Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1902-02-06


pondent thus sizes up the fight and makes
prophesy as to its after effects:
There can be no Disgusting the fact that
the selection Of John F. Dryden for Senator
and the defeat of John w. Griggs have
created deep and poignant feeling of dis
appointment all over New Jersey. In its
painful intensity this feeling is akin to that
which is described as having paralyzed the
friends of Henry Clay when he was defeated
for the Presidency in 1914 by James K.
Polk. John W. Griggs is held in the same
respect and admiration that hedged about
the great Kentucky commoner. He is idol
lied throughout this State as the Henry
Clay of New Jersey. 1t is strictly within
bounds to say that fully nine-tenths of the
intelligent and honest-minded Republicans
of the State, outside of the county of
Essex, wanted him chosen Senator. They
felt that to miss the opportunity to be rep
resented in the Senate by this brilliant
man would almost be public calamity.
There is consequently feeling of wide
spread depression and sense of loss.
Fairness requires it to be said that John
F. Dryden will cut respectable figure in
the Senate. But fairness also requires it to
be said this is all that can reasonably be
expected. He is a gentleman of large
wealth, acquired by the exercise of keen
and far-sighted money making instinct.
He is man Of culture, being graduate of
Yale, and is of refined and scholarly tastes.
He is also graceful and effective speaker.
But he has had no training in the large field
of national politics. and but very little in
any other; he is verging closely on old age
and is in feeble health.
The death of General Sewell has brought
the Republican party of New Jersey face
to face with new conditions The old
order of things has passed away with the
departure Of the great Camden leader.
For quarter of century past all import
ant nominations, appointment and declara-
tions of policy were dictated by that mas
terful leader. But the party is now
deprived Of that guiding brain and is
thrown upon its own resources and must
work out its own destiny. Instead Of one
supreme leader it now has a dozen, and in
a multitude of counsellors there may be
either wisdom or confusion. The desperate
scramble for General Sewell's seat in the
Senate was significant illustration of the
changed conditions that have befallen the
party. 1t is plain that for at least some
years to come, until new leader of COM
handing authority appears, merit-and
money-will control in Republican councils
The triumph of John F. Dryden in the
fight for the Senatorship will have far
reaching effects upon the Republican party
in New Jersey. 1t means Dryden-Gadd
Kean combination, with ramifcations ex-r
tending to nearly all parts of the State,
against the control in Republican councils
of such men as John w. Griggs, VIM. M.
johnson, First Assistant Postmaster John
son, Edward G. Stokes, Clerk in Chancery
Foster M. Voorhees,, Charles N. Fowler,
and men Of their stamp. 1t be will money
and machine methods on one side and
brains and public virtue on the other
There is always natural antagonism be-
tween these elements, and there little doubt
that they will now be more sharply defined
in New Jersey politics than has been the
case in many years. and that they will
array themselves against each other as hos
tile factions.