New-York tribune., 1903-03-02
NEW-JERSEY NEWS.
DEMOCRATIC BOSSES.
SOME FORMER LEADERS.
NeuU-Jersey Politicians Recalled by
Death of Miles Ross.

/
( politics Of New-Jersey. Mr.. Ross was q Democrat
/ Of Democrats and from 1875 he became more ana
more conspicuous as leader OF MS party uL'h III"
| defeat of Leon Albeit for United states senator
| in 1857 in which he was actively engaged and
| which he doubtless considered the cro"nng event
| In bs long political career For time Albeit ana
Ross were warm political friends. Whiie AnpeH
was a State Senator Ross was member OF Con-
Rress At that time Henry c. Kelsey was Secre-
tarv Of State, Henry S. Little was clerk i'll Chah-
Gerry and BENJAMIN 8. Lee clerk of the Su-
preme Court, and they were In full controi Oh i"e
Democratic party in the State. They were caleu
the 'sBig Three" and were familiarly known oy inc
firm name Of Kelsey, Little 6 Lee. They were Il
close poI;ticsI corporation with the late Thomas
Kays, of Sussex County, as advisory counsel 1heS
were the advance agents and practically the ProPt'
tors Of the Democratic party in Ne"-JeFseS' IneS
began making Governors of the State in 1863 and lot
more than twenty years. until 1884 (With the ssl'
| execution of the interim from 1866 when marcus
L. Ward was carried into the office or Governor NY
the SOLDIERS friend" sentiment IN the State) 'iey
continuously selected and nominated their choice
for chief executive, beginning with joel @iNet
and ending with George C. Ludlow.
In the mean time, Albeit who had been FOUR
times elected to the Assembly and had been choSen
Speaker of the House. became more and more am
bilious for greater honors. and had himser TWICE
elected to the State Senate, of which nc was aso
president for two terms stepping stone TO 'he
| post of Governor. Through all the years rom 1900
| to ISs3 when Albeit ending his second term
as
sincere and most efficient champions. 0ohie iiet0
about 1876 while Ross in Congress ana Ap-
bett was in the State Senate, new DemocFdllc
combination was formed. which became known as
the firm of Albeit, Ross & Pidcock ana "hose
objective points first to accomplish tne over
throw of Kelsey, Little 6 Lee and, second 10
make Albeit Governor. Both of these objects were
ultimately attained. and Albeit. Ross q FlocOck
| held the Democratic party as directly ana even
| more absolutely. but not for so long Time under
heir Kelsey,
Prior to the ascendency of Albeit Ross & PidcocK
Ross had been defeated for Congress- oesplte ILc
most earnest and aggressive efforts OF Aooett ana
Pidcock to obtain his reelection. One of the prn
cipal elements in the defeat of Mr. ROSS toF Coh-
press was a small estuary known as CheeseQuaKeS
Creek While in the House of Representatives MI
Ross had secured appropriation lot lhiS Green
and the money was used near its mouth The et-
fort to obtain a further appropriation to widen ana
deepen the channel OF Cheesequakes creek SC as
to make it navigable resulted in an investgatlon
of the stream. 1t found that the creek at A's
source which only few miles from Its mouth
became q mere rvulet The project OF securing an
appropriation to open the stream to Navigation was
| ridiculed not only from one end OF NeW-Jersey u
the other, the press of New-fork joined IN the
satirical thrusts made at Mr. Ross. and he was
defeated and was reported everywhere at
the time. enabled to recall check for about S"0Oo
which had been issued Ito meet some Of the re-
sources to be employed by John Kean Jr' VINO
was the successful contestant in the election
Congress Albeit elected as Governor for the
first time His growing ambition TO overthrow
Kelsey, Little and Lee, and to thereby obtain the
political mastery in the State, was soon made ap-
parent. He scarcely had become familiar with the
executive chamber when he began to enforce the
adage "to the victors belong the spols." Repub-
lican ofceholders were disposed of as rapidly as
vacancies occurred, and Democrats were made
their successors. When there was no convenient
opening for of his most useful followers he
made one OF which the somewhat notorious and
since overthroWn electric subway commission was
a notable instance. AS consequence, some OF the
former followers of Kelsey. Little and Lee began
to flock to the Albeit standard. ALBEIT, who had
determined that as a reward for his party services
in the Senate the office of Governor was due him
in 1877 failed to carry the State convention. al
| though he was enthusiastically positive that he
was able at that time to accomplish the downfall
| of Kelsey Little and Lee. But the big Three
| were not disposed to surrender. although it was
apparent to everybody that almost up TO the morn
! ing of the State convention Abbetts prospects Of
being nominated were of the brightest. 1t seemed
| that no movement which Kelsey, Little and Lee
| could make would defeat Albeit. But these mas
ter politics. late in the night preceding the
| day of the convention. knowing that matters
| then stood Albeit seemed to control large ma
| jority of the delegates. decided rush
movement in the convention. and to stampede it if
| possible. At that time Democrat in the State
was popular General George B. Mcclellan.
| He the candidate selected by the big Three"
midnight, after a conference in Trenton hotel.
| His name. as they believed. and subse-
| quently proved, ono to conjure with.
| The State convention met in Taylor Opera House.
The followers of Albeit ware almost enthusi-
| astic they had been the night before but there
| was something threatening in the air. Kelsey.
! Little and Lee sat ominously silent in private
| tinn came in due course of the proceedings. There
delegation from Hudson. behind him, was believed
to be the f the hou ssaed Wnsd In
chair sereneIy smiling as the speech progressed.
lean, strong and cynical face betray yng his fearless
| and expectant spirit Lee, with one leg oycr
pig Three and apparently was as cool as a
morning in October In his native county, of Cum
| David Dodd. of Essex County, arose in his place
H fr thf fb Sea@e IN aSs
ton orators. he at last came TO the name of George
uproarfous cheers. The convention arose almost III
a body and was meta 2horically swept Off its feet,
portrait was lowered in front of the drop curtain,
| the cheers began again, and Albeit. Rose and Pid-
cock left stranded and dereiict upon the sands
But, although defeated they were not crushed
| years their time. Meanwhile room was made in
| tho House of Representatives for PidcoCk. Once
| more Kelsey, Little and Lee named successful
Democratic candidate for Governor. and then Alb
| bett went into the convention and carried IT with
rush. Under a constitutional provision he could
] not succeed himself, but after lapse of three
reientessIy pursued his victors and spoils policy.
His eyes were again fixed upon seat in the tinted
I Baird ReDeilion and the result T Of th r Rufus s
| cratic AssembIymen led by Baird then Speaker Of
the HOTse William J. seWen ii, he Tesorted 3 to
| not. az he had in previous campaign for Gov
o TO ssSeS fSnd She his OF rs h9f
| for seat in the Senate Ross and Pidcock were
beipS te more conspcSos and active But
break in their feaIty and the ultimate downfall of