Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1898-01-13

state Board Of observation-disclosures 3.
Woodward of the Second congressional
district, reappointed.
Managers of Home For Feeble Mind
ed Women Emily S. Williamson and
Charles III. Anderson, Cumberland
county.
Manager of the State Hospital-Jo-
seph Rice of Mercer.
Port Warden-John J. Toffey of Hud-
son.
Both houses have adjourned for the
week.
President Voorhees,.
The new president of the senate, who
halls from Union county, is one Of the
best known public men in New Jersey,
and when he succeeds to the executive
chair it will not be like stranger COM
ing into power at the statehouse. Sena-
tor Voorhees, made his first appearance
in New Jerseys legislative halls in 1888,
and since then he has been a conspicu-
GUS figure at the capitol, although not
always representative. He has very
pleasing address, his manners are ex-
ceedingly affable and he always has an
opinion to express. His experience and
study have given him wide knowl
edge Of public affairs, and on the legis-
lative floor he is a tower of strength for
his party. In the senate for the past few
years he has been by all odds the readi-
est and most entertaining debater, and
the high reputation which he enjoys for
personal probity lends strength to his
arguments. Mr.. Voorhees, was in the
assembly during the sessions of 1888,
1889 and 1890, and he has been in the
senate since 1898, having been elected
in 1898 with a plurality of LA over his
Democratic opponent, and being re-elect-
ed in 1896 by the splendid plurality of
5,515. In the session of 1895 he served as
chairman of the special investigating
committee of the senate which upturned
so much crookedness in the manage
ment of state affairs, and although a
strong Republican hewas never accused
of unfairness in the chair. His judgment
has not been generally commended in
supporting the movement to take from
the newspapers the annual publication
of the laws, but there are few men who
serve the state as long as he has with
out laying themselves open to some sort
of censure.
Senator Voorhees, selection to serve as
governor in the absence of Governor
|
BILE candidate for governor next fall, but
there may be trouble when his party Is
confronted with claims from Union
county not only for the governorship,
but also for the United States senator
ship, which is to be a bone of legislative
contention next winter. John Kean, Jr.,
of Union county has been recognized by
many as the logical Republican candi-
Tor
Smith (Dem.), but the candidacy of
Senator Voorhees, for the governorship
may give a pretext for Franklin Muir
ply of Essex or somebody else high in
Republican councils to step into the
arena and dispute Mr.. Kean's claim as
involving too generous distribution of
honors for Union. OF course on the
other hand, Mr.. Kean's candidacy may
be stumbling block to Senator Voor-
hees' gubernatorial aspirations, which
otherwise look bright enough. The COM
ing year promises to be one of great po-
litical interest in New Jersey in conse-
quence of this situation of affairs and,
further, because of the announced de-
termination of United States Senator
Smith (Dem.) to seek reelection. Sen
ator Smith is one of the shrewdest of
pODliCdl lcduSlSD anu, LAYING oil 1Dull-
dance of the sinews of war, his announce
ment means battle royal for the con-
troll of the next legislature.
The skirrnishing for points will begin
during the legislative session now OPEN
ing and the movements of the two par
ties will therefore be-well worth watch
ing Every time a bill is introduced
whose title indicates some movement
beneficial for the masses the ingenious
reader far away from Trenton must not
too quickly jump to the conclusion that
| its introducer's heart is bleeding for
| the dear people" The chances are that
the bill is only a move in the political
game of chess and that the introducer is
! playing to the galleries.
The Republicans started the session
by offering only half a dozen bills in the
senate and none in the house One in
| the senate enables President Hanlon Of
Pennington seminary to change his
name back to O'Hanlon.
Speaker Watkins.
Speaker Watkins is the first assem-
blyman from that county to attain the
| dignity of speaker Mr.. Watkins is a
native of Gloucester county and an at
torney at law by profession. He started
life as farmland and is very popular
at his home, as attested by the large
majorities by which he has been twice
elected to the assembly.