New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-01-22
CAUCUS FOR DRYDEN.
Jersey Senator WW Lack FiUe
TOteS on Joint Ballot.
~ TeIsgraph 70 The Trlbune ]

Trenton N j. Jan. 21.-The Republican MEM
bers Of the Legislature met tonight in joint
session and selected United States Senator John
+. Dryden as the party's candidate to succeed
himself. Before they took this action confer
ence on the caucus was held lasting from the
middle of the afternoon to the beginning Of the
legislative session. The conference vote on the
caucus was IS to q.
When the caucus met Senators Colby. Ack-
erman and Wakelee and Assemblymen Per-
kins Drake. Devine. Fake and Taylor remained
away.
on Wednesday on joint ballot Senator Dry
den Will have only thirty-six votes at the
most. unless helped out by Democrats or At
torney General McCarter's opinion. delivered
just before the conference took recess. The
Attorney General was called in 70 decide
whether forty-one votes. a majority of the full
membership Of both houses. would be necessary
10 elect a United States Senator. He informed
the conference that according to decisions by
the United States Senate. forty-one votes would
not be necessary. lie said 1t required that
a quorum Of each house be present at the joint
session. A majoritysof the joint quorum could
elect, he said
There was talk in the corridors that this
might result in the election OF Mr.. Dryden by
a sufficient number of Democrats remaining
away to Offset the five Republicans who would
not vote for him.
The day was one of the greatest days in Jersey
politics. The stir began early. Soon after Sem
ator Dryden finished his breakfast delegations
began pouring in. They came from Essex. Mid
dIesex and Camden counties The Camden men
paid their respects first to Dryden at the Tren-
ton House and then went around TO the head
quarters David Baird had established at the
Hotel Sterling.
The Senator remained in his rooms all day con-
suting with his representatives and hearing re-
ports from the seat of war at the state House.
Thomas a. McCarter. president of the Public
Service Corporation, got in before noon and
seemed To have charge OF the Dryden forces at
the State House. % was assisted by a big dele
cation of officials of the Prudential Insurance
Company All We're apparently confident and
made repeated statements as to the majority
Dryden would receive.
The conference. which called for > o'clock.
did not begin until three. IL held in the
Supreme Court chamber and attended by
every Republican Senator Assemblyman De-
vine, of Bergen. did not join first. but at the
end of about an hour he changed his mind and
walked in and took his seat. The Dryden peO-
pie predicted that it would he a short session
and that It would not take long for caucus to
be arranged for, at which Dryden would receive
at least foUty-one votes.
ON the other hand. the anti-Dryden men laid
n caucus would not he held. as they had votes
enough to block il.
As the minutes extended into hours the anXi-
was strictly secret, and very rarely did one of
the men come out, even for moment The
ports that came cut were very vague The only
thing certain was that a vote to hold caucus
this afternoon was ~ vigorously opposed that
Barber, "f Mercer, who offered il. withdrew il.
Five O'Clock and q o'clock passed. and moth
ing definite was learned. At Z o'clock IT was
stated that they were trying tO get signatures
Tor a caucus tonight, hut enough names could
not he obtained. Senator Hery and Assembly
man Barber were said tn he the Dryden spokes-
men, while Senators Wakeee. Colby and Acker-
To he leading the opposition.
Al o'clock the conference adjourned that
the two houses might go into session. The men,
berS were sworn to secrecy. but il was learned
that while the Dryden men could not get forty
one signatures they would probably win call
for a caucus to be held later i'm the night.