The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-01-11
TONIGHT'S CAUCUS.
Lively Times Expected
Among the Republicans
at Trenton
HUDSON GETS A LIONS SHARE
Some Measures Which the Legis-
lature, Which Meets To-
morrow, Will Consider.
HUDSON GETS A LIONS SHARE
Special to the Jersey CITY Ness.

Special to the Jersey Cttp Netes.
TRENTON, Jan. II, 1Ss7.-The Legisla-
ture which win be organized tomorrow
afternoon will lave a Republican major
lily on joint ballot of 81. the largest n
party ever has had in the history of the
State. The Senate will have three and the
House only four Democrats. So over
whelmingly is the Republican majority
in each branch tina it is not unlikely that
the dc minant party may be divided into
opposing factions, which will, in the abb
senee of a fighting Democratic minority,
make things lively during the session.
While, of course. the Republicans are
glad that they are in full control of all
the offices, yet they woul prefer that
their majority was not so large. They
have too many men to handles and the
leaders are in apprehension that there
will be lots of trouble before the session
ends.
The Republican Senators, having held
their caucus. and distributed the places
within their gift, are congratulating
themselves tina all rouble in that re-
spect is over. OF course. there is con-
siderable wailing and crashing of teeth
by those place-hunters who were turned
down." but the party leaders feel conf
dent that the storm will soon blow over.
The selection of Senator Williams, of
Passaic. for President of the Senate by a
unanimous vote of the caucus. was quite
a compliment to that young legislator,
who is deserving of it, and no doubt he
VIII make a very efficient presiding off,
Ger.
George w. Macpherson of Mercer. be-
yond all p~eradventure, will be chosen
Speaker of the House. With regard to
the other Offices the fight is still on and
the complications over the clerkship n
sergeant-at-arms are so serious as to
threaten the smashing of states which
were expected to go through. The Re-
publican politicians of the State are ex-
ercised as they never were before over
these plums of patronage, and the death
like struggle which prevails between the
rival factions portends a result anything
but pleasing to the leaders. who had
hoped for better things. Fully equipped
with war paint and ~tomahawks, the glad
iators will come here tonight to fight to
the bitter end for the possession of the
Dawes and fishes.
If the big Republican majority in this
Legislature goes wrong before the ses-
sion ends it will be against the wishes of
a conservative element which will be
found in the Senate. That element will
be led by Senators Voorhees,, Stokes,
Johnston (of Bergen), Ketcham, Skirm
and Herbert. They are all men of large
experience and are well known for Their
dislike for all measures which are ex-
clusively for the benefit of spoils-seek-
GTS at rhf PynanCR nf On06 and arannYnj-
cal government.
The Senate will be well up to the aver
eonneI. Eleven senator's were former
members of the House of Assembly
Messrs Hoffman,. Ross, Stokes, Ketch-
II sIaass Reed Da any y eerRees. sMds essrs.
HOFFMAN. Stokes. DAILY and Skirm are
e2ch in the fifth year of his service in
hees are in their fourth year, and the
second year Senator'S are Messrs. John.
son Of bergen. vreeland and Engie apd
Messrs.. Barber, Johnson of Camden and
Miller have never had any training in
Senator's have had in both Houses it
may oe reasonably expected that they
hazard legislation.
The scrutiny Of all bills of a myster-
tous character should be an easy task for
those. Senators whose skill in law-making
has been SO extensive. And as to the
Senator'S ens5,5ns'e shonISg be- OF a PTop to d,v laws = the B
vice. because nine of them are lawyers
n active practice. The two physicians,
throw light on all measures ouch.ng
their profession, while the seven 1mer.
caants and one manufacturer are expect
a ! q n nank ofHSiai, Senator Stokes will be
III a posl1lon to give good advice on mat
1ers 81 sound finance while Senator Engie
at a seaside resort can be conducted on
sound temperance principles.
-Four Senators-Messrs. Parry. John
son of Camden, Stokes and BarberNare
natives OF Pennsylvania. Mr.. Reed came
from Indiana, and all the others are
Serseymen to the manor born. Old Sus-
Gould and Johnson of Bergen: EssseE
Messrs. Ketcham and Vreeland: Him,
ss,and, Messrs. Kuhl and Voorhees,;
While Cape May, Gloucester, Hudson,
Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Burlinp,
ton and Passaic each has a native-born
porn Senator In the whole number.
Senator Engle is the oldest member of
the Senate IN years, being 63, and Sem
81 The youngest Senator is
MT; Stokes, who is only 36, and Mr..
Williams is a year older. Senators
Senator Kuh1 is IS. Ali the others are
between 40 and so. The average age Of
all is about As years.
As to the makeup of the various COM
mittees, of course, the experienced Sena-
tors and Assemblymen will be given the
call on choice positions. The Chairman
ship of the Senate Judiciary will go to
Mr.. Voorhees,; that of Revision of Laws.
probably to Mr.. johnson, of Bergen;
Corporations, to Mr.. Stokes; Municipal
Corporations, to Mr.. Skirm; Railroads
and Canals. to Mr.. Herbert, and Banks
and Insurance, to Mr.. Ketcham. IN the
House Mr.. Codington will likely get the
rousse Railroads and Canals; Mr.. Gled-
hill, Revision of Laws; Mr.. Jones, Mu-
nicipal Corporations; Mr.. Roll, Corpora
and Mr.. Wides, Agriculture. The Joint
Committee on Appropriations is so very
important that pains will be taken to
AVE 1t composed of the best men in the