The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-11-30
REPUBLICAN, CIVIL WAR
Major Simmons and Frank
Stevens Rivals for the Mar
ion Postmastership.

Tnere is war IN the Hepupllcdu camp
of the West End. Instead of girding on
their armor to fight the enemy, the Dem
ocratic hosts led by Generals Peter Nc
| Laughlin and Chris" Schleermacher, the
Republicans of the sand lots" have in
ternal dissensions in their ranks which
bode i'll for that strength, which, 1t Is
said, comes only with unity. The cause
of all this trouble is a vain glorious
struggle for something which does not
exist. The fractional lines are strictly
drawn, and there now seems no pros
pect of healing the differences before the
bugle call announcing the time to go
forth and do battle with the common
enemy. As has been said, the split has
resulted over a myth, but the feelings OF
the opposing factions run just as high
as if it was a reality. One faction adj
dresses Major w. B.. Simmons, of No. 27
James avenue, as Postmaster, while the
other says that none but Fred Stevens,
of No. 374 St. Pauls avenue, shall wear
the laurels and dictate to Uncle Sans
Mercuries from the branch postoffice
which has been promised to the Marion
section.
The Major was one of the organizers
and the last president of the now de-
funct West End Republican Club, and
incidentally he presides over the deliber-
ations of the Veterans Rights Associa-
ton. His opponent, who withdrew and
helped ~disorganize the old w. e. R.. c.,
also helped to organize a new club which
bears the same name as the old one,
but of which the doughty Major is not a
member OF the new organization, which
is supposed to rule the destinies OF the
Republican party in the West End, Mr..
Stevens Is president.
When seen by a News reporter, the
genial Major smiled disdainfully in re-
ply to the query of whether he consider
ed Stevens a formidable opponent for
the honor of serving the government as
superintendent of the proposed branch
postofice.
TT is really almost too amusing to
| answer he said. 1.-The idea of my old
friend, Freddie Stevens, attempting to OPP
| pose my candidacy for that important po-
sition. Let me assure you my dear sir,
there is positively no one in the race
but yours truly. l lave the backing, as
l am entitled to have, OF all the Leading
members of the party both in this sec
tion and in lower Jersey City, and 1t IS
TGdlIY& OillJ II QuSStlOu VI WdllitS IL
the sub-station is established for me to
be appointed its superintendent. l have
held the reins too long not to have learn
ed how to drive. Stevens is a nice fell
low, but he's not one, two, three-siX in
this race. Tom Coughlin and Jake
| Diehl, too, are back Of me, and how can
I be beaten? 1t is ridiculous to think of
such a thing and the genial Major burst
into hearty laughter as if he really was
amused.
MT. Stevens was blissfully unaware that
| anyone had had the temerity to aspire
to the position which he coveted, when
didacy by tn escribe. so the Major
has entered the field for the position
which properly belongs to me-" he said.
half i~nterrogatiyely and the other half
refectively.
is trying to. do the same thing in
West End that he did in Marion, where
through his attempts at ring tao
tics he caused dissensions in the West
Ind Republican Club, which ultimately
| ended in the disruption of that organiza-
ton. l am president of the new club,
which has an active membership Of. over
thirty, and they are all with me in this
I contest. l cannot lose; certainly [ have
no fear of my old friend from Marion
defeating my aspirations. The amusing
feature of his candidacy in my estima-
ton is his unparalleled cheek in look
ing for the place. He may be able to
write plays, like Crimson Folly but
that does not entitle him to fill the po-
| SlClOn OIL superintendent u lHC new SUI
station, and let me assure you, my dear
friend, he has no more chance of secur-
ing the prize than you have, and you are
not a candidate.
1.-THE Major tried to run Marion when he
lived on Delaware avenue, but he did
not succeed in this. He ran up against
| John Rebhan and Tom Connors, and he
was worsted then as he will be to a
certainty in this contest with me. He
may be a star actor, but if the post
Office be his star of hope l can assure
you that it is not in the ascendency,"
concluded Mr.. Stevens.
So the fight continues, the cohorts of
each side espousing the cause of their
| respective champion and seeking every
opportunity for arguing over their re-
spective merits and claims; but the one
sad thought in the contest is that posi-
bly, the sub-station may not be estab-
lished, and if it is. probably some one
else han either of them may secure the
coveted honor.