eoeaiag Journal, the
base ~peridious and venal organ of
his party. is too well known to call for
rehearsal now. 1t is a moral certain
ry that he will have to encounter not
the open hosSility-for that would be
unimportant but the ~tPaitorous
moral assassination of that vile sheet,
and the crew who direct its policy.
This, as the general public do not
clearly understand all the relations
of persons and things is Colonel Tof-
fey's first great we akness.
But there are other matters which
will initiate against him. His assoc
citation with General Sewell as the
leader of the Republican party in the
State, will be urged against him by
the Democratic press and speakers.
and will certainly do him no good.
But still nor seriours will be the hurt
it will do him within his own party.
There is Captain Roderick B. Sey-
mouf, for instance, whose DO litical
alteration is bestowed upon General
E. Burd Grubb. and who blames
General Seweli and his lieutenants for
the defeat of 1889. We do not sup
pose Captain Seymour will kick over
the party traces or oppose Colonel
Toffey, but it is not probable that be
will lavish much energy or enthus-
iasin upon the campaign. The Cap
tain is another old foe of the EUeniag
Journal, and we have been amused
of late to see how the common hostil-
ityto the Colonel has brought them
together again. Besides Captain Sey-
mour, there are others who will not
be enthusiastic for the Colonel.
Frank O. Cole is one, and presumably
there Will be some soreness in the
Eighth Assembly district, where Ex-
Alderman Macarthur was recently a
favorite. The various defections will
unquestionably cost Colonel Toffey
Mduf oDll fOIoS III IulS CITY,
where the Republican party is
strongest. and the extreme partisan
record Of his life will be a bar to his
receiving many democratic votes.
Thus 1t will be seen, while we start
out with q fixed idea of Colonel Tof-
fey's strength, with a cool deliberate
realization of the necessity of ardent
work to beat him, we by no means
take a respondent view OF the Demo
cratic prospects. With a strong candi-
date and resolute and active leader
ship. the fight may we'll b, won, and
Hudson kept in the Democratic
column with a good majority.
And the first requisite OF victory is
the resolution we speak OF. Waver-
ing, vacillation, uncertainty of pur-
pose viii surely lose the day. 1t is
always fatal to change generals on the
eve OF battle. to shift front in
presence of the enemy. The New
York World says this morning that
the Democratic leaders are growing
panicky and may nominate Mr.. James
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