Perth Amboy evening news., 1910-11-29
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4 VOTES OF
MIDDLESEX
Smith Said to be Depending
on Ross to Swing Dele
cation Against MARITIME.
FEW POLITICIANS AT
TRENTON TODAY
Especial Correspondence.) }

NopeClal COrrSSpoHQeDce.)
Trenton, Nov. 2'9:-The handful
of legislators and politicians who
gathered in the State House today,
the third Governors Day." since
election, found 1t very dull place
for the discerning of important po-
litical developments In connection
with the incoming Democratic ad-
mtnistration. Whatever may be the
animating cause, it is fact that
| prospective Democratic Lawmakers
| and the big political leaders of the
party are keeping distinctly under
cover as is amply evidenced by the
large number who have been con-
spicuous by their absence from the
State House since election day, in
contradiction of political custom for
many years in the past.
Heretofore it has always been
possible to obtain fairly accurate
| line on the organization of the Leg
islature in it's important details
! within two or three weeks. after
election. The situation today is that
plans for organizing the Democratic
majority in the House are virtually
| at q standstill Aside from the can
dfdacy of Assemblyman Kenny, of
Hudson, for the speakership, there
| has not been definite move made.
! Although there are approximately
| fifty jobs that will be parceled out
| by the Democratic assemblymen,
there is not an avowed candidate for
q single one of these places. Of
course, there are undoubtedly many
who are working behind the scenes
to get a share of the patronage, but
SO far all such efforts have been in
secret. Since Michael w. Higgins,
| of Newark, who was clerk of the
Democratic House In 1907, an
nounced that he did not care for the
| job again, there has been no one else
| to step forward as an aspirant for
the berth, which will be the most
| valuable to be given out by the
| Democratic majority.
Interest In Senatorship.
The passive situation with refer
ence to the organization of the Leg
islature is undoubtedly due to the
fact that the question of the Sena-
torship is the paramount one in New
Jersey politics today. All of the un-
certainty and absence of determina-
tion as to how the Legislature is to
get under way, is no doubt due to
the contest for John Kean' seat in
Congress.
While Governor-elect Wilson is at
tending the Conference of Govern
ors, former Senator James Smith,
Jr., is so1ourning at Old Point Com
fort, and James E. MARITIME is rest
ing on Cedar Brook Farm, at Plain
field.
1t was stated here today that Mr..
Smith is counting on Milton Ross,
of New Brunswick, who for many
years has been one of his chief po-
litical lleutenants, to deliver the
| Mlddlesex Democratic legislative
delegation to him for the senator
ship Mr.. Ross has boasted that he
will be able to do this. He says that
even Senator Silzer, who has hereto
fore been classed as political en-
envy of Mr.. Smith, will get in line at
the proper time against the election
! of James E. MARITIME, the popular
choice.
The two Democratic assemblymen-
elect and the Democratic senator
elect from Morris county are report
ed by friends of Mr.. Smith as sure to
lipe up in favor of the latter. The
Norris county men, it is said, win
Re Influenced in this direction by
General Edward p. Meany, of Nor
ristown, who has for many years
been the legislative agent for the
Bell Telephone Company.
Friends of MARITIME admit that eff
forts to control the Middlesex and
Morris legislators in the manner de-
scribed, are being made, but the
| MARITIME mon sav there is little nos
sibility of the deal being carried
through now that DR.. Wilson has
made it plain that he is opposed to
the election of Mr.. Smith as senator.