The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-12-14
REPUBLICAN, RANCOR
The Legislative Majority
All Torn Up Over
Petty Offices.
CARVING KNIVES FOR LENTz
Conditions Which Point to Demo-
cratic Victory in the Near
Future.
KNIVES FOR LENTZ
Special 70 ths Jerscy c.tu Neacs.

Special to fhe JeTscu CStu Menus
TRENTON. Dec. IA, 18se.-The Repub-
licans Of Essex county are not a happy
family by any means. Despite the fact
that at the last election they rolled up
a majority of more than 10000 for Nc
Kinley and Hobart there are dissen-
sions in their ranks which bode no good
for the future. The rival factions, one
led by Major Carl Lentz, and the other
by DR.. Herold, are in the throes Of a
deadly conflict. The Herold wing Of the
party ds Jealous of the other wing be-
| cause Of the rapid strides made toward
the top rung of the ladder of leadership
by the dashing and irrepressible Major
Lentz. He is at the head Of the Re-
publican County Committee and all eff
forts to depose him have proved futile.
The charge made against the Major is
that he is over-ambitious and decidedly
tyrannical in his methods of discipline.
He assumed the direction of affairs at
the time the Democratic star began to
dwindle and ever since Republican vic
tories nave become more pronounced in
Essex county. The Majors friends
claim for him all the credit that be-
tAS , IL SAC41 iIQl44oCotcr anu IC 0OOS IN
hesitate himself to pose as the great
leader Of the forces which a accom-
pished such marked results. He is the
head of the local machine. But DR.. Her
old has a machine of his own which he
is building up to a degree of formidable
opposition. He has with him enlisted
in the warfare some valiant fighters.
and their determination is to unhorse
/ Major Lentz and thus free, as they
| claim, the Republican rank and file from
despotac leadership.
An instance OF this fierce factional
fighting is seen in the contest for legis-
lative offices. The Essex delegation Is
all split up as to candidates, and 1t is
doubtful If Its members can be made to
harmonic on any important subject.
| Major Lentz is opposed, tooth and nail, to
the reelection of ANDY" Briedenbach
as sergeant-at-arms of the House of As
sembIy, Notwithstanding the fact that
custom and courtesy entitie him to q
partisan as the Major dare be, but at
| the same time they are unwilling to pull
in harness together. There are two
other candidates for sergeant-at-arms
from Essex-ex-Assemblyman Bened ct
and David Harrison The Lentz machine
| prefer either to Briedenbach. The fight
over this office infensi1es the factional
spirit among the Republicans of that
county. and the mischief It causes must,
as a consequence, seriously affect party
prospects when more important issues
are at stake
It looks as If B~riedenbach will get
another term of office despite Lentz's
| opposition. The Influences which elected
Andy last year are stiIl with him
The same men outside OF Essex who
stood by him then are supporting him
now. Last year he had only one vote in
the EScpy dpfaoqffnn-Mr (thriS+ip-and
this year he claims five or six votes.
South Jersey is with him to a man
and public sentiment Is largely in his
ed his 9sf By right. sI ali this is IS ; eSiT's and
wormwood to Major Lentz. If Essex
county gets the sergeant-at-arms it
cannot expect the clerkship Of the
House; therefore. the candidacy of ex-
beset with difficulty. The Hudson county
men, always with an eye to business.
understand this contingency and have
trotted out ex-Assemblyman Nutzhorn
Passatc, who has already served two
years, is yet seeking a reelection. This
makes a triangular contest which is
certain to give the Republican leaders
much concern and worriment.
Union county comes to the front with
two candidates for the journal clerkship
of the House. One is Freebooter Huls
Hamper, who has the support of Assem-
Patterson. of Elizabeth. who is beng
pushed by no less a person than John
Kean. A trial of strength then is to be
made between Mr.. Kean and Mr.. Roll
candidate for United States Senate to
succeed James Smith two years hence.
AT the beginning OF the campaign he
means to make his influence felt and at
every opportunity he intends to take
| care OF his friends that his fences may
be in good shape by the time the arena
is opened for a test of skill between
himself and Governor Griggs.
In the Senate the only Office of con-
sequence which is vet unsettled Is the
sergeant-at-arms. Dick Starr, of
Salem county, continues to be the lead
ing candidate. and If he Is defeated the
his own home.
This Republican fractional fighting over
smaM patronage is not an omen for sue
cess in a struggle for more important
is expressed in circles Of Independent
thought that if the Democrats get to-
gether in time they may make a win
ming campaigrn- for both Governor and
SO long g since the Democrats were
as firmly i~ntrendhed in power, from all
Indications, as the Republicans are now.
Not even the most sanguine Republican
leader dared to predict a turning of the
| tables SO soon. Discussions In the
of the Democratic party had as much to
do with its discontinue as anything
else. There were then two factions,
one despising the other with the same
| rancor that is now existing in the Re-
publican ranks of the upper end of the
State. In the premier counties-Essex
| and Hudson-the fractional rivalry is
| most conspicuous, and it is there where
| lack of harmony is likely to produce dire
| consequence to Republican prospects.
In Hudson the Toffey and Dickinson
clans continue their warfare, which is
only equalied In ascerbity by the Lentz-
Herold feud in Essex.
More trouble is in store. apparently.
| for the Republican leaders when the
I patronage of the National Administra-
tion is ready for distribution. For the
various post offices and other berths
candidates VIII be legion. and as usual
the disappointed ones win refuse TO be
| conciliated. Experience has shown that
public patronage is generally the bane
Of the party in power, simply for the
| reason that the army of spoils-seekers
far exceeds in number the berths that
become vacant.
Still, be the prospect for Republican
| success in future campaigns what it
may, John Kean has begun an earnest
fight for the United States Senatorship.
His disastrous candidacy for the Gov
ernorshtp IN several occasions has not
discouraged him in the least. He is yet
| young and ambitious. and believes that
In politics. as well as in everything else,
| perseverance can accomplish desired re-
suls. But Mr.. McKean must not forget