The Jersey City news., 1902-11-10
VETERAN
CONGRESSMAN
John ]. Gardner Was Elect
ed for the Sixth Con-
secutive Time
Tuesday.
FIFTEEN YEARS in SENATE
When Net Making Laws He
Raises Crops in an At
lantic County Farm.
FIFTEEN YEARS IN SENATE
[specIal % ..rhe Jerser city News. ri

Especial to THE Jersey City News."1
TRENTON, Nov. 10. 1902 The old
est member of the Congressional dele
cation from this State is John J. Gard
ner, whow as elected to Congress for the
sixth time last Tuesday.
Mr.. Gardner was reelected four times
in the old Second district, comprising the
counties of Atlantic, Mercer, Burlington
and Ocean, and each time he came out
of the contest with d plurality greater
than the one before. In 1900 he was
elected with record-breaking plurality
of 14,00S back of him.
When, in 1901, the lines of the Con-
gressional districts were changed Gard1
ner was left in the Second District, but
the counties of Cape May and Cumber-
land were substituted for the counties of
Mercer and Ocean.
At that time it was thought that per-
haps somebody would rise to contest the
denomination of Gardner, but no man
had the courage to do it. He was named
for reelection without opposition and
came under the wire last Tuesday with
d pluTdHty OF nearly C,UVO.
A STRONG CHARACTER.
Gardner is one of the strongest and
most rugged characters in the political
activities of New Jersey. He enjoys a
greater popularity in the Southern part
of the State than any other man in pub
lie life, and it is intimated in political
circles that when it comes to naming a
successor to Governor Murphy in 1904
he will have to be reekoned with.
Gardner furnishes a striking instance
Of. the office seeking the man. For thir-
ty-four years he has been active in poll
tics. He served FIVE years as Mayor Of
Atlantic City, and in 1875 was elected to
Common Council in that city while he
was serving as Coroner.
In 1877 he was urged to accept the
nomination for Senator in Atlantic Coun-
ty, and after considerable hesitancy did
so. He was elected and had the honor
of reelection thrust upon him four times.
His service in the upper branch of the
Legislature was longer than that of any
other man. It covered period of if
teen years.
In 1890 he was asked to represent At
lantic County. in the contest for the Con-
gressional nomination. He did so and
was nominated. From the time of his
election that year he has been an active
member of the House of Representatives,
serving on several important committees
and the National Industrial Commission.
Is FARMEp
Mr.. Gardner fought through the war
and received a wound that has been a
source of annoyance to him ever since
he was mustered out Of the service. He
began life as sailor, but soon gave that
occupation up and engaged in the insur-
ance business. At one time he turned his
attention to law, but was discouraged by
the fact that his health would not enable
him to undergo the strain of working his
way through college.
Gardners private life is one of extreme
simplicity. A few years ago, for the
benefit of the health Of his children. he
purchased 400 acres of pine land in At
lantic county and began farming. The
land was covered with d growth of
scrub pine. After considerable hard work.
200 acres of this land have been cleared
and made fertile. When not engaged at
Washington Mr.. Gardner gives his atten-
tion to his farm.