Perth Amboy evening news., 1906-11-12
t0SES
HOLD ON PARTY
Conference in Philadelphia to
Consider His Chances Stokes
Makes Plain Statement.

TRENTON, Nov. 12:-That the
rapidly developing strength of Gov.
ernor Edward c. stokes is making.
him a formidApfe a'ival OF gJoh9 ~.
Dryden in the fgM for the Uniked
States senatof$f5p Etevidenced by the
activity of the Dryden forces in build
ing up their gdefences for the fray
! which wills4be contaminated in sthisa
city next, Januafys
In their efforts to bolster up an or
g%aniZation in the interests of Mr..
Dryden's candidacy a number of re-
publican leaders and 'fnear" leaders
met ins the MISREPRESENTATION hotel
in Philadelphia THIS city. The con-
ference'was adjourned to meet in this
city tomorrow when Senator Dryden
will meet the members-elect of the
legislature at the state house. At
that time ii is expected that Senator
Kean, the senior representative of
this state in the upper house of the
national congress, will be on hand,
lin order to demonstrate to the men,,
bers of the legislature hat he is on
good terms with his colleague and
that he is not fighting his re-elec-
ton"
AT the Philadelphia conference
Colonel Anthony r. Kuser, son-in-law
of Mr.. Dryden, represented the latter.
Other of the ~conferees were State
Treasurer Briggs, State Assessor
David Baird, the republican BOSS
of South Jersey; Representative
Loudenslager, of the congressional
national committees; Congressman
Gardner, of Atlantic; Senator Minch,
of Cumberland, the governors home
county; Chairman Hill, of the Cum
berland county republican commit
tee, and w. ]. Burleigh, of Camden.
Mr.. Briggs refused to discuss what
occurred at the conference, but it is
understood the sentiment was decid-
eddy antagonistic to the mentioning
of Mr.. Stokes for the senatorship.
The governor. was not present at
the conference, and when his atten-
ton was called to the article last
night he had this to say about it:
II know nothing of the Philadel-
phia conference except what | saw in
the papers. | was not present. My
attitude on the senatorial question
has been consistent with what I be-
lieve to be my duty as governor of
this state. / was elected by the peo-
pie to administer the Office of COVER
nor in their interests and not to use it
to advance myself to other honors.
In my official acts have kept this
duty steadily hi view. Before the
primaries l persistently refused all
overtures for the use of my name in
connection with the United States
senatorship. Since that time my in
terviews on that subject have been
clear and explicit.
THE use of my name in connection
with the senatorship has been entire
ly without inspiration IL suggestion
on my part, directly or indirectly. The
statement in a Philadelphia news
paper, that | am an avowed or I'M
ayowed candidate for senator, is false
and without foundation. If | were a
candidate | would not be n in Sc
cret, but would appeal to the people
and take them into my confidence.
There is absolutely nc truth in the
statement, in the same paper, that
persons acting in his (my) interest
had approached members of the legiS-
lature in the northern part of the
state requesting their support for the
governor ! have never authorized
any person, directly or indirectly, to
approach any one, member OF the leg
1Slature or otherwise, IN my PENAL
for the senatorship, nor have l ever
approached any members personally !
to this end.
81 have been devoting my thoughts
of late to plans for party reorganiza-
ton with a view to harmony and
unity and have been engaged in no
affecting my own future"
The question hat has been raised
as to Mr.. Stokes eligibility for the
senatorship, on account of the state
constitution, which provides that the
governor shall not be elected by the
legislature to any office under the
or United States government
the term for which he is elect
ed governor, was also referred to in
the same article. but this point the
governor refused TO discuss.