Evening star., 1907-09-03
JERSEY PRIMARIES sept. 10
VOTERS OF THE STATE TO NAME
CANDIDATES FOR OFFICE.
Peculiar Fight Confronts the Poll
t1c1ans This Year-Battle From
Start to Finish Predicted.
Special Dispatch to The Star

Special Dispatch to The Star
CAPE MAY. N J., September 3.-Tuesdav
next the voters of the state of New Jersey
will select the delegates who will name the
candidates of all parties for governor. for
members of the state senate and of the
mouse of assembly. Under the New Jersey
primary which has been in effect for four
years the primaries of all parties are con-
quoted by the regularly appointed election
officers and candidates for offices in wards
are voted for directly, while all other candi-
oates are named by conventions for which
the delegates are chosen on primary day.
New Jersey politicians have a peculiar
nght upon their hands this year for the
reason that the state is regarded as very
ciose. and 1t will be a battle from start To
finish after the candidates for governor are
named, week after the primaries are held
Inc democratic state convention will be
heid on the 18th and the republican con-
Ventlon on the 10TH which is a reversal of
the usual order of their nominations in New
Jersey For many years the democrats have
waited until the republicans have named
.heir candidate. but this year they are feel
ing SO sure of success that they have decid-
eo 10 become the leader in ~trotting out their
candidate >o'
lhere mas been gradual swinging back
OF the pendulum to democracy, which party
previous to 1897 controlled the state for up-
ward of twenty five years The first break
from democracy came in the fall of lS95
when John w. Griggs carried New Jersey
oy 5000 majority. Since then there was a
gradual increase in the republican maiori-
ues until Mckinley carried il in 1900 by
ot,coo majority, and since that date bar
ring the Roosevelt campaign there has been
gradual falling off, particularly on the
aggregate vote for members of the assem-
bly,, until last year the aggregate ma aioritv
amounted to but ,432 out of nearly 500, 600
votes.
Offices in the Contest.
Besides governor, there are to be elect
ed eight members Of the state senate.
which is composed of twenty -one members.
and full house of assembly of sixty men,
bers. Last year and in the year preceding
the republican platform pledged the sup
port of its legislature to the adoption of a
direct primary law, but has failed to keep
the promise, although the legislature Is still
hoidihg sessions. and 1t may do so be-
fore election, but it could hardly have
II go into effect this year owing to the
closeness OF the primary day and because
or the fact that all the candidates for dele
gates to conventions have filed their petit
tl3ns to be placed on the primary ticket
IL is nobody's choice in both parties to-
day for the nomin alton for governor The
leading candidates Of the republicans are
supreme Court Judge ]. Franklin Fort
whose grandfather, John Fort, was gov
ernor early in the sixties; Frank H. SOM
mer OF Newark. the candidate of the Colby
or New Idea wing of the party; Gilbert
Collins, former Justice of the supreme
court. On the democratic side the leading
candidates are former Mayor Frank II
katzenbach of Trenton. who succeeded in
being elected twice in that republican city;
former Senator Samuel s. Childs of Somer-
rants throughout the United States. and
former Circuit Judge Francis Child, jr.. of
Newark.
The Regular Republicans.
The regular republicans are apt to center
upon Justice Fort, who is one of the best
campaign orators in the state, and to
whom is due part of the credit for the
victory of John w. Griggs when he was
chosen governor. The legislature of New
Jersey, as presently constituted consists of
senate with majority of seven repub-
lfcans and house of assembly with a ma
jorty of two democrats, so that both
sides have been attempting to manufacture
campaign material ever since they met in
January last, and for the first time in the
history of the state their sessions are being
continued and there is no prospect of ad-
journment in sight, although it has been
the usual custom to adjourn not later than
the middle of April.
The state senate. which will meet again
the latter part of this week, is expected
to pass a public utilities bill, modelled after
that of New York state and that will be
put up as one of the things to be supported
by the voters. The democratic house. how
ever, mas naa IN progress Tor the last three
months an investigating committee. which
has visited nearly all of the institutions of
the state and uncovered a great deal of al
legged graft, which they are using as texts
to convince the people that there should be
a change in the state administration.
In north Jersey more than in south Jer-
sey the fight seems to be between the peo-
pie and the public Service corporation,
which is the corporation which owns all
of the local street car lines, electric light
works. gas plants and other public utility
franchises in the big cities of Newark,
Jersey City, Paterson, Trenton. Elizabeth
and Camden, and the owners and officers
of these concerns, who are also big stock
holders of the Prudential Insurance Com
pany, of the Fidelity Trust Company and
other big financial corporations of Newark,
are also the leaders of the regular organ
zations of both the republican and demo-
cratic parties, and for this reason the peo-
pie in those sections are for new deals and
for new leaders in both parties.