The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1902-12-23
BET TILES I I
SUCCESSOR
! Plenty Of Candidates for
Governor to Select a
FankiDg Commis-
sicner.
JOHNSON IN The LEAD
Former Assistant Postmaster.
General May Not Accept
.It-South Jersey As
pirants.
JOHNSON IN THE LEAD
lsnecial to .arhe Jersey civ News.,l

Especial to THE Jersey City News.'D
TRENTON, Dec. %, 1902.-Candi-
dates for the position of banking and
insurance commissioner continue to loom
up in the political horizon with the pros
pect that before the time comes for max
ing the appointment, Governor Murphy
will have large field from which to
pick.
1t has been accepted for some time
that, while Commissioner Bettle might
serve out his present term, his advanced
age and enfeebled health would, under
any circumstances, preclude his reap
pointment at the hands of the Governor
How much consideration the executive
has given to the matter has. not become
apparent, but thus far it does not seem
likely that the place will go to any of
the active candidates now in the field.
FRANCIS NOT CONSIDERED.
Among the latter is G. Asa Francis,
the last years president of the Senate,
whose candidacy was announced some
months ago when the death of Mr.. Bet
tle was almost momentarily expected.
haste shown by Mr., Francis at that time
his candidacy has not made much of a
stir, and those who are close to the Gov
ernor, politically, do not hesitate to pre-
diet that the initials of the next Com
missioner will not be those of G. Asa
Francis.
Others in the field include George
Frey, editor of the Camden Courier"
former Assemblyman Joshua Barton of
Burlington, and T. Frank Appleby of
Monmouth. None of these candidates
has developed any formidable strength
so that the field is still open for new
entries
NAMED CANDIDATES. IGNORED.
1t is perhaps trifle singular, but none
the les true, that in the consideration of
who will be Mr.. Bettle's successor, we'll
informed politicians haye hardly deemed
the active candidates worthy of passing
mention. One of those frequently spoken
of is former Assistant Postmaster Gen
eral William NJ. Johnson, who last win
ter declined to consider an appointment
as Secretary of State. That he would
make an excellent commissioner is adj
mitted on all sides. but there is grave
doubt whether he would take the place.
In many quarters Mr.. johnson is be-
lieyed to be in training for the next Re
publican Gubernatorial nomination, and
if this be true he would probably not
consent to be sidetracked by the accept
ance of commissionership.
THOMPSON A CANDIDATE.
Former Senator Lewis A. Thompson
is another possibility, and there are many
politicians about the state house who
would like to see him named While
he has been active in the affairs of Som
erset county, Mr.. Thompson has not cut
much of a figure in state politics since
his retirement from the position of clerk
in chancery to make berth for Edward
c.. Stokes. Mr.. Thompson. 1t is. said,
would like to get back in the harness,
and, while not candidate for the posi-
tion of commissioner of banking ana in
surance, would gladly accept it should it
be rendered him.
OF those mentioned Mr. Johnson or
Mr.. Thomson are the most probable ap-
pointees with long odds against the ac-
tive candidates.