Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-07

DRYDEN HARD PUSHED
Still in the Field Despite Adverse
Conditions.
LEGISLATORS IN REVOLT
Just the Necessary Republican Major
ity on Joint Ballot.
CONFRONTED BY A DEADLOCK
Son-inLaw Says That He Will Not
Withdraw From the
Fight.

TRENTON, ". J., January 7-Unless out
ward signs fail and observers of what is
taking place below the surface in New Jer-
sey politics are at fault In their deductions
John f. Dryden's chances of succeeding
himself in the United States Senate are
on the wane. The action OF the Union
county delegation in requesting the with
drawal of Mr.. Dryden from the race in the
interest Of the party, accompanied by a
statement which is regarded as equivalent
to a declaration that the delegation would
not be bound by a caucus vote for the Es-
sex candidate. puts in concrete form a
sentiment that has been privately EXPRESSED
by number of members. With the Union
delegation, Senator Colby of Essex and
Assemblymen Fake of Bergen and Taylor
of Ocean, there are seven members
who have placed themselves in open revolt
against Mr.. Dryden. This is tne total re-
publican majority on joint ballot.
The hostile attitude of other members Is
indicated, though less forcib.y expressed,
by the cordially with which suggestions
ceived.
When Justice Mahlon Pitney of the SUI
preme. court was first mentioned the sug-
gestion was quickly followed by a report
that he would not retire from the bench
If the senatorship were rendered him. The
report was run down and found to be
without foundation, and ii is now believed
that, while he will not consent to be a
candidate, Justice Pitney would willingly
accept the position should it be offered him.
Dryden Forces Alarmed.
With this belief has come an expression
of popular sentiment in favor of the Morris
county judge that has alarmed the Dryden
forces in no small degree. In the days
when he used to run for state senator or
Congress Justice Pitney developed a
strength which until his appointment TO
the bench threatened TO land him in the
governors chair, result that would have
upset the calculations of state leaders His
career on the bench has removed him from
the active whirl of politics and from those
factional entanglements and alliances
which make ii difficult to find a candidate
who Will be acceptable to all.
Gov. Stokes, Notwithstanding his repeated
assertions that he is not and will not be
candidate, has still following in the legis-
lature anxious to support him and unwil-
ing to relinquish the field to any other can
didate. Former Gov. John w Griggs would
be welcomed in the field in some quarters
If he should decide to make another fight
against Mr.. Dryden, although the impress
sion is that Mr.. Griggs will not take such
a course unless it becomes plain that Mr..
Dryden Is out of the running. Supreme
Court Justice Francis ]. Swaze and former
Justice Gilbert Collins of Jersey City have
been suggested as among the strongest men
who could be put up, but there is small
chance or either becoming a candidate.
Still Several Pledges Short.
To Offset the general sentiment favoring
the selection of a senator not controlled by
special and favored interests, Mr.. Dryden
is believed to be still several pledges short
of the number required to carry the party
caucus, while he is threatened with a
bolt that would nullify the action of the
caucus should it declare for him. The
demands of constituents for the selection
of some other candidates have become so
general that many of the members feel they
must be obeyed, unless the party Is TO be
wrecked
The refusal of four republicans to vote
for MIR. Dryden would prevent his re-elec-
ton at the hands of his own party and
while there have been suspicious that in
such event democratic votes might be
solicited, even the opponents of Mr.. Dry
den are scarcely prepared to believe he
would go to this length. There has. never
theless, been an intimacy between the Dry
den forces and certain powerful influences
on the other side that viewed with dis
favor If confronted by a party deadlock,
which account of the small margin of
the party majority is not a remote posi-
bility, the more probable course of the Dry
den men would be to seek to tie up the cleo
ton until the following year This. how
ever, would be a dangerous plan. as il has
already been shown that the state is not so
safely republican as it has been regarded.
The lesson of the last election, while iE-
nored by Mr.. Dryden has not been forgot
ten by the party at large.
Senator Dryden is in Washington. but
his son-n-law, Col. A. R. Kuser said to-
night:
Senator Dryden will not withdraw from
cans make this statement too emphatic