The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-10-25
PASSAGES MERRY WAR
The Split in the Republican
Ranks Endangering the Re-
election Of Senator
Williams
Especial to 1.-THE Jersey City News."l

PATERSON. Oct. 25, 1S97.-The political
situation in Passaic County has not
cleared up to any extent during the past
week, although the Republicans are more
hopeful of pulling through a part of their
ticket. Strange as it may seem, the part
of the tickle that is in doubt is the Sem
atorship. Leading Republicans say that
in spite of the split on Sheriff they be-
lieve Van Noordt, the regular Republican
nominee, will be elected. They claim that
Hopson will not poll over 400 or 500 votes
in the entire county, and votes that will
go to hin would probably be against the
Republican ticket should Hopson with
draw, SO that the hances of Republican
success for Sheriff are increased by Hop
sons remaining in the field.
1t is an open secret, nevertheless that
Vice President Garret A. Hobart and
Governor Griggs nave both e~ndeavored
to get Hopson out of the race. Every
influence was brought to bear upon him,
but he refused. 1t is said that Hopson
claims that he was approached by friends
of Van Noordt and offered the full cost
of his campaign so far if he would retire.
But this is believed to be only a bid for
some one to make such a proposition.
1t is said hat Hopson claims to have
spent between $1,000 and 5000. This is
considered ridiculous.
The County Clerk has decided that the
Van Noordt ticket is the regular Repub-
lican ticket, and Hopson has decided to
head his ticket the Fractional Republic
can Ticket" On Friday, Hopson's paper,
the Morning CALI came out with Van
Noordt at the head of the column as the
Regular nominee. The Cali explain
ed its failure to publish the names OF the
party candidates before by saying that
it was awaiting the decision of the
County Clerk.
There is considerable feeling over the
Hopson bolt. The Republican leaders
say the Sheriff should not ~jeopardize his
friend, Senator Williams, chances of
success in the county by standing in the
ence of Senator Williams that put Hop
son in the Office when Sheriff Quacken-
bush died. The appointment of Hopson
by the Governor was very unpopular,
but Senator Williams friendship tor Hop
son, chiefly on account of their business
relationship in the management OF the
Paterson Morning Call" led him to urge
the appointment of Hopson. Now Sher-
iff Hopson is showing his gratitude.
Other names were suggested to Governor
GriggS for the vacancy caused by the
death of Sheriff Quackenbush. and Gov
ernor Griggs, knowing all the men ana
the circumstances as he did, was In the
position to make a strong appointment,
but he chose to select Hopson.
1t is believed this will cost Senator VIII
liams many votes in the county for re-
election, and that it will be the cause OF
his defeat if that occurs The Demo
cratic nominee for Sheriff, it is sad, IS
not very popular, while Van Noordt, the
regular Republican candidate, IS. He IS
a very young man, not yet 80, ana IT
would not be surprising If he should pc
elected. He will certainly run away
ahead of his ticket. With the light for
Senator and Sheriff as much mixed as 1t
is, the Assembly ticket is in doubt. Whlie
there are one or two good names on the
Assembly ticket, taken as a whole one
delegation is about as good as the other,
and just as likely to succeed. The Dem
ocrats will make the Senatorshlp their
fight. They want to get a Democrat LOT
Senator from Passaic county, and every
thing else will be sacrificed if necessary.
In the fight at the primaries and at the
Republican convention last week, Hopson
was caught in a little trick and beaten at
it. The contesting delegations, over the
admission of which to the convention the
bolt of the Hopson delegates occurred,
appears that at the primary 267 votes were
cast. Ten were rejected, leaving 257. or
this number 122 were for the Hopson DEL
and SO for the ticket at the head OF which
appeared Ivan Noordt for Sheriff" but
on which the Hopson delegates were
PRINTED Ibn nrima rms bv w Hop q 1ok Two ' Of the p three es
primary officials voted to count the So tick
cts fer the Van Noordt delegates. giving
him 15 against 1872 for Hopson, and it was
on the certificate of these two primary
| officials that the Van Noordt delegates
were admitted to the convention. Hop
SON claimed that the 36 tickets should
be counted for his delegates. giving him
l58 against 80 for Van Noordt. and when
| the chairman of the convention refused
| TO admit these Hopson delegates the bolt
occurred. To throw out the thirty-six
| tickets altogether meant the return of the
Hopson delegates. and as the primary
| officers insisted that those who voted the
| "ioker' ticket really supposed they were
| voting for the Van Noordt delegates, they
| made the return accordingly. No SYM
pathy is expressed for Hopson.