The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-08-08
Many Candidates Discussed
for the Democratic Gu
bernatorial Nomination.
IT MAY Be JOHN P. STOCKTON
Governor Voorhees, Regains
His Lost Ground and
Keeps Forging Ahead.

who can truly predict at the present time
who will be the choice of their State Con-
v~ention. A prominent Democrat and a
former State ofiee-holder. who is ~sojourn-
ing at Elberon. said the other day that
The name of the. nominee had not yet been
discussed in public. Although nearly a
| score of well known Democrats are being
talked of In connection with the nominal
ton yet the name of the coming man. 1t
seems, is not found among them.
while General Donnel1y has a host Of
admirers, yet some of the practical poll
ticians do not take kindly to him. Mayor
| Seymour of Newark is yet being pushed
by his friends. although it is understood
that he does not desire to be a candidate.
Senator DAILY has numerous frieny's who
| will stand by him in storm as well as in
sunshine, ard there is vet a lone felt that
BENJAMIN F. Lee may be prevailed raon
| to hermit the use of his name. Then
there are General Plume. Colonel Camn-
bell. Senator Braun and others who are
kept in the foreground. Rut still. il
| seeTrs. this arrav of anparentlv available
| timber must give way to 4 dark horse
| whose name is known only by the few
who are rusticating on the New Jersey
| coast.
Speculation is rife as TO this derk horse.
Some people venture the prediction that
| he is none other than the gifted John P
Stockton. whose popularity among New
| Jersey Democrats has never been on the
ware. Tt is stated in his behalf that he
is the only safe man to nominate. because
of his integrity. ability. ~eloaueuce and life
long fealty to his party. In answer TO any
objection which might he ureed AGAINST
him. owing to his age. It is insisted that
he is now just as vigorous, mentally and
physically. as he was a score of years aeo.
when he took an active part in politics.
and when he was one of the popular lead
ers of his party. He has lust reached the
age of p years. and yet he is practicing
law in Jersey City just as actively as
some men in his profession who are many
years his Junior.
Every Jersevman knows Mr.. Stockton.
and he is held in high esteem by the
members of all political parties. Forty
wears ago he represented his country as
| Minister to Rome. and subsequently he
served as United States Senator for a
term of six years. and until he was sue
ceeded by the late Theodore F.. Randolph
For a period of 20 years he filled the
| office of Attorney General. It is argued
in his behalf that. despite all the tempta-
tions of public life which beset him, he
is yet a poor man. going to show that
his honesty and integrity are above sus-
picion. H6 is considered just the man
who could match on the stump Voorhees,.
Pitney or any other campaigner whom
| the Republicans may nominate.
Is John p Stockton the man, then,
whose name has not as yet been promi-
nently brought to the fore in connection
with the Democratic nomination? Is he
the dark horse who will be sprun upon
the Democratic Convention, and the
mention of whose name is depended upon
to arouse the Democratic masses to a
high pitch of enthusiasm? Perhaps he is.
Most certainly the campaign would be
unusually interesting, with Stockton as
the Democratic candidate and Voorhees,,
the Republican. as the eloauence and
popularity of both men are above the
ordinary. With these gladiatorS on the
| stump, every inch of ground would be
contested. and the issues of the cam
paign would be clearly and thoroughly
| discussed.
! The names of Judge Charles E.. Hen
erickson and former Speaker James ].
| Bergen are recent additions to the array
of Democratic gubernatorlat taitnr. FOR
| mer Senator George O.. Vanderbilt says
| Judge Hendrickson would make an loeal
candidate. as he has elements OF strength
not possessed by others. 6. D. w.
Vroom believes that the nomination ef
Mr.. Bergen would be wise because he
would unite his party and make a vigor-
Gus campaign. There is a feeling, now,
ever. among leading Democrats that
John p. Stockton is the strongest mar
| in his party and that he will be surely
nominated provided he, himself, does not
object.
During the past week the friends Of
| Governor Voorhees, have regained much
lost ground and they feel much encour-
aged at the outlook, Senator Stokes ana
| Congressman Fowler, who have in charge
the Governors boom, are working un-
| ceasingly for its success The opposition
| to the Governor. however. is just as earn
| est as ever, and efforts. are beng SILENT
ly made to form a combination among the
other candidates with the intention or
! sWamping him in the State convention.
| 1t is the field against Voorhees,. Should
he lose the nomination his supporters pre-
dict dire disaster to the Republican ticket
in all parts of the State.
The Republicans, after all. are not so
sure of electing their candidate for Gov
ernor. There is whispering here and
there that. no matter who IS nominated
he will have a hard row to hoe. The
mysterious attitude assumed by the Lead
ers and the fear that the Democrats may
/ L ~ - TAA1GA
make the result of the campaign seem so
/ doubtful in some Republican eyes. And
then again the fractional strife which ex-
lists in the Republican ranks, particular
" IN Essex and Hudson counties. threat
ems disaster at the polls. A well known
| Republican makes the prediction that II
the G-ubernatorial candidate is taken from
Essex county he is sure to be defeated.
| The only hone is either Voorhees, or Pits
| nev. and even then victory IS not so sure.
In South Jersey there are mutterings
| Of discomfort in the Republican ranks.
decrease in the vote for congressman
Loudenslager, ana endanger the legisla-
five ticket in such close counties as Sa-
| lem. Cape May and Atlantic. Dtsappoint-
| ed office-seekers are uptn arms against
Mr.. Loudenslager. and the club they are
| grievances. They do not expect to be
able to defeat Mr.. Loudenslager, but they
will content themselves by reducing his
majority SO as to weaken his popularity.
Should the Democrats make gains IN
their legislative ticket In South Jersey
| their prospects for securing a majority
| On Joint ballot would be very much
Frightened. The Democratic plan of cam
paign for capturing the Legislature. Of
course. has not been disclosed, nor Will II
II is known. however. tina the Democratic
leaders feel confident that even should
they fail to elect their ticket in Essex
county. they will have enough votes 70
give them a majority on Joint ballot. No
matter what the cost. 1t is stated that Sem
powerful friends and the most Influential
support. and consequently the legislative
campaign on his side will be most vigor-
ouslv prosecuted.
such as John p. Stockton for instance,
enfh1,ei1e m I'M houpded would mark the