The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1901-08-30
MAY LEAD.
Republicans Want Him to
Remain at the Head Of
the. State Committee.
STOKES FOR SECOND PLACE
Davy Baird's Candidacy Not
Likely to Prove a
Success.
Especial to 'sThe Jersey city News."'l

Especial to ''The Jersey city News''1
| TRENTON, Aug. 80, 1901-Franklin
Murphy's chances of slipping up ON the
Republican Gubernatorial nomination. ap-
| pear to be SO remote that the leaders
of that party have almost ceased to
speculate upon the possibility of any
other candidate being a material factor
| in the convention to be held September
26. The Newarker's chances of being
chosen as the party's standard bearer are
now generally regarded as being so good
| that the leaders have apparently taken 1t
for granted that he will be named, and
are giving more attention to the re-
organization of the State Committee.
| Much has been said about Mr. Murphy's
alleged intentions concerning the State
craftsmanship and the prospects OF his
nomination for Governor have opened up
1 possibilities for lots of speculation as to
who might succeed him at the head OF
| the State Committee Many politicians
] have jumped to the conclusion that Cham
| Gerry Clerk Stokes, the present vice chair
man, would move up to the top, butt
| if certain plans now said to be under
way, should be carried out there is little
| likelihood that Mr.. Stokes will direct the
coming campaign as State Chairman.
Camden Republicans and a few other
South Jersey leaders, who derive their
political inspiration from the home coun-
! ty of General Sewell, have put forward
! David Baird as a candidate for State
chairman, but unless the programme
should be changed it is not on the books
| that Mr. Baird will step into that posi-
ton right away.
! AS matter of fact according to one
who is in position to know, there is
great diversity of opinion among the
men who shape the party affairs, over the
selection of man to direct the State
campaign, in the event of MIR. Murphy s
| nomination. AT such variance are the
views of the representative party men on
i this subject that efforts are being made
to have Mr.. Murphy stay where he p
and direct his own campaign. Nothing
definite has yet been decided upon, but
| the proposition meets with the favor of a
number of committeeman, so it is said,
and the solution of the problem appears
to be assuming that shape.
Mr.. Murphy declines to discuss the
Craftsmanship for publication, presumably
because anything he might say might be
construed as a presumption on his part
that he would surely be nominated. AL
| together, at this stage of the political
/ game, the subject is rather delicate one
! for Mr.. Murphy. But the alleged plans
of the elmer CIRCLE as it might be called,
were revealed to News reporter after
| the State Committee meeting at Trenton
/ Wednesday by a committeeman who is
frequently consulted on matters of i'm
portance.
1T begins to look as though Franklin
| Murphy would remain as State chairman
after he is nominated for Governor
said the reporters informant. whose opin-
| ion concerning the Newarker's probable
nomination was due as much perhaps to
| the atmosphere which permeated the
meeting, as it was to his personal regard
| for Mr.. Murphy. 81 don't believe Mr..
Murphy wants to manage his own cam
| paign, but Senator Stokes doesn't want
| the Craftsmanship and if anybody else
should be chosen there would be possf-
bility of hard feelings being engendered.
| That we must avoid.
"As / understand it, went on the COM
mitteeman, ''the plan being worked out
now is to have Mr.. Murphy follow the
precedent established by Governor Odell,
of New York, and stay where he is. If
| that comes to pass, Ned Stokes will be
| willing to remain as an active, working
| vice chairman, and devote. as much time
as possible to campaign details so as to
relieve his friend Murphy all he can.
!, Then, if the plan carries, there will be a.
hustling Executive Committee to look
after things and further relieve the chair
man in case he, as candidate, want to
get around the State. And if nominated
Mr. Murphy will want to get around. You
| can depend upon that was the speakers
concluding sentence.
Nothing definite is likely to be done
about the craftsmanship, however, until
after General Sewell gets back. He is due
next Monday, though, and between that
| date and the reorganization of the COM
nittee everything is apt to be satisfactor-
i lily arranged Before the general went
abroad, it is understood that he asked
Mr.. Murphy if the latter would not want
| to manage his own campaign Accord
ing to the stories told of the interview
Mr.. Murphy replied that he would not,
| that he would prefer some one else to
manage it. Whether Mr.. Murphy is of the
same opinion still is a question. If his
personal inclinations alone were to be
! considered the question might be an
swered in the affirmative, but the pros
pective candidate would scarcely hold out
against the judgment of his colleagues
| if the plan outlined above should be final
| ly determined upon.
| Several changes will probably be made
| in the committee before the present term
of the chairman expires. The members at
| large, Mr.. Murphy, William BEETLE, Con-
| gressman Charles N. Fowler and William