The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-04-18
Prospects Of Carrying Mer-
Ger County Next Fall
Are Very Good.
sKIRM WANTS THIRD TERM
Var Will Not Make a Special
Session Of the Legislature
Necessary.
Especial to ..rhe Jersey city News.sI

elections. A senator ana three ASSEM-
blymen are to be, chosen and the Demo-
Gratis hope to elect two Assemblymen
and the Senator. That they will be able
to do this is not improbable in the light
of the results of the contest last Tuesday.
1t is evident from them that the voters OF
the county who turned to the Republican
party four years ago and so enthusiast
cally endorsed it's candidates for State,
county and city offices have been disap-
pointed and are determined to fall back
within party lines.
The only hope of averting defeat that
the Republicans have lies in the possi-
bility of carrying the country districts
with enough strength to offset their losses
In the city, which is rapidly striding IN
the direction of the Democratic camp.
Whether they can do this or not Is very
doubtful. because there is sure to be a
rupture in the party ranks IN lne rural
Unfortunately for the Republican party,
it is loaded with men who are AMBITIOUS
to go to the Senate, and whoever the Lead
ers choose there is sure to be strong OPP
position to him from certain factions IN
the party. 1t will be a case OF the city
arrayed against the country. When SEN
asor Skirm was nominated, three years
ago. for the second term. he had opposi-
ticn in the person of DIR. John Stockton
Hough, an influential farmer living IN EW-
ing township. II was shown 70 Hough
tina Senator Slsirm was entitled to q sec
ord term, because he had done good work
for the party and ought to be indorsed.
Under pressure Hough got out OF the
fight and left the way clear to Skirm.
Hough told the leaders at the time that
he would expect 70 be given favorable
consideration at the expiration OF Skirm's
term. He was given to understand That
he would be given a fair show in 1898. 1t
was understood that Sklrm would retire
from active politics at the end OF his Sec
ond term, because he had complained
that his business demanded his entire
attention. But the second term is ended,
and Skirm is inclined to get into the hight
for a third term. This has, of course.
exasperated the Hough faction, and they
will make u desperate fight to carry the
country primaries for their man. Ii,
after all. the Skirln men have strength
enough in the convention to turn Hough
down, then there will be a stay-at-home
vote in the country districts on cleo
ton day that will greatly weaken the
that they are the ores who really de-
eide the n elections in favor Of the
party, and, therefore, they are entitled TO
some consideration.
Ex-Asseanblyman Elijah G. Hutchinson
also .aspires to the Republican Senatorial
nomination. He is a countryman, and
very devoted to the interests of the far
mers. He represented his district in the
House in 1896 and 1897, and made the
reputation Of being a man whom the
leaders GcElQ c0nHQelily rely upUn. MI.
Hutchinson thinks that the country
hould be represented in the upper branch
of the Legislature, and he will make a
strong fight for the nomination. Thus are
the country districts sure to be divided
between Hough and Hutchinson.
In the city there viii be a sharp con-
test for the delegates to the Senatorial
convention between Skirm and Mayor
yelling G. Siekel. The Mayor is not in
exact harmony with the machine. while
Skirm never stands in its way. The two
fa1tforc rpnvacanfcH Inv fhqSp men ara
so widely apart that 1t is hardly possible
that they can be gotten together.
With the Republican, forces split In the
country and the city, the Democrats see
a splendid opportunity to march through
the breach to victory. They nave the
advantage over the Republicans of being
united. There are but two men who are
prospective candidates for the Senatorial
nomination, and either one is willing to
give way to the other when the sentiment
of the convention has been determined.
One Of these aspirants is James Lanning,
who served two terms as member of the
House when the Democrats were in pow
er there. He has always been a staurch
Democrat and is enc of the leaders. He
is looked upon by some as the logical
candidate, but there are others who think
that the nomination should go to Frank
Ka~tzenbach, Jr., who is a new figure in
the politics of the county.
Mr.. K~atzenbach is a young man rapid
ly building up a profitable law practice
in Trenton. He first came into prominence
in the political arena last month when
he was nominated for Alderman-at-Large
to run against Edward Fulper. the Re-
publican candidate. 1t was thought that
there was little chance of Katzenbach
winning and nobody was asking for the
nomination., which was generally Suppos-
ed to be securely within the grasp Of the
Republicans. But Katzenbach accepted
the nomination and went into the cam
paign with the determination to win, and
In spite of the fact that the Republican
machine concentrated all its energies on
his defeat, he came out OF the contest
with a majority of 479. 1t is believed
by the leaders that. a man who is capa-
BILE of making such a showing of strength
as that in the city is the one to make
tho fight for Senator. Mr.. katzenbach
belongs to the Hurley-Lanning wing of
the party, and. should he reach the Sem
ate, he may be counted upon to stand
by United States Senator Smith should
he ask for reelection.
1t is claimed by the Republican Lead
ers that the Democratic gains at the re-
cent elections were due to indifference
en- the part of Republican voters who
stayed at home and let the election go
by default. An effort was made to get
them out in every town where there was
a prospect Of defeat, but the voters Were
obdurate and refused to take the trouble
to go to the polls. This apathy on the
part of the men who took an active in
terest in the elections three years ago is
explained by the complaints heard in all
quarters OF the State of the refusal of
the Republicans at the head of the sew
eral State departments to discharge DEM
ocratic clerks and give their places to
Republicans. 1t was believed by the rank
and file of the party when it came into
power that there would be a general
clearing out of Democratic oficeholders.
but they were disappointed. There are
nearly as many Democrats employed at
the State House today as were there
under the Democratic regime.
The election on Tuesday last in Newark,
was even more disastrous to the Repub-
lieans than was first contemplated. The
election of former Assemblyman Joseph
NJ. Byrnes, to be member of the Board
or Public Works, makes that executive
body Democratic and the wholesale de-
capitation OF the Republicans in the muni-
cipaI Offices as promised as soon as it is
convenient and that will swing the whole
OF the machinery of the city over to the
Democrats, which is not a healthy con-
dition of affairs for Republicans in a
and a delegation to the House Of AS
senlbly is particularly needed,
The county OF Essex is of great inn
portance and value in the coming State
campaign. The prospects for a special
session OF the Legislature Is not good,
even should war be declared. There is a
division of sentiment on the question of
giving new life to the Gledhill Inves-
tigating Committee.
If a special session were called the issue
would be forced. The matter of furnish
iidentia.ly discussed b the State officers
and the conclusion has been reached that
all the emergent needs of the STATE could
be furnished without a special session.
Al poll was made Of the members Of the
House of Assembly and the Senate ON the
question of calling an extra session for
the purpose Of giving e new lease Of life