The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-11-21

TO VOTE AS ONE.
Essex Assemblymen Caucus
and Decide on the Unit
Rule.
MORE WOULD Es THAN JOBS
George B. Harrison Selects Him.
self for the Speakership and
Thinks he Is Worth a
Big Fight.

Special to the .Je1seu City Nsics.
NEWARK. Nov. q, ~1S96.-Every enc Of
the Essex Assemblymen responded to the
call for a conference at the Republican
Club Thursday night, and all remained
until a resolution was adopted pledging
the members of the delegation to vote as
a unit for such candidates as the majorl-
ty made decide upon at the next or any
future conference, prior to the organiza-
tion of the Legislature.
James ]. Hogan was chosen chairman
and George W. W. Porter secretary. At
Ter this the delegation devoted a few
hefrs to a discussion of the several candi-
dates for Office. without taking any action
relative to Endorsement.
The gathering was in all respects a eau
Gus, but the participants do nj want 1t
designated as such .sbecause.2 as one of
the delegation remarked, .ttiat would
compel them to abide by such action as
might be taken.
No one opposed the resolution looking
to united action, but after the conference
adjourned, one of the Assemblymen-elect
said he would attend no more conferences
for the reason that he believed Essex
was starting out just the same as she did
last year-lookVng for and claiming every
thing-while the rest of the State was get
ting together and agreeing upon an equit-
able distribution.
The only offieeSeekers on hand were
Joseph w. Scott and David Harrison. The
former wants to be a journal clerk Of the
House, and he made a personal appeal to
all the members. At first he said that he
would not be a candidate if his father-in-
law, David E. Benedict, had a chance Of
securing the appointment as s~ergeant-at-
arms. The members did not take kindly
to such a plea. and made it apparent that
family ties would cut no figure in the dis
i11Ar[- TN,N~ -Go%44 n
as in the race on his own merits, and vol
unteered the opinion that Mr.. Benedict
and Charles 3. Duncan should be content
with the time they had spent in Trenton
as AS~sembiymen and step aside to give
tthers a chance to serve the State. Mr..
Harrison was on hand ito boom his cam
fidaey for sergeant-at-arms and ito assure
the members that if he failed in that he
would take the post of assistant.
Chairman Hogan, in brief, told the menu
beers that the object Of the conference was
to secure an expression of opinion as to
what Essex County should have in the
distribution of legislative offices, and the
best method of getting it. He directed att
tention to the increased number Of Re-
publicans in the next House, all of whom
would want something. and minated that
it would be wise to make the demand as
reasonable as possible.
Yes said another member. who evil
IDENTIFY had in mind how Essex Jared in
former years, land I move that the dele
CATION agree to vote as a unit in the
general caucus for all candidates agreed
upon by our county caucus. If we do this
we may get something and not be left in
the cold, as the delegation was last year.
Put in the form of a resolution the sug-
gestion was adopted, after it had been
agreed to vote on no candidates until the
next conference. Alvin c. Ebie was the
first called upon to state what he wanted.
he said that, being a new member, he
was willing to take whatever he could
get. but there happened to be a number
OF candidates down his way. h first
was Charles B. Duncan, who desired to be
Clerk of the House, and he thought Mr..
duncan ought to get 1t. All the members
nodded approvingly and Mr.. Ebie added:
Then WI have Ban Hunt, who wants to
be Sergeant-at-ATms.' This elected no
sign of acquiescence, neither did the mem
ton Of John T.. Foster for Journal Clerk,
and Mr.. Ebie sat down after remarlSsng
that in addition he would take all the
doorkeepers and pages allotted to him.
Jacob Raus Jr., said he had several
one in particular, David Harrison. who
was ambitious to become ~Sergeant-at-
And I have a candidate for the same
place. remarked George w. w. Porter.
You all know him-David E. Benedict
and It Is hardly necessary for me to urge
George B. Harrison followed, and he told
ms colleagues that the proper course to
follow would be to ignore minor Offices
and seek the Speakership. 81 am q can
dtdate," he said, because I believe Essex
county, in return for it's plurality of
2zsee9, should be accorded the honor. 1
think myself entitled to the Endorsement
u the delegation by reason of seniority,
Us | was a member of the House in 1884
and 1885. IL addition l ave one or two
eItlzelss up my way willing 10 serve as
doorkeepers or pages"
Tn second-year men looked askance at
MI. Harrison, but said nothing. Peter B.
F'a1rchAd said he was anxtous to see Els
sex get all it could. and Albert y. Simp-
X0n and (NQrl Raf1r1nn7 csofl 4ha orr
EDWIN f. Steddig, who speaks for the
imaginary district in which Andrew J.
B~refdenbach resides, said
Il have no candidate for any particular
pmce, put would like to name a door
Keeper or page
Thomas II. Jones said he was a candi-
date for Speaker and would be pleased to
secure the Endorsement Of his colleagues,
X they considered it wise for Essex to seek
the honor He had several candidates for
other positions and would name them at
The next conference.
Then the members sat down TO lunch ana
indulged in an informal talk lasting un-
til midnight.
A feeling of uncertainty pervaded the
caucus and about the only thing tacitly
agreed upon was that if Essex named a
candidate for Speaker the hon0r would be
accorded to James j.. Hogan. The ma
lority appeared satisfied that George w.
Macpherson, of Mercer, :s slated for
Speaker, and that it would be futile to OPP
pose him. Doubt was expressed, too, as
70 whether Mr. Duncan could CAPTURE the
~flerksnip, but a hard fight will be made
10 land him. Failing in that the position
If Engrossing Clerk will be sought be-
cause the members are satisfied that Ly-
lander Watson, of Monmouth. cannot get
t. Governor Griggs on Tuesday last di-
'ected the attention of all the old mem
Sers who called upon him to the unsatis-
actory work in that department last
rear, and suggested a change.
While the name of Andrew J. Breiden-
zach was not suggested fcr Sergeant-at-
Arms, tbs opinion prevailed thaf he might
secure the place on the ground that he is
Untitled to a second term. Messrs. Hogan,
Zones and Simpson are counting. on chair
nanships of important committees and
hey will probably secure them.
IN ~ xnS m II