The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1900-12-13
FIGHT COMING.
South Jersey Democrats
Declare War on Alvah
A. Clark.
ATKINSON VISITS DAVIS
Talk of a Party Split if
the Somerset Man
Is Named.

Clarence T. Atkinson, of Burlington
who in former campaigns has been one
of the most eloquent and active of the
Bryan advocates and who owing to an
operation he was obliged to undergo, dis
appeared from public view, appeared in
Jersey City this morning. He called upon
Leader Robert Davis in the City Hall, and
although both he and Mr.. Davis declare
the visit was simply one of social ma
ture, it is understood that the nomination
of Mr.. Alvah A. Clark for United States
Senator was the subject of their eonver-
sation.
Mr. Atkinson told Mr.. Davis that there
was strong sentiment in South Jersey
against giving Mr. Clerk even the empty
honor of the vote of a hopeless minority.
Hhe Democrats in that section of the
State who had stood by the party through
good and evil repute and had born the
brunt of two campaigns did not think
that man who occupied the position
Mr.. Clark assumed during the campaign
should in any way ercognized by the
Democratic party in any way.
The South Jerseymen did not consider
Mr.. Clark a Democrat, either gold or
silver, for the financial question did not
enter into the matter at all. He had not
only kept aloof from the regular party
but had even antagonized the organiza-
tion. Then again there were some who
did not consider Mr.. Clark's Democracy
the soundest thing on earth anyhow. His
relations with his Republican son-in-law,
Senator Charles Reed of Somerset, to say
the least, was peculiar, and many had the
idea that he has given comfort if not aid
to the enemy. Under all the circum-
stances the Democrats in the lower part
of the State thought that the honor of
receiving the Democratic vote for United
States Senator should be given to some
one of whose Democracy there could be
no question, or at least some one who had
not been SO aggressively opposed to the
Democratic organization as Mr.. Clark has
been.
Mr.. Davis listened to the silver tongued
orator from the Southern end of the
State, in that imperturbable manner so
characteristic of him and when Mr.. At
kinson had finished he said that Mr..
Clark's Democracy was all right. He was
a better Democrat than many who were
criticising him. He could not see what
occasion there was for any fuss over Mr..
Clark'sc name. Anyone above the age
of twenty-one years had the right to
name any candidate he chose What the
Democratic caucus at Trenton would do
was another matter. After some further
talk in this line Mr.. Atkinson left the City
Hall to take the liza train for Philadel-
phia.
1t is becoming more apparent every day
that there will be much serious opposition
to Mr.. Clark's nomination and a bitter
fight will be waged against him. If he
should carry the caucus and be the candi-
date of the party it is freely predicted
that there will be a factional split in the
party. At least that is what the South
Jerseymen say will happen. Their dismal
croakings and threatenings do not dis
turb the real party leaders of the State
and there is little prospect of there being
any change in the slate as it now stands.