New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-04-15
NEW-JERSEY'S MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS.

NEWJERSEY'S MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS.
After all is said and done. 1t would be folly
not to recognize that the municipal elections in
NewJersey last Tuesday convey n warning TO
the Republican leaders Of the State. 1t IS I'M
denlably true that the contests were fought out
on municipal ISSUES in most places Thus in
Paterson the brewers and saloonkeepers, aided
by liberal supply of campaign funds and by
the unrest In industrial circles, triumphantly
elected ex-senator John Hinchliffe as Mayor,
although the city Is normally Republican by
about 5000 and in this battle the party had as
its standard-bearer George Ashley, man in
every way worthy Of the office.
In Jersey City the Democrats had superb
organization all ready for the fray while the
Republicans, depending on the law aboshing
spring elections, did absolutely nothing until the
Supreme Court decision upsetting that law sent
them a-begging for candidates to lead a forlorn
hope. The Democrats elected their Mayor and
Board Of Works Commissioners.
So too, in HobOken. That town Is naturally
Democratic the record of Mayor Pagan. Demo-
crat, was generally satisfactory, and the Repub-
can candidates weakness was realized from
the beginning. Fagan's success was expected.
The reelection of Mayor Seymour. Democrat,
in Bayonne and Mayor Williamson, Republican,
in New Brunswick, does not alter the existing
political status in either town. Although the Cti-
zcns' League and the Democratic organizations
made an unusually aggressive fight in Trenton,
yelling Sickel. Republican. was elected Mayor
by the usual plurality of 2,l35. Until recently
Orange was always counted in the Democratic
column; it was brought back there last Tuesday
by the Indifference OF Republican voters. The
head of the municipality, however, is a stalwart
Republican holdover Mayor Gill.
Next TO Jersey City the results in Newark
were awaited with most curiosity. Besides
being the largest city in the State, Newark
has long been regarded as sort OF pendu-
lum, or weather gauge, indicating the trend
of sentiment throughout New7Jersey This
year neither side was prepared for an cleo
tion and all the preparations had TO be made
hurredly after the Supreme Court issued its
ukase in the Jersey City case. Taking the
vote as cast, the city is Republican by LOO in
spite of the fact that hundreds of Republican
voters stayed away from the polls But even
those who did cast their ballots exercised dis
elimination, as is demonstrated by the fact that
OF the two Republican Board of Works Com
mssioners seeking reelection Harrison Van
Duyne ran over 700 votes ahead of his assOci-
ate. John Burkhardt. Charles f. Herr. Demo
crat seems to have had few votes more than
Burkhardt, but recount may be necessary to
settle this point The Board will be Republican
in any event Van Duyncs victory is a testi-
monial to his championship Of public interests,
especially as against the trolley monopoly
With the single exception Of Jersey City, the
Republicans have lost nothing of immediate
practical importance. But the general apathy
Of the Republican and independent voters In
various sections Of New-Jerscy should serve %