The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1900-05-14
Forts Elevation to the
Bench Gives the Varnish
Man a Clear Field.
BERGEN TO Be SQUELGHED
Republican Scheme to Save
Money for the Party.
Tspecial to ..rhe Jersey city News. u

With the excellent appointments tHe IoNr
ernor has made to the higher Courts, his
naming Of Alfred +. Skinner for the va
cancy In the Essex County Court has CIV
en- general satisfaction. 1t is true that
some of the Republican factionists in
Essex are disappointed because one OF
their own candidates was not selected
but then the Governor may rest assured
that as long as he pleased the members
of the bar and the people generally he
has done the very best he could do under
the trying circumstances. Neither of the
warning factions has been recognized in
the appointment, as the new Judge has
never been identified with either one or
the other Judge Skinner is comparative
ly a young man, he not being 40 years of
age He served as an Assemblyman in
1856, and in the latter year he was
candidate for Speaker against Mr..
Derousse, who was successful in the con-
test Mr.. Skinner made a good record
in the Legislature and, while at all times
a loyal Republican. yet he never was
known as a radical. In 1897 he was
elected Register of Deeds of Essex coun-
ty. to succeed William Riker, who had
resigned that office to become Clerk Of
the Supreme Court. This office pays
more money than the Judgeship, and Mr..
Skinner had two years more to serve
But as there is more honor attached to
the former Mr.. Skinner naturally did not
hesitate in accepting it. This appointment
demonstrates very clearly that the Gov
ernor has had very good advice. and that
it came principally from Mr.. Riker, who
is fast gaining ground as one of the in
huential leaders of his party, not only
in Essex. but also throughout the state.
Chancellor Magic, Chief Justice De-
nue Supreme Court Justice Fort and
Judge skinner all belong to the Repub-
rcan marty. Justice Fort has been the
most active politician among them. He
has been so aggressive and so eloquent
in the cause of his party that frequently
his name has been prominently mention
ed in connection with the Republican
nomination for Governor Judge Fort
placed Garret A. Hobart in nomination
for the Vice Presidency four years ago
| at ST. Louis and previously he mad pre-
/ sided over the convention which nornl-
| mated John w. Griggs for Governor
His party will be a loser. especially dur
| ing important campaigns when MS
oratory and activity will be much missed.
1t is alfssg rittea lax that Supreme Solrt
Judges must not take a part in political
| contests, and it always has been observed
| in New Jersey.
Undoubtedly the promotion of Judge
Fort makes the road still clearer Tor
| the nomination of Franklin Murphy for
| Governor. The former has many ardent
| adherents. not only in Essex, but also
in South Jersey, and they always await
| ed an opportunity when they could seize
upon, the Gubernatorial plum for their
| favorite. 1t is believed that the Judge
would rather hold his present position
] than to be Governor; anyhow he is re-
| moved from the active arena of poll
| tics and it is safe to say that he will
| not permit the use of his name in con-
nection with the higher office. His ad-
| herents, it is believed, will support the
candidacy of Mr.. Murphy. This is not
! good news for Senator Pitney, because
his friends had been under the impress
| sion that he had been slated for the
! Gubernatorial nomination. But Mr..
Pitney is young in years and can afford
| to wait He has many able and in
| fuential supporters who would like to
see his laudable ambition gratified. They
| perceive, however, that it would be an
uphill task to defeat Mr. Murphy, and
| that If a contest occurred between these
| prominent leaders it might cause results
/ detrimental to the machine of the party.
Such consequences must be avoided in
view of the fact that the Democrats
mean to nominate candidate of whose
character and ability there will not be a
| shadow of doubt
| By next year the Democracy means to
| get together and demonstrate some of
it's old fighting qualities The expecta-
! ton is that Organism will be dead and
buried by that time, so that the old
party may be reorganized and men placed
| at the helm who will win the confidence
| of the rank and file and pilot the ticket
| to victory. Many of the old leaders of
| the Democracy firmly believe that with
| a good nomination for Governor the
party practically united and the cam
| paign placed in the charge of a State
| Committee composed of brainy and ex-
| perienced men, an old time victory can
once more be achieved. They claim that
with the ghost of sixteen to one' for
| ever silenced that New Jersey is a Dem
! ocratic State. 1t is a remarkable fact
| that where Populsm is most predomi-
nant is in a. section of the State where
| the Republican party is always solidi-
| fed and rolls up big majorities at all
| important elections. That is in South
! Jersey, which the Democracy, in its
palmiest days, was unable to disturb
| from its moorings excepting on a few oc-
! casions, when dissensions in the domi-
nant party brought about the defeat of
/ its ticket. Four years ago the usually
! strong Democratic county went over to
1 the enemy, owing to the blight of Bryan
1 ism And it may do so again should the
same conditions prevail
! The South Jersey delegates to the
convention will insist upon the naming OF
one of the delegates at large to the Ma
| tional convention at Kansas City. They
| claim 1t as a right. and will not listen to
/ any remonstranee. And that right, no
| doubt, viii be accorded. Their candidate
| is said to be former Congressman Thomas
I M. Ferreil the man who beat Robson
/ nearly twenty years ago. That was quite
| d feat for Democrat in those days to de-
/ feat a statesman of such a national repu-
/ tation as Grants Secretary of the Navy
| possessed. Mr.. Robson was an intellec-
/ tual giant fhefl-so much so that his head
| became turned with ambition and he
| thought he was strong enough to defy