The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-11-22

WIDE Nv Axe
Strong Line of Battle Form
ing for Next Years
Fight for the Gov
ernoTship.
REPUBLICANS SPLIT AND WARY
Essex the Pivotal County-Scrap-
ping over the Distribution
Of Legislative Pap.
REPUBLICANS SPLIT AND WARY
Especial to .0The Jersey city News."]

TRENTON, Nov. q, lS9f.-The RepuDll-
cans are taking great precaution as to the
organization OF the next Legislature.
With popular opinion to piacate and a
strong minority to confront, the party in
power seems to appreciate the impor-
lance of having lone but good men nam
ed for the legislative Offices. The great
contest of nexI year is uppermost in view,
and Republican leaders are very anxious
that everything possible must be done
to strengthen their line of battle. The
pivotal unit OF Essex must be care
fully looked after, because. II there is
any slip-up there the State will go DEM
ocratic on the bernato and legisla-
tive tickets And. then Wit the defec-
ton of Essex from the Republican col
umn other doubtful counties are likely
to follow it's wake. With these consider
atoms in view il is no wonder that the
Republicans are moving slowly with the
preliminary work as to the organization
of the Legislature. In a week or SO,
however. it is expected that something
definite will be known as to whom the
leaders Will select for the various offices
to be filled.
There seems to be a loud and popular
demand for the election of Foster M.
Voorhees, to the presidency of the Senate.
In fact. all the Republican Senators are in
favor of him for that office. Those lead
ers of his party with whom Mr.. voorhees,
opposed to him. 1t is true that he has
welded a free lance on many important
public questions during his legislative
career, and that at times he has given
provocation sufficient to arouse the ire
of the men who run the machine. Still,
while the displeasure of some leaders
toward MI. voorhees, has been
so much so that they have made threats
for his political destruction, yet they
seem now to be in the mood OF forgetting
past differences that peace may be re-
stored and the party organization placed
in good shape for the great battle to
come. The belief, then, is that Mr.. Voor-
hees will be the President of the Senate.
John Kean has a big fight on his hands to
~vanquish Senator Smith, and he knows
full well that harmony in the ranks of his
party is necessary for victory. His own
county of Union must stand by him. 1t
must not falter in it's allegiance to him
the same as it did nearly three years ago,
when his Gubernatorial boom was rent
asunder mainly through hat cause. Sen
ator voorhees, represents Union county in
the State Senate, and his popularity at
his W home is unquestioned. To tie to
a popular man such as Mr.. Voorhees, is
would be good politics on the part of John
kean.' It is to be presumed then that Mr..
Kean feels very anxious hat Mr.. Voor-
hees should be President of the Senate.
The SpeakeIShip of the House does
not seem to be such a bone of conten-
ton as it was two years ago., when Mr..
Derousse, of Camden, and Mr.. Skinner,
OF Essex, were the rival candidates. The
Watkins this year is more friendly. Of
course, Mr.. Gledhill, of Passaic, is also
in the race, but his chances are not
good unless the other candidates should
in circulation last week that Mr.. Gled-
hills friends expected support from those
of Mr.. Porter as against Mr.. Watkins,
should the candidacy of the Essex man
lose strength. This is doubted, however,
and the belief is that Mr.. GledhiiI would
feel satisfied if he was chosen the leader
of his party on the floor of the Assembly
chamber.
While Mr.. Watkins seems ahead in
the contest, yet there is a feeling among
some South Jersey members that per-
haps it would be good policy to allow
the Speakership to go to Essex this time.
Mr.. Porter is very popular in that county,
he having ran ahead of his ticket at the
recent election. Perhaps the only leader
who does not care to see him elected
Speaker as Major Carl LEM, but then he
is not in active opposition. To elect 4
Republican successor to Senator Smith
the eleven Assembly votes of Essex Coun-
ty must be assured. The vital question
there is, would the elevation OF Mr..
Porter to the Speakership strengthen the
Republican fences in that county 50 as to
be able to withstand the fierce onslaught
which Senator Smith and his cohorts will
make upon them at the next State cleo
ion? Shrewd politicians think it would.
Mr.. Watkins, himself, is very candid and
reasonable about the matter. In an inter-
view the other day he said that if the
leaders of his party believed that by the
Speakership going to Essex it would
strengthen the Republican organization
there SO as to make victory sure next
year he would waive his candidacy and
gracefully submit to the expeGiency. He
was heartily in favor of any action which
would benefit his party, because he knew
IT would also be for the best interests of
the State. He was a young man and
could afford to wait for preferment. OF
course, should MIR. Watkins insist upon
being m active candidate. his prospects
for victory would be very bright II for
no other reason than that Essex County
shows a lack of harmony on the Speak
ership question.
1t must be said to the credit Of the
Republican party that any of the three
acceptable presiding officer. All are men
Of high standing and are out and out
party men.
The promotion of harmony in the ranks
IS the task which the Republican leaders
now have on their hands. Without it the
State will be lost to them next year.
The Democrats are wide awake. They
hostilities will be vigorously carried on
until the final blow is struck. The Re
publicans must get together. They must
quench the factional fires in Passaic, Mid
dlesex, Essex, Burlington and other coun-
ties and then with success in that line
and with a popular candidate for Gov
ernor they will be able. to give the Demo-
the occasion. That is the advice given
by an old-time Republican leader who has
smelt powder in many stirring campaigns.
With the Presidency of the Senate and
the ~Speakership Of the House amicably
settled the Republicans ought to be able
without much friction to deal out the
other Offices. OF course, it Is Impossible
TO satisfy the greed of a hungry horda
OF politicians. They are not offices
enough to go around. But then BY the
use of wise discretion in the filling of the
few vacant berths much damage to the
party machinery may be avoided.
The Secretaryship OF the Senate is an
office which pays well. and is cOnseuuent-
ly attracting some attention. Henry 3.
Robinson. of Union. has had it for three
years, and is a candidate for another
term, 1t is stated that he cannot get
that the Presidency of the Senate Is to
go to Union county. One county very
rarely scoops IN such two big offices Al
the same time. The latest candidate am
nounced for the place is former Assem-
blyman William II. Cole, of Camden, a
much public patronage during his long
career as a politician.
The Engrossing Clerkship of the House
is a snug position. and Charles Fl. Fol
well. of Mt. Holly. would like TO nave il.
He has numerous friends who are work
ing hard for him. His competitor is
Charles F. Hopkins, who Served IN the
Assembly last year. He halls from Nor
ris county. and is making an earnest
canvass for votes.
The filling of small Offices has ALWAYS
been the bette noir of political parties,
because there have always been so many
candidates whose cravings cannot be an
postnasters wrecked the political for
tunes of Johnston Cornish when he as
pired to Il second term In Congress-. and
Mahlon Pitney, who Is SO much spoken