New-York tribune., 1908-05-05
TAFT THE FAV0RlTE
Qualified Indorsement Of HIM E1-
pected at Jersey Contention.
fBv Telegraph to The Tribune. ]

Trenton n j. May l. - Republican politicians
from every nook and corner OF the state are mere
Tonight the attraction for all being the contest ZOE
places on the big Four" Governor Fort SEN
ators Kean and Briggs David Baird and ex-6oV
ernors Murphy and Griggs arrived here early anu
opened headquarters. each OF which soon becaihe
thronged with their respective followers
The sentiment among the delegates Is that the
state will contain the names or the TWO Ohiao"
States Senators ard David Baird The fourth place
is put up to Essex County. where the contest be-
tween the Governor and Murphy has assumed an
acrimonious tinge
Hudson will send broken delegation to the
Senate convention. A caucus Of the delegates was
held last night at the Rotterdam Association
rooms in Jersey City. Ninety attended but the
Dickinson and New Idea men TO the number OF
twenty-five were absent. The majority delegation
will GO as a unit. They will support Fort, Briggs.
Kear, and Baird and viii not waver in the support
until released by any one of the candidates. 1t IS
reported that the minority will make bitter Tight.
Chairman Rotterdam in anticipation. went to
Trenton tonight to carry the news OF the Hudson
caucus
The state committee held meeting tonight. the
greater part OF the time being taken up with the
Hudson County contests. 1t was at first suggested
that they be referred to committee or three but
this was changed after a warm discussion at
which it agreed that the committee had no
Jurisdiction, and the contests were placed in the
hands of the credentials committee of the c3nven-
ton for settlement.
The committee selected ex-United States senator
John F. Dryden as chairman of the convention,
and the secretaries will be Assemblyman John r.
Moxon, of Union: Howard Tyler. OF Cumberland;
James Parker, OF Passaic, and Walter f. Edge, OF
Atlantic. The committee also voted that the dele
gates from New Jersey to Chicago be uninstructed.
The committee did not discuss the big four.
but adjourned to meet at $50 o'clock Tomorrow
morning Early to-day Governor Fort issued a
statement declaring that he was not a candidate
for Vice-Presdent.
Ex-senator James Smith, Jr-, OF Essex, one OF
the Democratic delegates at-large. created some
thing of q stir by appearing here tonight He
said he was here business. however. and that
he was going report the convention proceedings
for his newspaper.
An effort will be made by the supporters OF Sec
retary Taft TO have the convention adopt resolu-
tions which, while pledging the delegation to
him. will in a qualified way advocate his nonllna-
tion.
The indications that the delegates -at-large
will be Governor Fort Senators kean and BrlgsS
and MIR Baird. Governor Fort is the only one OF
the four likely to become delegate-at-larSe who Is
an avowed Taft man. The district delegates ex-
Cepting those from the 1th and Sth Congress dls-
tricts win be chosen tomorrow. The eth and
Sth District delegates have already been chosen
and three OF the four for Secretary Taft
Ex- Senator Dryden, who is to be chairman OF
the convention. is an active Taft supporter
Present indicat tiOns point TO at least third, II
one-half. of the twenty-four delegates favor
ing Taft One thing is practically certain. and
that is that no unit rule Will be adopted. that
Secretary Taft will get the benefit of all those in
the New Jersey delegation who favor his nonlina-
tion.