The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1901-01-08
IN ROOM NO. 100
Senator Kean and Colonel
Reading Do the Honors
at Trenton for Gen
eral SeWell.
CAPITAL ABLAzE WITH STARS.
Gubernatoria1 Candidates
Rival One Another in At
fability-Leaders and
the Led.
especial to ..The Jersey city News.'D


TRENTON, Jan. s, 1s01.--If last evening
can be taken as a criterion the coming
session of the Legislature will have some
thing of life in it. Although nothing like
the crowds which up to within few
years ago used to throng the corridors
of the hotels on the eve of the organiza-
ton of the Legislature, that which gath
cred here last night was of a fair size
and made up in enthusiasm what it lacked
in numbers. The chief point of interest
was the famous Room 100, the head
quarters of General Sewell when at the
capital. The General himself was not
present, the army bill keeping him at
Washington, it was said but his colleague
John Kean, did the hanesha hakiug for him,
and William Bettie and Colonel HDick"
Reading saw that the cobwess were prop
erly removed from the threats of each
one who called.
1t was the usual gathering of Repub-
lcan leaders and those who follow the
leaders abjectly. Prominent in the throng'
was Franklin Murphy, who made himself
very conspicuous and acted as though he
was trying to efface all memory of six
years ago when he came here as an oppo-
sition candidate to General Sewell for
United States Senator, when he made his
fight on the general depravity of the
Camden leader and his own particular
holiness. There was much talk about Mr..
Murphy's candidacy for Governor next
fall, and it was said that Senator Pitney
had pulled out of the fight in Mr.. Muir
phys favor, although very few placed
much confidence in the story. Mr.. Pitney
was a prominent figure in the gathering
and shook hands with every one, very
much like a candidate.
The lower branch of the National Legis-
lature was represented by Congressman
Benjamin F. Howell, of New Brunswick,
and R. Wayne Parker, of Newark. They
tried hard to convey the impression that
they amounted to something, but Mr..
Kean held the centre of the stage. The
upper house of the State Legislature was
well represented. There was Senator
Stokes, as genial and sphynx-like as ever;
Charles Reid, of Somerset, who will lead
the Senate majority, as debonair ever.
Colonel Haines of Burlington, was ex-
ceedingly frisky and caused many to
doubt the statement that he is the Oldest
man in the Senate. Wood Mckee, the
energetic new Senator from Passaic, was
here, there and all over, making himself
more popular than ever. Edmund Wake
the Senate, was also conspicuous, very
''chesty," as Chief Devery of New York
would say, and more than ever convinced
of his own Importance. Herbert Spencer,
the popular Senator from Camden, hob
nobbed with Theodore Strong, the new
Senator from Middlesex, while Asa
Francis, the Lilliputian member from
Monmouth, expatiated upon the small
amount of pap that had been given to
his county which had done SO much for
the Republican cause. Senators Richard
G. Miller, of Salem, and George Greely
Smith, of Ocean. who is a near relative
of the late Horace Greedy, strove to imi-
tate the Senatorial dignity which the
courtly Joseph Cross of Union maintained
at ore end of the large sofa.
There was a large sprinkling of Assem-
b1ymen, prominent among them being
Vivian M. Lewis of Passaic, who will lead
the majority, and Jesse Stillman, the
glass blower of Cumberland who exhibit
ed an artistic glass paper weight which
he had made himself for Governor Voor-
hees. The Essex delegation was there in
force and spent most of their time in try
ing to impress the country members
with the general greatness of anything
from their county. If a session of the
House had been called right there it
would have been an easy matter to have
gotten a quorum together.
There was very little Democratic
seasoning in the gathering. William c.
Gebhardt, the new Senator from Hun
terdon and Assemblyman Maurice Marks
of Hudson and Oliver Blackwell of Hur-
terdon were the sole Representatives of
the minority. They reported that there
would be no opposition to Alvah A. Clark
as the Democratic nominee for United
States Senator in the joint meeting. Those
who opposed Mr.. Clark will be content
with voting against him in the caucus,
and then when he is chosen, as he will
be- all the Democrats will cast their
votes for him at the election for Senator.
There was a large number of leaders
of greater or lesser magnitude among
those who partoek of the Senator's hos
pitality. There was Davy Baird of Cam
den, the shrewdest of the shrewd, when
any political work requiring extra fine
ness is to be done, and near him was DIR.
Herold, one of the Newark leaders, who
does not do as much leading as he used
before Carl Lentz became the uncrowned
kaiser of Essex. Mingling with these
were many OF lne rank ana Hle VINO at
one time so crowded the spacious room
that Barker Gummere, State Comptroller
Hancock and Postmaster Alex. Yard
three Of the arch bosses of Mercer, had
to sit on the stairs outside the door as
they discussed affairs of state with ex-
Senator Large, the only Republican who
has been elected Senator from Hunterdon
county. The exs., the has beens and the
would bes were thicker than flies around
a molasses hogshead, and just as much of
nuisance.
Governor voorhees, came to the State
House early in the afternoon and took an
early evening train for his home in Eliza
beth. He was in facetious mood, and
condescended to talk some about his mes
sage. He received several callers in mis-
private office, among whom was Benia-
min Gratz. the man who says he is a
candidate for United States Senator. The
Interview was very short
The committee OF Republican Senators
to parcel out the patronage held long
meeting in one Of the committee rooms
during the afternoon. They found them