New-York tribune., 1907-09-12
COLBY MAY YET WIN.
PRIM4RY RETURNS SLOW .
Sommer Noe Expects to Haze
Largest Delegation at Contention

Although on the face of the returns received
the New Idea forces seem to have lost by small
margin in the election Of delegates who were ex-
pected to support Sheriff Frank H. Sommer IN ms
canuIdaCy for Governor, the leaders yesterday
said that the sheriff will have more Essex dele
gates at the state convention next week than any
other candidate The confusion and delay in
getting the returns have caused great deal OF
uncertainty among the Colby followers. who had
early in the day conceded that Sheriff Sommer
had failed 10 elect clear majority of the Essex
delegation
Chairman Alfred \. Dalrymple OF the RePubh-
can County Committee was jubilant the
result a. he saw it, and declared that the claims
Of the New Idea men were without foundation
An estimate of the results, however. made by
disnterested persons showed that OF the 2S' votes
in the state convention Sommer would control
absolutely 105l2. This number, with a nunoer Oh
votes included in the 1917 credited to the regulars
which unpledEed hut said to be favorahle 10
the New Idea candidate. the reform wing figures
il out will enable the Essex sheriff to OBTAIN 'he
nomination There are also strong hopes held out
for control the county convention by the Colby
ties
The New Idea men builc their hopes on what
Will be the probable action of number Of dele
gates elected unpledged When most OF the
returns had been tabulated late yesterday Sherifr
Sommer made A statement which follows:
After going over the returns am satisfied that
We will take to the convention from Essex
more delegates than any other man whose name
NAV he mentioned While have confined our
efforts to Essex it is a fact. nevertheless that
delegates elected in other sections Of the state have
voluntarily made to personal pledges OF ther
support in the convention.
As Senator Everett Colby reviewed the situation
the results Of the big primary fight was practically
victory for Sheriff Sommer and the New idea
principles.
'Of the delegates elected pledged to any oandl-
date for Governor" the Senator said Sherin
Sommer has a large majority Taking into c"nSio-
Grafton that Major Lentz and former Governor
Franklin Murphy and a number Of other delegates
elected unpledged are known be for Justice Pit
rey il gives Sonlmar plurality Of the Essex de'e-
CATION. and we believe that when the returns are
fIll, tahulated and the unpledged delegates placed
the Sheriff will be found to have an actual MAJOR
itv Of the entire county delegation.
This is what Chairman Dalrymple had 10 say
about the result:
1T means that Judge Fort will he the Republican
nominee for Governor. The returns snow '.a'
the organization has elected majority OF the dele
gates from this county to the state conVenuoh
and Will control both the city and county conven-
tions bv safe margins. I take II that 1t VIII re
conceded that Judge Fort, having won majority
Of the delegates in this county. should be the nomI
nee Of the party.
The victory of Mayor Pagan IN Jersey 'lty
meant q disastrous defeat for Colonel Samuel H.
Dickinson. and active workers in the regular
facticn rropheev the early retirement "t blchlh-
son as a leader The vatory OF the New Idea
wing was not limited Jersey City It elected
the delegates from West Hoboken Guttenburg
and East Newark and divided the kearny dele-
CATION showing the movement IS spreading end
the hold Of the regulars is steadily weaken
ing II the Bayonne delegation 10 the state con
yentfon-it numbers thirty-three-Roes over 10
The New Idea and It is not improbable. the New
Idea mon will control the Hrdson County dele
CATION
Without Bayonne :he regulars" have l5+l1 votes
and the New Idea faction have lHis votes Inc
''reglllarsr have heretofore carried all the mum
cipalties outside of Jersey City year ago
West T4oboken elected a few New Idea men ana
now II has chosen q solid delegation OF fifteen
70 the county and state convention
The reverses tho regulars sustained IN kear-
nv. Ciuttenburg and East Newark adds Y 70 the
Sew Idea contingent. In Jersey city Mayor
Fagan elected 1854 delegates to the city conFsf1-
ton. while S3l2 was the total Of the delegates
elected pledged TO vote for Police Commissioner
John Mitchell who pitted by the regulars
against Mayor Pagan for the mayoralty nomina-
ton The prevailing opinion is that Mayor Fagan
will be reelected
Senator Colby wired Mayor Fagan:
Heartily and sincerely congratulate you. Il
was a great victory ard you deserve it