New-York tribune., 1907-06-17
NEW JERSEY
NEWS.
STOKES TOLEGISLATUR
SpcciaE Message na Probe When
LGzcmakcrs ReCOnreRe TO-mOrrOzc.


affairs with the best wishes Of most everybody
behind him? There is apparently room' as lheie
was forty years ago, for a seward d Dou6id'
or Lincoln. Perhaps it will be a small COM
pany like the peoples lobby. that VIII take hola
and attempt 10 run things. Senator BrlgGsa
friends believe he could fill the bill and lead the
Republican party TO victory Governor oloheS
has supporters who sing his praises, although
they are not so numerous of late. Ihefe is Il
good deal Of vigorous criticism on the part OF
hard headed citizens throughout the state Ihey
contend that public officials should be Judgeo
t,y their records in public life, by the manage
lnent and conduct OF their department and py
their endeavors 10 increase the efficiency d
their work Colonel Samuel d. Dickinson, many
believe, has made one of the best Secretaries OF
State New Jersey has had The department WAS
. never so prosperous nor yielded such revenue
business was never so promptly nor so SAUSAGE
torily handled That is the criterion 10 judge de-
partraent BY. That is what the people care
about-at least that has always been the case
The record was the thermometer that gauSed
the outcome and indicated its success or failure
There seems TO be q change in certain quarters
inst nov A new system OF ethics is to be estab-
lished The decalogue has been revised by the
injection Of what may be called the seventh ana
q half commandment" 1t is a traction OF inc
old seventh. Honesty. ability and an increase
in business for the state not of much impor-
tance a state official participate in the
graft subdivide state jobs without contracts .:
specifications. juggle with the states riparian
lands and rights and nOlQ SeNeidi lat olIlSeS a.
the same time. and il is all right. Ihat is sup
rosed TO be some new idea of old reforms. But
If al any time in a private citizens career ne
showed a trace of Commandment No '+2 he
should be cast into political outer darkness Al
least these are the pictures that some OF 'he
hard headed statesmen are presenting LOT puohc
inspection these days.
There are other Republicans who consider that
Everett Colby and his close associates are the
men best fitted to conduct a successful campaign
a,i-Cfn
own statement IS to put more reform into the
Legislature and make the fight along the lines
that are already popular IN most ~ the states
and are growing 50 rapidly The CoIbyltes arc
not office seekers. They want thorough REFORM
legislation in the Legislature, however, 10 give
them a voice in the proceedings Of the session
next year and secure popular approval.
II is quite apparent that unless there is de-
cided change in methods the cause OF reform VIII
get very little benefit from the Democratic party
in the campaign about to begin With every
chance 10 take the lead and accomplish great
things ii threatens to be the same old story that
win be told again. The Democratic Assembly,
men who have conducted the investigation COM
nittee deserve the highest praise. But they
worked no harder and more faithful
than the Republican Assemblymen who COM
rrised The minority John II. Backes the coun-
sci did some wonderful and some very effective
work and deserves public commendation The
work of the committee should unquestionably be
continued and NJ. Backes should be kept at the
head of the probing department He should be
retained in that position whether Republican
Senators are added to the committee or not or
whether a Republican lawyer be furnished also.
The latter should be an assistant to Backes, but
not counsel in chief This is said in all fairness
and as an element Of strength 10 the committee
and the work he yet has to do
But outside the brave little group Of Demo-
Gratis on the committee and such men as Wright,
the introducer of the investigation committee.
II is TO be feared the so-caed Democratic leaders
are not anxious TO have The party unite itself
the interests Of reform in any practical way
They are not in earnest IF they could see a
chance to do business in the old way and at
the old stand by pushing the party and its inves-
legations the front. they would take off their
coats. But the old jealousy would interfere with
any such programme. Former Senator James
Smith. jr.. Of Essex, so long his brains and
his money so influential. In spite Of his re-
tiremert from politics. will not permit Robert
Davis of Hudson. TO- have any hand in Demo-
cratic control outside Of Hudson County. He
VIII not hesitate TO join with Record and Fagan
at any time he thinks he injure his old
enemy by such alliance In fact there is a
funny hit Of news a70at in this connection. II is
said that AT heart Smith prefers Supreme Court
Justice J. Franklin Fort for Governor to any
Democrat that has so far been named. and that
Pagan and Uecord willing to join in a Fort
movement, because with Smiths assistance Davis
and Dickinson might be defeated in effort to
Huite upon Independent Republican or indie
pendent Democrat TO beat Pagan for Mayor if he
entered the field ticket Of his
on the other hand, il is understood Davis will
allow any manipulation Of his forces in Hud-
son. and that Senator John Hinchlne. Of Pas
sale. VIII try 10 get his county in line for some
Democrat who viii suit Davis for Governor. It
IS believed Hinchliffe himself would suit Davis
and that he would yield ana take the nomina ton
at Roberts request Hinchme is believed to
prefer ex-senator Robert Hudspeth. of Hudson,
hut would join with Davis in favor OF ex-Mayor
Of hot, @
deemed advisable.
Jealousy between Davis and Smith is now
keeping harmony at arms length. There are
some Of the younger men in the party younger
both in age and service. who going 10 ma ke
tremendous effort to sidetrack Smith and
Davis and secure the nomination Of an indepen-
dent candidate who will please the people and
conduct a winning campaign. These men be-
leye that the record of the party at the last ses-
sion and the disclosures made by BaclIes and the
House Investigating committee during the re-
cent investigation have changed many votes
They believe IL is time to give the Demo-
cratic party inning. They feel that if the
probing is continued during the summer it will
add materially TO Democratic ammunition for
the campaign TO rect a Governor always pro-
vided, however. that the party can escape the
clutches OF Smith and Davis and their connec-
ton with The big corporations On the success
of this young mans campaign viii depend the
fate of the Jersey Democracy in November next
While II Is pretty hard 10 calculate the length
OF the session shat VIII start Tuesday. il IS
generally believed il viii last at least two weeks
and II viii surprise one should it run well
into July The Governor now intends 10 nut
clause I'm his special message calling atten-
tion 10 the House investigation In so far as il
diFulged very careless management of MANY
of the departments. While there is no charge
Of anything criminal the Governor considers
there was sufficient evidence to show that GER
tain officials neglected their work and left a great