Perth Amboy evening news., 1910-08-27
DEMOCRATIC
NOMINATION
UNS0LvED
Lieutenants of Former Sem
ator James Smith jr., Hav.-
ing Hard Time.
FOR WILSON DELEGATES
Four Candidates in the
Field to Stick Until Con-
vention Decides.
PASSAlC is FOR sILZER
Monmouth, Mercer and South
Jersey Are Behind the
katzenbach Boom.
PASSAIC is FOR sILZER
lSnecial Corresnondenne.N


Trenton, Aug 27:-With the date of
the direct primary election little more
than two weeks off, and with the Dem
ocratic State convention scheduled to
be held couple Of days after dele
gates are elected, the question Of who
will be nominated for Governor by the
Democrats can only be determined at
this time by conjecture.
The correspondent of the NEWS has
talked with influential party leaders in
all parts of the State during the past
two weeks. There is Enthusiastically q
lack Of unan1mity among them to war
rant the assertion that there is suffi-
cient consensus in favor of any one of
the candidates to make the drift partial
to one of them. Briefly stated, the
Democratic Gubernatorial candidate has
not yet been fixed upon. The honor
may fall either to DIR. Woodrow Wilson,
Frank S. Katzenbach, Senator George
Silzer or Mayor Otto Wittpenn.
If former Senator James Smith, Jr.,
can swing a majority of the delegates
the candidate will be DR.. Wilson. In
former years, when he has sought it,
Senator Smith has had lot of help
from several prominent Democrats in
different counties who now, though they
are ready and willing to help him nomi-
nate Wilson, will scarcely be able to
deliver single delegate from their
respective bailiwicks. For instance,
William B. Gourley, of Paterson, for
mer chairman of the Democratic State
Committee, and former Speaker q" Tom -
Flynn, also Of Paterson, have hereto
fore been able to line up Passaic eoun-
ty to the advantage Of Senator Smith
in State conventions This year they
will not be able to do so, for Passaic
Democrats are in the fight for Senator
Silzer@- Similar conditions prevail in
Mfddlesex county. Silzer s home, where
Miles Ross and Surrogate Peter F.
DAILY, both staunch supporters of Smith,
will be unable to help the Wilson boom
by producing delegates in the conven-
ton
State Committeeman Charles H. Gal
lagher, Of Mercer county, would like
to assist Smith in nominating Wilson,
but the Katzenbach sentiment Is so
overwhelming here that Gallagher him
self admits that he cannot hope to Sc
cure the election of q single delegate
favorable to the Princeton man.
For years William Thompson, known
since the track days as the Duke of
Gloucester" has handled South Jersey
delegates so that the Smith faction
got the biggest part Of them in con
tests. Thompson has promised Smith
to do his best for Wilson, but in can
vassing the situation in the lower end
of the state the former has found that
friends of other aspirants have been
very busy and there is much sentiment,
particularly, for Silzer and Katzen-
bach.
Monmouth county is another section
where old-time Smith lieutenants like
Surrogate David Crater, of Freehold,
finds himself checkmated by the activ-
ity of the Katzenbach boomers. The
Monmouth county Democratic Commit
tee has already declared for Katzen-
bach.
The Democratic State convention will
be made up of 1896 delegates. The
number necessary to nominate a can
didate will be 500.