The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1904-12-20
G.. 0. P. ROW ON in
SOUTH JERSEY
Forthcoming Banquet to
Baird Threatens to Dis
rupt Republican Ranks
AN oMINOUs COMMITTEE
Congressman Loundenslager's
Control of the Affair a
Sad Blow to Davy's
Friends.
AN OMINOUS COMMITTEE
Special to the Jersey city News,

Especial to the Jersey City News.'o
CAMDEN, Dec. 20, 1904.-A new
breach is seriously threatened in the
ranks of the South Jersey Republicans
as a result of a dinner to be given to
State Assessor David Baird at the Union
League, Philadelphia, on January 30.
Baird is conceded by the various wings
of the party to be the South Jersey lead
er, and for the last few years it has been
the custom to give him testimonial din
ner each winter.
The late General Sewell, when he was
in control of the party, never permitted
his followers to give him three testlmon-
al dinners, although several attempts
were made to thus honor him. The din
ner is given by inviting leading Republi-
cans from all South Jersey counties, each
of whom contributes $40 for his plate.
The feature of the coming dinner ar
rangements that is annoying the Repub-
lican leaders, and particularly the inti-
mate political friends of Baird, is found
in the fact that Congressman Louden-
slayer and his own immediate following
had assumed control of the affair. This
is regarded as ominous by the other Re-
publicans, who scent trouble.
They recall that Loudenslager and his
forces, as soon as the health of General
Sewell began to fail, undertook to quietly
organize and get control of the party in
South Jersey, and they are busy specu-
fating as to whether the same combina-
ton is now planning to work in with
Baird, or whether they figure that Baird
cannot long hold his power, and are SIM
ply pushing themselves to the front with
view of eventually unloading him and
getting the reins.
But whatever the idea of the Louden-
Slayer men, there is no denying the fact
! that the intimate political and personal
friends Of Baird are considerably ANNOYED
at. the makeup of the committee that has
been selected to arrange the testimonial
dinner.
In this committee all the strictly Baird
followers in Camden, Glouceser, Salem
and Cape May counties have been ig-
nored In Cape May for instance, for
mer Senator Robert Hand, who openly
fought the election of Senator Cresse at
the polls year ago, is put forth, and
Senator Cresse and Assemblyman Hill
dreth are given the go-by. Hand not
only openly fought the Republican ticket,
but he has been opposed to Baird in
many political enterprises
Isaac Moffet, who holds a post of in
ternal revenue collector, the gift of Lou
| denslager, is the committeeman from
Gloucester, while Baird's friends, Bank
ing Commissioner Watkins, Speaker Avis
and e. B. Andrews, chairman of the Re
publican County Committee, are ignored.
Such warm adherents of Baird as ex-
Senator John Ward, the Salem County
leader, and Prosecutor Forman Sinnick-
son, are sacrificed in Salem, while Rich
ard Miller, another Loudenslager APP
pointee. is named as the committeeman.
In Camden another Loudenslager APP
pointee, Frank Patterson, who holds the
post Of deputy revenue collector, was
placed on the committee, while no atten-
tion was paid to Senator Bradley, Prose
cutor Lloyd, County Clerk Patterson or
County Collector Sell, the most intimate
of the personal friends of Baird.