New-York tribune., 1910-12-19
SAY SMITH CAN'T WIN
But Will Cause MARITIME to Lose.
Jersey Politicians Declare.
BITTER FIGHT FOR SENATE
MANY Think Ex-senator Will Be
Able TO Name a Man to
Succeed Kean.

fProIa the Regular Correspondent ofThe Tribune l
Trenton. n J.. Dec. IS-1n spite Of the
public announcement of ex-senator James
Smith. sr-. of his candidacy to succeed Sen
Htor kean. there is a growing suspicion
among those in close touch with political
affairs in this state that Smith secretly does
not expect TO wiz the place. but has en-
tered the contest for the sole purpose of
preventing the selection of Mr.. MARITIME.
While some Of Smiths friends say that he
would never have announced his candidacy
11nlees he had enough votes pledged to him
70 insure his election. 1t is pretty we'll un-
derstood that neither Smith nor MARITIME at
the present time can count on anything like
The torty-one votes necessary TO the cleo
ticn
Mr. Marines supporters assert that thir
ty Of the incoming lawmakers have told
Gcvernor-elect Wilson that they are for
MARITIME under any and all circumstances.
while one of Smiths close friends said
yesterday that tnirty-four OF the new fegis-
lators had pledged themselves to vote for
him. or course, some one is being fooled,
there will be only ffty-one Democrats
IN the new Legislature
Smith May Cause Deadlock.
There Is little doubt that Smith would
Hike TO represent New Jersey again at
Washington, and IS willing to exert HIM
self to achieve that ambition, but he is
said 10 realize that his selection is
out Of the question just now, so he has
consented 10 the Use OF his name for the
purpose of keeping from MARITIME a number
Of votes which would go TO him IL Smith
were not a candidate. In this way Smith
expects. il is said. TO bring about dead
lock- and force the selection Of some man
IF his own choosing. and one who repre-
esnts the same interests that he does.
Smith is said 10 have the support of
number Of prominent Democrats in this
plan and of a number of Republican lead
ers too; that is, machine Republicans. for
many of the latter have done their best to
console Smith in his dilemma, some of the
more daring even suggesting that the votes
os few Of the Republican legislators be
turned over TO MIN.
So far as Smiths plan TO defeat MARITIME
IS concerned, he has taken to himself a big
task Wilson followers say. There can be
no compromise. far the Senatorship
IS concerned. With Mr.. Wilson it has got
be Mr.. MARITIME and the Governor-eiect
is now preparing himself for what is ex-
peCted TO be the biggest political battle
New Jersey has ever had in order TO pre-
vail upon the Democratic lawmakers TO
keep what Mr. Wilson regards as an eX-
plicit promise 10 the people.
According to his close friends. the Gov
ernor-elect will Go all in his power TO &C
camplisil this end. That he will go right
into the districts of the recalcitrant leg
islators ard tell their constituents how.
IN his opinion, they have betrayed the trust
imposed in them, is regarded certain.
Il is not improbable, too, that when these
men come up for denomination at the pri-
s1aries they will find the new leader Of the
Democracy speaking against them, and II
the machine should manage to bring about
Wilson well say that it would not be sur
rrising if he took the stump against them
and urged the voters not TO send them back
TO the Legislature un the ground that they
7vtre no longer members of the Democratic
party, having violated the pledges made
by that party TO The people
Machine Makes Threats.
The machine. of course, is using every
kind Of pressure on the coming lawmakers
They have been threatened with political
oblivion if they stand by the new Governor
and every influence has been brought to
bear on them. especially in Hudson County:
but the result OF their efforts has been of
avail for at least five of the Hudson
members have publicly stated that they
would rather follow the leadership of MIR.
Wilson than obey the command OF de-
t,aNe,I machine