New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-09-03

marty what there is left OF II. Is dlVldeh asdlH9'
itself and the voters are solicited 70 give 'ne''
allegiance to two rival county committees Inc
men who assume to be the better element Oh me
Marty have effected what they would Ike TO nave
naonle consider a reform organization, ana INC
Old defeated ring has given up its au'ocrdtic ~
tenn and invited the rank and hle 10 lahe d manu- :"
making over their fading fortunes when Is surrey
q matter for good-humored cynicisrn' Since '"e'o
cory men ouIv little while ago had no regard at
All for what the common wayfarng man 'hous''
or wished Similar reports come from other pa.''
- tho state hut nowhere does 1t appear that t'S
democracy is so thoroughly broken up as IN r'S-
sex Several Democrats Of admitted sagaciV nav
in conversation with The Tribune's Correspondent
acknow,edged that they expect certain deieat d.
the polls.
DISCREDITED LEADERS.
II is an actual fact that the real leaders VI '"'
marty in its era OF success are all either dead re-
tirad mr. dlscredlted Leon Albeit Is gone NE
Old bitter rival. John r. MCPHERSON mas e"ueu
e,ohteen years OF comparatively honorable service
in the United States Senate in Illumination ana aus
grace due to his connection win the sugar S'",''''
George T. Werts. the present Governor mas 10y ="
,veak and in some respects shametul aumihlsta-
,ior lost the prestige which carried him INTO the
nosition he occupies. lie has been distinctly a
I,sanno,ntment to the many who believed that MS
administration would be characterized by vigorous
and aggressive honesty. The list might easily be
prolonged II it were necessary to prolohS IT, pu.
the names that have been mentioned VIII serve we"
enough to show the quality OF the Democracy
drifting timber 1870 .
There is however one Democrat sun hlsh III
nIoco and mower whom hope has not deserted, and
IN whom the nght is never lost while there is yet
a faint possibility OF winning II, ana II Is MS poht
lcal extinction much as anything else mat 'he
people Of New-Jersey owe 1t to themselves 10 ac
complsh James smith. the United States Sena-
viii
station and who with a few immense strides esta0-
lished himself as the dictator of the party In New
Jersey felt the sting OF defeat first In 1888 ana again
last year. but he is yet foe whom 1t would De
folly TO underestimate. That he ought, by sue
cess,ve overthrows To be driven out OF public life
and rendered mpotent even in his own party, the
history of Democratic rule In New-Jerscy for the
Last few years OF It's existence VIII show lie more
than anybody else was responsible Tor the corrup-
ton and the rascal.ty that have been practised III
tbat I'M. The principal incidents in his career
and the results TO which they led should not be
forgotten in the campaign that Is at hand.
SMITHS RISE TO POWER.
Senator Smith Is much younger than he looks
He was elected TO the Senate before he was forty
two and only ten years after he entered upon his
first political Office. As young man he always
hustled himself In the politics of his home city
Newark and in 1883 he accepted nomination for
Alderman in strongly Republican ward This
exnerience like many that succeeded IT,.
sationa, lie won the election by majority greater
than al the votes cast for his opponent IN the io
lowing year, when his party was looking about Tor
"A candidate for Mayor there was loud call for
him but he steadfastly and consistently declined
the nomination, even after the convention had dis
regarded his refuslls and seected him as Its stand
ard-bearer
Hut, though he would not be Mayor. he had no
objection TO being the power hind the throne. and
from that time he began to build up the organiza-
ton that was in few short years To enable him to
dominate fret Essex County and then the State
and finally land him In the United states Senate
Success crowned al hs efforts. ONCE after office
fe the hands Of the Democracy OF Essex. which
had been u majority in the county, until finally its
control was absolute
PRESTIGE WON BY SUCCESS.
II was natural that Smiths success in changing
his own county from Republican to Demo-
cratic stronghold should give him influence with the
State leader. Almost before they realized IL he
one OF them equal In standing with the best
OF them and the superior OF many whose position
had been established while he was yet ad stu
he kept free from Oidceho.ding. and until the Board
OF street and Water Commissioners was created in
Newark he was only private citizen He accepted
the presidency OF the new BOARD. which was body
or immense importance politically. II managed
the public works OF the city and had direction OF the
the members were appointed by the Mayor for
terms OF 1--WE years ana were not subject to con-
nrmatiOn by the Common Council, the law that
provided for the Board was thoroughly vicious; but
IL frightened Smiths grip Essex County ana 80
he considered IL highly desirable.
LOOMING Up IN NATIONAL POLITICS
1t was about tails time that Smith began to
loom up as factor in National politics lie went
to Chicago in 1879, as dele gate-at-large to the