The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1895-08-03
HOBART'S CHANCES
Clerk Fox Positive That the
Gubernat0rial Contest
Will Go to PasSaic.
VICE CHANCELLOR BIRD NAMED
Bold Ambition of Mr.. Hobart Who
Seeks the Vice Presidency
of the United States.

fFrom the Newark Evening News")
TRENTON, Aug. 8, 1S95.-''You can
hear and read a great deal of who will
and who will not be the next Governor
of New jersey said Executive Clerk
Fox yesterday morning, ''but 1 viii ven-
ture the prediction that il the next Chief
Executive of this State be a Republican
mis- name will be Garret A. Hobart.
"Oh, yes, I know hastily went on Mr.
Fox if anticipating a remark by tho
News" correspondent. that you wiz
say he wants to go TO the United States
Senate; that his name has not even been
suggested this year, and also that has
young friend, John w. GIiggs, is a Lead
ing candidate for the nomination.; but
nevertheless I'll father the prediction.
No. I won't say what 1 base my predic-
ton upon either. I have been Executive
Clerk a long time, you know, and 1 want
to say that this is the first time in my
life. 1 think, that I have ventured an
opinion so far in advance of the conven-
ton. and 1 only tell you this much to
give you friendly tip as the newspap-
boys about the Capitol say.
Now, just chalk down what I've tolG
you in your hat" concluded Mr.. Fox
and refusing to discuss the topic further.
he proceeded to fill out a requisition upon
the Governor of West Virginia for the
return of a crooked Jerseyman, who was
found down that way and wanted here.
For more than thirty years Mr.. Fog
has been in the Executive chamber at
the State House. He has been clerk tor
seven of New Jerseys Governors, beginr
ming with Marcus L. Ward. He knows
every politician in the State, big and
little and all know him. He probablY
knows more secrets of both political part--
les than any one man in the State, andi
should he write book he could no doubt
create political sensation.
For these reasons among others, tha
declaration of Mr.. Fox concerning Carr
ret A. Hobart's move before group on
politicians excited considerable d-scussioN
about the State House.
MIR. HOBARTS CHANCES.
Mr.. Hobart some well posted politi-
cians declare would like to be Governor e
of New Jersey. A trife less than ona
year ago he was really the most enthuk
siastic candidate in the State. He is
Nice-Chairman of the National Republi.-
can Committee, and about one year ago
in conversation with a State official OF
considerable political Importance, he eS--
pressed the belief that the next Gover'-
nor of New Jersey, If he be a Pepublis
can-the first in thirty years-s5oIha
stand a most excellent chance of secur-
ing the Republican nomination for Vice.
President of the United States in 1864
eff he desired it and worked for it through
the proper channels"
Mr.. Hobart has frequently been accused
both in private conversation and in pubs
lie prints. of having designs upon the
Il f-I IOOe
sale statesman has frequently declared
that he had no desire to succeed James
Smith, Jr.. in the United States Senate,
despite the political prognostications.
for the GubernatoTial nomination, he
would be the first to turn to Mr.. Ho-
bart, for he owes considerable of his
political prominence to him. Just WHAT
foundation there is for the statement of
Executive Clerk Fox is not of course
known. but that he has always heretoi
about the State House well remembers
VICE CHANCELLOR BIRD NAME1Da
erner 5 being talked of at the State
House in the person of Vice ChancelloE
Bird. Supreme Court Clerk B. F. Lee.
Committee, when spoken to on the subA
ject would only say that it was ''every-
Bad wdud IN ahe Re b f to the eter fro
the reform Democratic view. 1t wasl
Vice Chancellor Bird, who in 1872. declar-
bitter fight for purer politics that thea
old machine was forced to abandon sev-
eral of the schemes of the time.
The Vice Chancellor is one of the
shrewdest politicians in the State. anG
he became a power about the time that
Henry C. Kelsey was made Secretary
of State. The Vice Chancellor has held
office almost continuously since 1860 and
is very popular with the lawyers. His
term as Vice Chancellor will expire next
year and it is practically settled that hei
will not be receive reappointment.
The Vice Chancellor would undoubted-
ly make popular candidate with the
better element of his party and that
element promises to control the next
Democratic convention. it is argued
After holding the position of Prosecu-
tor of Hunterdon County for several
years, Mr Bird was sent to Congress by7
the Democrats in 1868 and reelected in
1870 after hard fight against the ma
chine for the nomination. In the DAYS
of his activity he was much sought by
those seeking nomination to office, for
he was a power in politics in Hunterdom
and adjoining counties. For several
years past the Vice Chancellor has made
his home in Mercer county.
OF course. the Vice Chancellor would
scarcely permit his friends to make an
active canvass for the nomination if it
were true that his chief. Chancellor Alex
ander McGill would permit his name to
go before the convention.