New-York tribune., 1901-09-23

One Of the prettiest political battles ever wit
messed in New-Jersey is now at its height. The
gladators are James Smith, formerly United
States Senator. and James NJ Seymour, Mayor
OF Newark. Mr. Seymour wants to be the Demo-
cratic candidate for Governor. and Mr.. Smith
has vowed mighty that he must not and
shall not be gratifed It is doubtful if any
will be able TO pick the winner until the
state convention meets on October and makes
the nomination
To understand the strained relations between
Smith and Seymour must go back few
years. Following their ejectnent from the State
government the Democrats had control OF the
city OF Newark. II useless for Smith to
put I'd one Of his acknowledged henchmen for
the mayoralty. and Seymour thought that he
saw mis- opportunity. he had. as Water Com
missioner. repute independent, and
had repeatedly refused TO take orders from the
machine. When the nayoTalty fever attacked
him ne took the oath of allegiance TO the
Senator was duly nominated for Mayor. but
didn't succeed at the polls. Seymour continued
10 manifest his gratitude 10 Smith. and when
election time came around once more Seymour
was again nominated Smith helped him SUBJ
stantialIy before and after the convention, aad
Seymour triumphantly elected It didn't
take long for all Of Seymour's gratitude to coze
out az his fingers ends. Instead OF recognizing
Smiths 20. K" as the Indispensable requisite
for men desiring appointments to municipal
office, Mayor Seymour began 10 build UP q
chine Of his own. Once in a while something
was thrown 10 the Smith cohorts. but it became
pretty clear that the Senator's recommendations
counted for little
There was no open break however, until three
years ago. Mayor Seymour figured out that he
rvas the man TO be nominated as the Democra tic
-andidate for Governor Of New-Jersey Mr..
Smith had other plans. however. He was MAX
ing his fight fer reelection 10 the United States
Senate. Success he believed, depended wholly,
or almost 50. on being able to carry Essex Coun-
- with its eleven Assembly votes. and Re got
the impression somehow that the candidate for
Governor who could bea: help him IN this re-
spect was the County Prosecutor, Eivin Crane.
As the Senator was supplying the sinews of war
for the campaign, his word was Law; Seymour's
hopes were crushed. and Crane led the fight
which resulted in the election Of a Republican
Governor and a United States Senator of the
same political faith. Seymour had sulked all
through the campaign. and he followed this up,
il was charged. by making dead set against
all OF Cranes friends in the matter Of appoint
ments The breach between Senator Smith and
Mayor Seymour kept growing wider, and when
the time for mayoralty nominations rolled
around again the Senator out in fatfooted
opposition TO Seymour. BY this time the Mayor
had built up a likely machine of his own. and
behind this hocked all the Democrats hostile to
he Smith influence Seymour routed the Smith
ties captured the Democratic city convention,
and was subsequently elected by the aid Of Re
publicans who admired his plucky fight, and
.abored under the deusion that he indie
pendent non-partisan Mayor. Since that time
Mayor Seymour has never lost an opportunity
of rubbing it in Smith. and the latter real
izes that II is of now or never. If he
can't beat Seymour he must take a back seat.
The knowledge Of this and the desire for re-
venge are squirting him 10 extraordinary
sfforts
Rut there are others with old scores TO
settle and some of these are complicating the
situation. In fight between Smith and sey-
mour with the State a battle-ground the
former could win easily Seymour has with
him however the Croker of Hudson County
the banner Democratic county of the State
the redoubtsble Bob" Davis. That Davis
cares anything personally between Smith
and Seymour is doubted II is generally be-
heved that the Hudson boss is trying now 70
block Smiths plans at the behest OF T. r =.
Young the Jersey City banker and railroad
magnate. Once upon a time Mr. Young wanted
to be Governor of New-Jersey Everything
running his way nine years ago. and the
Democratic nomination appeared 10 De Ialiihs
into his lap Then Smith stepped in and forced
the nomination OF George T. Werts as
preliminary to the election of himself Smith
TO the United States Senate over the politically
dead body Of his friend, Leon Albeit TO whom
he had played the part of Brutus. Now the
whrligig Of time is enabling Young 10 recon-
pense Smith for his interference on that o.
cas.on. and he is doing II enthusiastically
through Davis
Smith is making trouble in his efforts to put
Up somebody against Seymour. He has sug-
geEted a number Of third and fourth class men,
but ii is evident that he will have 10 do better
he apparently realized this when he threw
cut as feeler the suggestion that he might
take shy the nomination himself To
those who know Mr.. Smith this is a rich joke,
because they aware that there isn't money
or glory enough in the country TO entice him
INTO running for elective office.
IN HUDSON COUNTY.