The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1905-12-05
Fifty-seyen Members Battle
for a Share Of the Plums
to Be Shaken From the
Tree.
QUESTION OF DISTRIBUTION
LAST YEAR THINGS WERE BAD
ENOUGH. BUT WITH HUDSON
DEMANDING A SHARE IT IS
HARD TO Mako PLACES co
AROUND.

AROUND.
Especial to 'rhe Jersey city News.'o
TRENTON, Dec. 5. 19o5-While the
State leaders and the members Of the
Legislature ara all at sea over the or
ganizatiOn Of the Assembly. the rank and
file Of the party throughout the State
the men who do the effective work at
election times and see that the vote is
gotten out along the ''right hnes''-ars
wrestling with another organization
problem which gives them much more
concern than the speakersbip or the
leadership. That which worries these
citizens is how under the sun the patron
age of the House is going to be dis
tributed among fftyseyen members in
such a way that all ante-election proHs-
ises will be kept, and they receive the
rewards to which they believe their
labors for the "good and welfare Of the
party justly entities them.
1t was bad enough last year. they SAY.
when there were forty-four Republicans
in. the House and Hudson entitled to
single page only, but this year, with
thirteen more members, and eleven of
this increase from Hudson, and all clam
oring for the good things" those inter
ested wonder how the pie viii be any
larger and how it is going to be cut. any
how.
Last year the leaders were confronted
not only with the largest and hungriest
House which had been alected siace sthe.
Republicans came into power, but they
found themselves up against the grim
determination of Governor Strokes not to
approve any bills for the expsnssseor the
Assembly unless his particular views :
upon economy were faithfully carried
out. In the old days a little thing Ike
a big number of faithful ones to reward
with places at Trenton did not bother the {
leaders, and they went right ahead Gre
atng places until al were satisfied with
in reason. But with the Chief Executive
threatening to tie up the purse strings 1t !
was altogether different thing, for who
wants to serve the State without just
compensation?
After electing the principal officers Of :
the House, the disposition of the remain
der Of the places for which the Governor
would stand was referred to a steering
committee, who wrestled with the proh-
lem long and earnestly. The result OF
the labors of this committee and the eau
Gus was that Atlantic got one and Ber-
gen two pages. Burlington secured the
assistant to the clerk. one gallery keeper
and one doorkeeper. while to Camden
was given the assistant cIerkship, one
gallery keeper and two doorkeepers.
Cumberland did well for small county
and bagged an assistant supervisor Of
bills and two doorkeepers, while Essex
had the supervisor of bills. journal clerk.
second assistant sergeant-at-arms, two
doorkeepers, FIVE pages and one page
with the postmastership. Gloucester an
nexed one doorkeeper. but in addition to
this had the secretary and assistant sec
rotary to the Governor. the two latter
places being personal appointments Of
the Speaker.
Scott, last years lone member of Hud-
son. secured a pageship, and 10 Mercer
went gallery keeper, two dOorkeepers
and one page with postmaster, as it is
called, meaning the man who distributes
the mail.
Two doorkeepers and a page went to
Middlesex, and Monmouth was given an
assistant to the supervisor Of bills and
one page. Besides the bill elerkship.
Morris had to be coDtented with single
gallery keeper. while Ocean got away
with a gallery keeper and a page.
Under the circumstances Passaic Jared
as well if not better than any of the
other counties. Having only FIVE mem
bers, she secured the clerkship. the
juiciest plum on the tree; the second as
sistant supervisor of bills, gallery keep
er, a dOorkeeper and page The assist
ant journal clerk was given to Salem,
and Somerset and Union had to be con-
tented with a page each. s.A-.a1.4