The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-11-16

REPUBLICAN TRIALS
More Members of the Legis-
1ature Than There
Are Officers.
TO FREEZE OUT HUDSON
Indication Are That the Complica-
ton Will Produce a Lively
Fight. ;
FREEZE OUT HUDSON
special to the Jerssp oitp Ne.us.

SDEc1Qt 10 tnE JHSeB CttH 4Sc~os
TRENTON. NOV. 16. 1ss6.-The plufns
of patronage in the gift of the Governor
and the Legislature are the cause OF
much excitement among the of1ce-seeK-
ing fraternity of the dominant party.
The great trouble is that the applicants
outnumber the Offices by an average Oh
ten to one. Again, there VIII pe more
Rennbliean members in the Legislature
which meets next January than ever pc
fore, and consequently the scramble Tor
bsrths will be intensified. The Repupll-
can leaders are confronted with a very
knotty problem. indeed. as to how they
win placate the small army of men who
will demand recognition for services rem
dered during the recent election. Only
Two counties of The State VIII escape this
lexatious turmoil-Warren and Hunter
ldon-which are without Republican rep
resentation in either House. For the
first time in its history Hudson county
viii present a solid delegation of Re
publican Assemblymen. They VII march
forward with all the vim characteristic
of that spoils-seeking constituency, and
make a demand for a share of the plums
to which their representation is entitled.
Hudson county has never yet willingly
taken a back seat when public PATRON
age has been distributed. Republicans
as well as Democrats are always to the
forefront on all such occasions. and in
the coming Legislature there will not be
any departure from that custom. In
the last Legislature Hudson had no
Representatives in the House of Assem-
bly,, and consequently the task of filling
the offices was much easier than it will
be in January.
The next House will contain "a Re-
publican Representatives. and there are
only Il offices. including doorkeepers
ard pages. to meet the demand. Twelve
Republican Assemblymen are sure to go
without a crumb Of patronage. 1t is safe
to predict that Hudson county will not
be counted in that column.
The eleven members from Essex are
already on the w~ar-path. and their ag-
gress4Feness bodies no good TO the Hud-
son men. Essex want the clerkship,
eergeant-at-arms, several doorkeepers,
committee clerks, pages and perhaps the
Speakership, too. And its fighting dele
gataonjs smart enough to make combina-
tons to insure victory. Should Essex
and Hudson c~oalesce they would lack
only six votes to make a majority of the
caucus. Taking in with them the votes
Of Passaic and Bergen, the combination
would be complete. and then they could
take possession of all the fat berths. con-
ceding the lean ones to the rest of the
State. Such a combination, however,
would raise a storm of Indignation
throughout the State which would cause
no end of trouble to the Republican lead
ers. In view of that outlook, it is doubt
full if the Representatives of the two big
counties will be SO foolhardy as to I'M,
dertake such extreme measures.
The Republican Senators VIII not have
such a trying time in the distribution of
Their patronage as their compatriots in
tne House viii have. 1t is conceded that
Ar- Williams of Passaic will be chosen
PRESIDENT OF the Senate. Henry B. Ro.-
NIli5aTns of Essex. engrossing clerk. with
cut opposition. Senator Francis of Mon
mouth viii make an earnest effort to
haXe Edward M. Fielder retained as read
lng clerk. Tha IS about the only office
Monmouth count will ask for. and. as
M. Fielder proved himself a capable
official for three years he stands a good
prespact for reelection.
Ihe hottest fight viii be over the Ser
Eea~ht-at-Arns. James L. Smith. of Cum
oeaiahd. served in that capacity for three
years and rave satisfaction. He is be-
ing urged for a reappointment by Sena-
Tor stokes. and that means a great deal
neeause OF the influential standing of the
senator from Cumberland. William S.
snafp. OF Trenton, is an active candidate
ter the position, and ne has numerous
friends II would like TO see his sue
-esslul. Richard Starr, of Salem, is an
othef candidate. and he is being pushed
oy the new Senator from that county.
kicnard G. Miller. Reuben Carter. of
irenton would like an elevation to the
olnee He served three years as assist
ant Sergeant-at-Arms. and believes his
saperlepce has fitted him for the higher
ef1ee. Unless either Mr.. Sharp or Mr..
carter retires from the field, it is almost
certain that Mercer county will not be
given that Office this time. Much de-
penus upon the course of enator Skirm.
however, as TO whether he wants the
ofice for his county, and he is saying
nothing but saving wood.
Unless Mr.. Derousse, of Camden.
changes his mind as to not being a can
alGate for reelection as Speaker the
candidacy of George w. Macpherson of
Mercer will probably be successful. So
iar there is no real opposition to Mr.
Macpherson. The mere mention of the
name of MIR. Jones, of Essex, in CON
nection with the office bears no signif-
canoe, and it is unlikely that any other
county will present a candidate. a prom
.nent Republican leader, when asked at
The State House the other day who would
De Speaker, replied The man Mae
pherson, OF Mercer, will get the office IL
ne only does a little ~hustling.'' And Mr..
Macpherson is hustling, too, and is meet
ang with announcement everywhere he
goes
What is South Jersey going to get
With its solid delegation of Republican
Assemblymen? 1t hasn't much now in
the way of Senate patronage and itstex-
poets fair treatment when the wishes of
lis representatives are Known. 1t would
seem only right that Camden county
snGuld get the leadership of the House.
II rival factions in Essex are having
run among themselves over the clerkship
2nd sergeant-at-arms. Ex-Assemblyman
duncan wants to be clerk, and there are
fhree candidates for sergeant-at-arms
andrew j. Briedenbach, who served last
year; ex-Assemblyman Benedict and
david ID. Harrison. Daniel Hunt. whose
name was mentioned last week, has with
araWn from the race in the interest Of
Mr. D~uncan's candidacy. When the Es-
sex warriors come here on the eve of the
meetlng Of the Legislature they viii make
the Iur ny In real earnest. If they are
-mgzzxw~ EVERY 10