The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1895-12-30
EARLY in The FIELD
Candidates Galore for Sher-
iff and Surrogate in
Both Parties.
REPUBLICANS IN A QUANDARY
They Will Try and Get New Leg
islation on the Method of Elect
ing Aldermen.
REPUBLICANS IN A QUANDARY

The election last month has given the
Republicans of this city and county con-
siderable to think about. The fact that
Notwithstanding their elaborate gerry
mander of the ward lines, they carried
only five out of the twelve wards in this
city, has convinced them that something
must be done if they are to continue to
control the Board of Aldermen and the
city government. After considering the
matter at length and holding many con-
ferences over it in one of the upper cham
bers of the elegant Union League Club,
they have concluded to apply to the
Legislature to help them out of their
hole. They propose, if they can, to Sc
cure the passage of measure providing
that the Aldermen of the city shall be
elected by the old Aldermanic district
There is something of the despair of
the drowning man, who clutches at
straw, about this scheme, and. it is not
at all positive that it would accomplish
ceed. Shrewd politicians are of the opin-,
ion that the Democrats could carry a
majority of the Aldermanic districts, as
well as the wards, next spring.
1t is by no means certain that the
passage of the bill can be secured. Be
ing without a single member in the en-
tire Legislature, HUDSON Will uOL cut ally
figure at the next session, and all the
legislation which She secures will have
TO come through some other county
In order to secure the relief required.
the Jersey City men will have to secure
the support of Essex, because laws ap-
plicable to Jersey City must apply to
Newark. Newark is completely welded
to the ward line system, as it exists to-
day, and would want some very power
full reasons given why she should help
Jersey City in this matter:
make their strongest appeals to the, New;
ark mems party fealty. They will tell
them that unless the bill they seek is
passed the city will return to Democratic
before the Republicans ever get foot
in the public crib again
1t is doubtful whether even such ap-
peals will have the desired weight. There
are many leaders in the Republican party
who are inclined to abandon Hudson to
her fate. They say she is naturally Dem
ammunition that would do far more good
somewhere else should be wasted in
hopeless cause.
The principal pot locally is beginning
surface candidates for Sheriff, Surrogate
and other offices which are not to be
filled for year yet. There will be two
members of the Street and Water Board
to be elected next spring, to succeed
Captain Hooker and Commissioner Pat
terson. Captain Hooker would like to
the water works for another term. There
appears to be a disposition to let him
alone, and no one has as yet made any
serious pretensions of being candidate
against him in his own party. Commits
sioner Patterson has evidently reached
the end of his career. He would like
to succeed himself and will make a fight
thur, the former President of the Board
is hot on his trail and is hustling even
at this early day fol, the nomination
istrar Timothy Healey is aspiring to a
seat in the board, and will probably Sc
cure one of the nominations.
There is a great scramble on in both
parties for Sheriff, and every section of
the county is represented among the
candidates. Hoboken presents Mayor Fa-
gan Assemblynlan William N: Parslow
estly comes forward with Frank Kim
merly, William Heller, Director of the
Board of Freeholders; Daniel Y. Lewis
William H. Bergkamp comes from North
Hudson, ware he has a large following
among the Germans.
At this time it looks as though Mr.
Smith is in the lead. He is said to have
the support of the most influential leaders
and that the Hoboken factions are to
unite upon him. AS Hoboken is the source
of much of his strength, it is also the
source Of much of his weakness. Henry
Hess, August Bruggemann and City Clerk
Martin McDermott of that city are all
CauuIQdl6S lOI 0uIIOSdlc, dlfu Will uO oil
in their power to keep the Shrievalty
nominal ation from that city, because they
know full we'll that Hoboken cannot ex-
pect both these offices. Mr.. Smith,, how
ever, is one of the most influential men
in Hoboken, and the fight will be pretty
one. George 7. Bouton, present clerk of
the Street and Water Board, James T.
Lillis and John Totten are also looking
for the nomination for Surrogate
The Republicans are scrambling for
nominations, too. Just as though there
county John R. Virgins is the leading
candidate for Theriff He has long been
one of the bulwarlss of the party in Ho-
boken, and he and his friends think that
his services should be fittingly recog-
nized Gamaliel R. Christie of North Hud-
son thinks that he has the making of a
Sheriff in him, and is also. of the opin-
ion that the frequent turnings down he
has received at the hands q, his party
who is at present Under Sheriff of the
county is also a candidate on the Re-
publican side, and is leaving no stone
unturned to capture votes.
Thomas McEwan is expected to seek
denomination for Congress, and Allan
McDermott will probably be the Demo-
cratic nominee.