The Washington herald., 1908-05-05
JERSEY ELECTION ON
"Rig Four" Will Not Be In
structed for Any One.
MANY CONTESTS EXPECTED
Trouble Arises Because of List of
Candidates-GOv. Fort Announces
He Is Not After the Vice Presi-
dency - Former Gov. Murphy May
Enter, but Wants to Go to Chicago.

Trenton. May 4-There are prospects Of
a sharp contest in the Republican State
convention to be held tomorrow to select
delegates TO the national convention at
Chicago.
Six candidates for the four positions as
delegates-at-large appeared on the ground
| in person tonight, and after the State
committee had been in session for nearly
three hours, and numerous conferences
had been held between State leaders and
the various delegations, there was no in
ldication of any settlement outside the con-
vention.
Tie State committee will hold another
session tomorrow, when further efforts
will be made TO reach an agreement re-
garding the delegates-at-large.
The candidates for these positions are:
Gov Fort. ex-Gov Murphy, ex-Gov.
Griggs. United States Senators Briggs ana
Kean, and State Assessor David Baird
It is generally believed, though by no
means settled, that the big Four" will
consist of Gov. Fort Senator Briggs, sena-
tor Kean and Mr., Baird. The fact that
Gov Fort and ex-Gov Murphy come from
the same county is the bone of contention.
No Fight on Fort.
Practically all the delegations here are
willing to concede the propriety of send
ing the governor to the convention and
The chairman of the State committee,
who is ex-Gov. Murphy, but they are not
willing that two OF the four delegates
should come from the same county Baird
has strong following in the southern
counties. so that his candidacy will not
be seriously disputed.
An effort was made tonight to have
ex-Gov. Murphy withdraw from the con
test upon the assurance that he would
hurt the united support Of the New Jer-
sey delegates in his candidacy for the
nomination for Vice President Mr. Muir
ply declined TO entertain the suggestion.
and said after the State meeting that ne
would stay in the fight and was hopeful
OF success
Gov. Fort made the announcement that
he is not a candidate for the Vice Presi-
dental nomination but proposed to serve
out the term for which he was elected
governor. His statement was of such
positive character that it was accepted
that he would make no further efforts Ia
that direction but would leave the way
clear for any Jersey man who might en-
ter the lists, whether ex-Gov Murphy or
ex-Gov. Stokes, each OF whom has a
large following in the State
VIII Be UnInstructed.
It seemed to be practically settled to-
night that the New Jersey delegation will
go to Chicago uninstructed, and that to-
morrow's convention will not indorse the
candidacy of Secretary Taft, or any one
else. The raft followers have abandoned
hope for az instructed delegation.
The State invention spent nearly two
hours in discu-7ing the primary contests
in Hudson County. where the new idea"
forces charged the regular organization
with fraudulent manipulation OF the bal
loting in a number of districts. a ballos
box was exhibited to the committee SHOW
ing the manner in which some of the al
legged frauds had been carried out. The
State committee decided TO leave the dis
pute to the committee on credentials for
settlement.