The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-12-12
re-
TO DISTRIBUTE PLUNS
Republican A~ssemblyman
Will Fix Things Up
on Thursday.
ESSEX has CLAIMS ON EVERYTHING
Caucus Will Be Pledged to
Mr.. Kean for United
States Senator.
ESSEX has CLAIMS ON EVERYTHING
Especial to THE Jersey city News..l

will hold a conference on @IHursoaN hSat,
Various rumors awe been circulated IN
connection with this gathering The
most remarkable statement is that 1t VIII
take on the character of a caucus. with
binding effect. and will take action on
the United States Senatorial matter
IT is not understood by the members
to be a Senatorial caucus, and 1t is mol
believed that any action will be taken
on the selection of a Senator. There is
no particular need of such an action at
his time.
More than a majority of the Republican
members of the House have declared vol
unfairly that they favor John Kean.
Those who have not declared themselves
expect to vote for him, and only a few
entertain a doubt concerning the election
Of Mr.. Kean. When political news gets
scarce the Senatorial matter is thrown
into an eclipse and some doubt is circu-
lated. This arouses predictions in the
minds of some who wish that the Sena-
torial situation was mot SO pleasantly
settled.
These same dealers in political spooks
g that the conference of next
Thursday is to settle beyond all doubt
the selection of Mr.. Kean, by his friends,
forcing the passage of a resolution IN
the caucus that will bind all the Republic
cans to the support of Mr.. Kean. Such
action is regarded by many as unneces-
sary, and is not likely to be done.
The conference is to reach a definite UNI
derstanding as to the distribution of
offices of the House. All counties are de-
sirous of being represented in the roster
of officers, and to reach an amieable
agreement it is thought better to come
together and let each county delegation
state what they want and divide up the
offices.
Essex County will claim the same Off
rers that. it had last year, on the argu-
ment that it is entitled to second year for
all of them. The second year rule has
not been ironclad and has been frequent-
ly violated at the instance of Essex Coun-
NY. and there is now a disposition to
albridge the Essex list a triae, so that
some other counties can be represented.
The Essex members are aggressive to
u degree tina amuses the other members.
They have actually picked out the com
mittee c-hairmanships that they want and
are prepared to name the committees that
fhey want to serve on. 1t is admitted
that most members have their ambitions
in this line, but it rarely happens hat a
county delegation parcels out the commit
tees with the idea of making the caucus
surrender them.
The question of speakership has been
settled beyond all doubt, but the matter
of leadership will be settled on Thurs
day next. Assemblyman Wood Mckee,
of Passaic. appears to be the favorite.
Assemblyman Bell of Bergen is proni-
nent on the list, and some of the South
Jersey members favor Assenblyman Nc
Murray.
The latest advice from Passaie IS that
Mr.. Mckee will positively decline the hon
or. This will be the most important bust
ness of the conference.
It looks now as if Senate George w.
Ketcham is out of the fight for the Presi-
dent of the Senate. In Essex county
there is no particular enthusiasm for him
and the Senators understand it that way,
and re splitting up on Senator's Reed and
johnson of Bergen.
SO far as the West Jersey S&ators are
concerned. they are about equally divid-
ed between the two just named Senator
Reed is doing the most hustlins ard his
friends are quite confident that he viii
win. 1t is understood that the Senators
will hold a conference after Christmas
and settle all their troubles. so thai their
conference just before organization will
be easy and pleasant.
Governor Voorhees, is ,low one of a par
fy of prominent statesmen who has gone
South to give official dignity to the quiet
unveiling of the monument erected to the
memory of the soldiers If New jersey,
who died in the Andersonville prison. The
Legislature made an application for the
memorial. with the distinct understanding
that there was to be no money spent for
a junketing trips tae time Of the iliveil-
Ing of the staff.
Governor Voorhees has now some
slight idea of what he will have to en-
hure before he completes all the appoint
ments for the coming year. If the volume
of his mail keeps increasing, it will be
necessary to increase the clerical force
of the Elizabeth Post Office. There is a
very healthy demand for office and it is
surprising how many men claim to be
the sayiors of the Republican party.
The Governor will rave no trouble to
find available men for every position he
has to fill.
He favors a short session of the Legis-
~lature, and 1t is stated on good author
lty that he will ~inaugurate a reform in
reference to legislation. He will follow
the precedent and practice of the national
Congress in connection with the 1egisla-
ton.
He will discourage the plan of keeping
important legislation until the last hours
of the session and dumping on the Gov
ernor's desk from four TO five score Of
bills. good, bad and Indifferent, for him
to sign, reject and stand responsible for.
The Legislature runs away and the
Governor has to struggle along with bills
carelessly drawn and loosely construct
ed. Some of them had bills rushed
through during the last hours, when
trading of votes becomes general and
The bad bills are sneaked through.
The Governor is then put in the posi-
ton of being condemned If he signs and
denounced if he doesn't. Governor yoor
hees will insist that all bills must be
In hand before final adjournment of the
Legislature. 50 that he can return with
his reasons bad and upfavorable legis-
iation.
Apart from relieving the Governor o.
these serious responsibilities, it will pre-
vent the business of the Legislature drag
ging along until the beginning of Sum.
mer.
The whole scheme is SO business1ike