Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1902-01-30
THE LEGIsLATuRE
Especial Correspondence

legislation is concerned the third week
OF the present session of the legisla-
ture amounted to very little. The fea-
ture of the week was the formal cleo
uon of John F. Dryden of Newark as
the successor of the late William ].
Sewell in the United States senate.
Mr.. Dryden's election occurred yes
terday at noon when the legislature
met in joint session in the assembly.
The record of the two houses of the
lawmaking body for Tuesday. Jan. %
was read, from which it was shown
that Mr.. Dryden had received seven
teen votes in the senate and forty-six
in the assembly, total of sixty-three
votes as against eighteen votes re-
ce1yed by Congressman Allan L. Nc
Dermott, the Democratic nominee, four
in the senate and fourteen in the
house. The ballot for United States
senator was taken by the two branches
in their respective houses on Tuesday
morning. When the records of both
houses were read in the joint meeting
yesterday, President of the Senate c..
Asa Francis, who presided, formally
declared Mr.. Dryden to be the choice
of the majority of the legislature to fill
the uneXpired term of General Sewell
The latter was chosen to succeed him
self in the United States senate on
Wednesday, Jan. %, 1901, or five days
more than year before his successor
was named.
Senator Dryden is now in Washing
ton, and it is expected that he will
take his seat today. Senator Depew of
New York having been given the desk
formerly occupied by the late Senator
Sewell, the new senator from New Jer-
Sey will have to take a seat on the
Democratic side of the house.
The Republican Caucus.
The result of the Republican caucus
last Thursday, when Mr.. Dryden was
chosen as the caucus nominee, was not
unexpected to some of the party work
ers, but was generally surprise to the
people of the state. Former Governor
John w. Griggs of Passaic and Clerk
In Chancery Stokes of Cumberland
were thought to have an even chance
with Mr.. Dryden, and they made a
splendid fight, but the Newark man
developed too great strength at the
windup, defeating Mr.. Stokes by three
votes. Mr.. Griggs' followers stood by
him to the last and only deserted him
when it became clearly evident that he
had no chance of being elected. Mr..
Griggs received two votes on the last
ballot, Senator Wakelee of Bergen and
ASsemblyman Holman of Ocean voting
for him from the first to the last.
Enough of Griggs' strength went to
Dryden to elect him. Had the Passaic
man been able to control his own coun-
ty representation he might have been
able to have brought about the election
of former Senator Stokes.
After the fight every one, of course
had a theory as to what might have
happened If" and no two theories
agree. 1t was evident that there was
an understanding between Candidates
Stokes and Griggs, and each was anx-
ious for the others election after his
own, but the former governor was I'M
able to deliver his own delegation when
the time came, and consequently the
Newark man won out The best of
feeling existed ON the part of the cam
didates to one another during and after
the contest, and no one had any re-
grets.
All eyes are now on the next SEN
atorial election in 1905, when Senator
John Kean's term expires. The latter.
of course, will be a candidate for re-
election, but there is every prospect
that he will have strenuous opposition
and that several other candidates will
be in the field as well as those who op-
posed Mr.. Dryden.
1t is thought also that the result OF
the recent senatorial contest will have
a direct bearing ON the next guberna-
torial campaign, and the political wise
acres are now predicting that the next
nominee of the Republicans for gov
ernor two years hence will be ex-Sena-
tor Edward c. Stokes of Cumberland
county. The Democrats, too are claim
ing that the recent fight will result to
their benefit and that party dissensions
will result which will enable the mi
nority party in the state to capture
the governorship and legislature three
years from now and control the next
senatorial election. The Republican
leaders, however, scott this claim and
say that the dominant party is too
firmly intrenched in its position to
be easily dislodged. The outcome will
be eagerly awaited by all who are in
terested in political matters in this
state.
The Treasurership Fight.
New interest was injected into the
fight for the state treasurer this week
by the announcement by eX-Mayor
Cooper B. Hatch of Camden that he
was candidate for the position and
that he would make a stiff contest for
the place Ex-Mayor Hatch's friends
are legion, and they have started to
work for him with will and mean to
land the post for Camden county, no
matter what the odds may be.
The other candidates, Senator Reed
of Somerset, ex-Mayor Franklin O.
Briggs of Mercer and J. A. Coe of Ber
gen, are making hustling campaign,
and each is confident of winning. An
emOrt was maze InlS week 10 nave Ell
lis Meeker of Union, the father of the
antispring election bill, enter the race,
but Mr.. Meeker refused to permit his
name to be used i'll connection with
the office. He may receive a compli-
fnentary vote. Who the lucky aspl-
rant will be is still mooted question,
and the entry of ex-Mayor Hatch
makes the situation all the more COM
plicated. 1t is expected that the south
Jersey delegation will stand solidly by
him. and there is likelihood that he
will land the place in that event. Mer-
GERS delegation is not united on ex-
Mayor Briggs. On the contrary, most
of them seem to be bitterly opposed
TO him. Senator Hutchinson of Mercer
has announced himself as antagonistic
TO the Mercer candidate, and he will
do everything in his power to have the
position go to Senator Reed. The Els
sex men are said to be favorable to
Briggs candidacy and will probably
give him the county's twelve votes to
start with, which will be a most credit
able showing.
Other north Jersey counties will line