Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-29
THE FIGHT ON DRYDEN
Deadlock in the New Jersey
Legislature.
SENATOR'S FRANK APPEAL
Wants His Eight Opponents to State
Their Objections.
COLBY, THE CHIEF OPPONENT
Young and Wealthy Reformer Who
Has Come Out Against Domino
ton Of the Caucus.
COLBY, THE CHIEF OPPONENT
Ely WILLIAM E. CURTIS.

Ely WILLIAM E. CURTIS.
Special to The Star and the Chicago Record
Herald.
TRENTON, y. J., January Ex-senator
Dryden has done frank and manly thing
py inviting an investigation of his record
as senator, as business man and as a
citizen. He finds that the opposition to
MIN is intangible. His opponents will not
state their objections. They simply declare
that they viii! not vote for him, because
they DO not consider him a suitable man to
represent New Jersey in the United States
0eha'e' ana ne s. them to say why. Two
VI three OF the republican boilers say that
ne mas too close relation with CORPORA
uoi's winch are seeking legislation before
congress, and one or two of them explain
that their constituents do not want him
again Tor senator because they believe
that his reelection would turn the state
government over to the democratic party.
But none Of them will make any definite
charge or give any distinct reason for their
belief
To draw lem out; to force their ha nds.
and to bring the fight into the daylight.
rather than allow it to remain in the dark
ness, Senator Dryden has addressed each
OF the eight republicans who refuse to vote
Tor his reelection a candid and manly let
ter saying:
1t Is my understanding that you are op-
posed to my reelection, not upon personal
grounds, but upon an impression that many
or your constituents are opposed to my re-
turn l believe that your constituents de-
sire to meet this and every other pubic
problem in the spirit of fairness, end am
sure that If they were familiar with my
record as senator, and properly app, =
ciated my claim for reelection, their on
position would no longer exist. will you
90 me the favor of appearing at the meet
ing, II held, prepared to make any state
ment of your constituents objections or to
ask any questions which you think ney
would like to have answered.
Clean Bill of Health.
This Is an unusual act. I do not remem-
Der when such thing has occurred before
1t is not customary for candidate for pub
Tic office to invite his opponents to formu-
late their objections to him, but 1t is char
acteristic Of Senator Dryden. You will re-
member that while the New York legisla-
tive committee was investigating the in
surance conpaniessof that state Senator
Dryden volunteered to appear as the rep
resentatire of his company the Prudential
OF New Jersey. which is outside of the
state and was in no way under the juris-
dictlon of the investigators. And he had
all of the principal officers of the COM
pany subpoenaed, as we'll as himself. When
they had finished their evidence he was
congratulated by Mr.. Hughes, the attorney
OF the committee, now the governor Of New
York.
There have been two Investigations Of
Senator Dryden's insurance record by the
New Jersey legislature, first by joint COM
mittee of the two houses, which unani-
mously adopted a resolution of indorse-
ment, explaining that there was no reason
for further inquiry. but, nevertheless, a
special committee of the senate was ap-
pointed to sit during the recess. to investi-
gate and report upon the expediency of re-
vising the insurance laws of New Jersey.
Senator Dryden and his associates were be-
fore this committee several days, opening
their books. telling it everything and max
ing several important suggestions for legis-
lation. The committee reported in favor of
several changes similar to those made in
the laws of New York upon the recon-
mendation of the Hughes committee, but
gave Senator Dryden a clean bill of health
SO that the people who oppose his re-
election to the United States Senate cannot
assal his business record.
Two years ago the legislature of New
Jersey passed a primary election law and
Mr.. Dryden went before the people a
candidate for reelection to the Senate at
the primaries last fall. 1t was the first
time the primaries were ever appealed to to
ascertain the choice of the people for a
United States senator, although they were
used the year before in the nomination of
state officers His opponent was a gentle
man named Record, reformer from Jersey
City, but Mr.. Dryden carried every county
in the state and thus became the candidate
of the republican party. He has since been
Endorsed as such by the republican caucus.
and there is no other republican candidate.
The democrats are voting for Col. Stevens
of Hoboken member of the famous fam
lily of engineers and Shipbuilders. and
President Woodrow Wilson of Princeton
University has several admirers voting for
him as empty compliment, although he
has repeatedly declared that he was not a
candidate and preferred that his friends
would vote for some one else.
Composition of the Legislature.
There are eighty-one members of the
legislature on joint ballot Of whom forty
four are republicans Thirty-six of these
republicans are voting consistently for
Senator Dryden as the formal nominee of
their party. The remaining eight members
have no candidate, but are out simply to
beat Dryden for purely personal reasons.
The narrow majority Of the republicans
gives them the power to prevent his cleo
ton. This narrow majority Is due entirely
legislation by the republicans In the pre-
vious legislature concerning the liquor traf-
fic and Sunday observance. The northern
counties of New Jersey and the cities Of
Newark. Hoboken and Jersey City, the
most populous places in the state. have a
very large German element, which is Of
Tended with the republicans for enacting
what is known as the bishops law pass
Episcopal Church to enforce the fourth
Commandment to compel the closing of the
saloons and the sale of beer on Sunday
and to prohibit Sunday picnics and other
amusements. There is also considerable
dissatisfaction over new tax legislation, but
the men who are opposing Mr.. Dryden are
quite as responsible for this legislation as
he, and took an active part in securing it,
which he did not =
Colby Most Active Opponent.
His most active opponent is Everett
Colby, young millionaire, who has re-
Gently moved into the state and purchased
beautiful home near East Orange. Colby
is a graduate of Harvard thirty-five years
old, and for several years was stock
broker in New York city, but either did not
like the business or, for some other rea-
son. sold out his interests and retired
from the street. He moved across Hudson
river, became citizen of New Jersey, and
went into politics. for amusement. He
was cordially welcomed by the republican
leaders, became an active member of the
machine, contributed generously to cam
paign funds, was sent to the legislature.
and before he had been resident of New
Jersey for four years became the recog-
nized republican leader in the assembly.
AI~w