The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1900-09-10
MAY SPEAK TO LENTz.
The Majors Latest Is Said
to Be a Rebuke to the
Governor.
(special to .sThe Jersey city News.")


NEWARK, Sept 10, 19OO.-General Sew
ellis declaration of neutrality in regard to
the fight for the Republican nomination
for County Register of Essex has had the
effect of urging the contestants on to re-
newed efforts, in the assurance of a fair
field and no favors, so far as the Camden
chieftain is concerned. The forces led by
William Riker, treasurer of the State Re-
publican Committee, who rally around the
standard of John P Dexheimer, are US
ing every effort to strengthen their cause
and are confident that their champion will
carry off the prize
The departure of Mr.. Riker for a stay
of a week or more in the Thousand
Islands will not affect the situation much
as the affairs of the Dexheimer end of the
fight has been left in good hands. Then,
the fact that Governor Voorhees, has gone
away as the guest of Mr.. Riker may have
some bearing on the result of the contest
1t is known that the Executive is anxious
to have Mr.. Dexheimer receive the nomi-
taken no active part in the fight.
''The plan of Major Lentz to defeat the
Governors appointee is a direct rebuke
to the Executive for appointing Riker's
candidate and ignoring the Majors de-
mand that he be permitted to name the
man to succeed Judge Skinner as Regis
ter is the way one of the Governors
Union County friends put it. Naturally
Mr.. Voorhees, wishes to see Mr.. Dexhei-
mer nominated for a fullterm, as an in
dorsement of his course in selecting the
man from Orange to fill the office for the
unexpired term.
Whether the Governor will take hand
in the hight or not has not been ascertain
ed as the Executive is keeping his own
counsel on that point But he has it in his
power to bring Major Lentz to terms if
l.
make it plain to the Major that it might
be just as well for him to let Dexheimer
alone. Should the Governor care to do 80
he can make Ientz understand that it may
cost him just $l2,5 500 to continue the fight
"Lentz's term as State Tax Commits
sioner will expire next year, and Governor
Voorhees, will have the appointment OF
his successor. The job is worth $3.50 a
proves refractory the Governor may take
it into his head to select some other man
for the place.
sIt may be that the Major would be
willing to sacrifice that a2,500 for the
pleasure of fighting Riker and Dexheimer
and rebuking GovernorVoorhees for not
appointing the LentZ choice for Register,
and then again he may not
dignant at the assertions of the other
side to the effect that he has been only d
short time Republican.
'I have known John p. Dexheimer since
he was little cnap IN SWdddllng
clothes,'' said a Democratic resident of
Orange, land I knew his father for many
years. Knowing Register Dexheimer as
do, l was more than a little surprised to
hear that he was recent convert to the
Republican faith. I happen to know
that John P. Dexheimer's Republicanism
is as old as in his right to cast ballot.
His first Presidential vote was cast in the
campaign of 1884, when James c. Blaine
was the candidate of the Republicans.
That know to be positive fact.
In that campaign, or rather in that
year, there was an AsSemblyman in
Orange named David Bell, Republican,
back again. The Republicans of Orange
organized a marching club for service in
the campaign, under the name of David
Bell Guards / can distinctly reeall-and
there are men now living in Orange who
were members of the Guards at that
time and who can bear me out in my
statement-that John P. Dexheimer, then
young man filled with all the ardor of
his first Presidential vote, had three
horses which he loaned to the Guards
every time they paraded. More than that,
| can remember well that he rode one of
the horses himself in every parade in
which the David Bell Guards participated
inent part in the work of the organiza-
ton.
Il say this in justice to Mr.. Dexheimer,
and to refute the charges that he was
formerly a Democrat. Not that the
Democrats in Orange would not be glad
to have an energetic, hustling fellow like
Dexheirner in their ranks, because he Is
the kind of man who is welcomed in any
place where energy and a capacity for
hard work is appreciated. This statement
concerning his standing as a Republican
as long ago as 1884 is absolutely true and
is susceptible of proof.