Perth Amboy evening news., 1910-08-15
SENATOR KEAN
GIVES TEXT OF
MURPHY REPLY
Proposes That Baird and
Murphy Seek Popular En-
dorsement at Primaries.
ELECTION OF REPUBLICAN
GOVERNOR DOUBTFUL

- united States Senator John
hean made public last night the texS
OF his reply to the letter of Repuhs
mean State Chairman Franklin Murx
phy proposing that the senator DasI
via Baird and Mr.. Murphy himself
should seek popular indorsemenS
IN the primaries for election to tha
United States senate.
Declaring that the election of a
republican governor this year IA
doubtful, Senator Kean bases HIS raI
fusal to comply with Mr.. Murphy's
request On the ground that furthey
d1ssension within the republican
party is liable to turn the state.
legislature and all, over to the dem-
ocratic party.
| 1t may be that the course / have
adopted is the wrong one SO far as
my own candidacy Is concerned"
says Senator Kean after further dis
cussing his reasons for not desiring
! 10 enter into primary contest, buA
| he will have the satisfaction OF
knowing, he adds, that he has acted
IN accordance with his own best
| Judgment toward his party
The reply In full follows:
| dAOhs L MURPHY.
| Il have before me your letter Of I
the 9TH instant, which l have read
with interest. / should have pre-
ferred to talk this matter over with
you personally and feel that | could
nave convinced you of the inadviga4
[ b1lity of the course you suggest, butl{
In view of the fact that that is now
impossible, ] can only say that thsf
! ElfnattOn | fa 4 4
the control of Mr.. Baird or myselfH
In that similar action on our part !
could only be construed as being
| forced by you. RI
AS to the merits of the election
of United States senators by direct /
vote | have nothing to say at thia
time. The matter has been suficiS +
emily discussed. There always has
been and always will be All honest I
difference of opinion on the subs F
ject
ut must be granted that our gov,
| ernment Is one In which political
parties play an important part.
| Party interest must and should b6 I
| subserved AS I view the preaant I
| situation, further dissensions wffflid l
| the republican party would resuIt1
disastrously. I would be willing td 4
submit the question of the election &
of a United States senator to tlia
primary if the democrats we're equal5
ly frank, and If by SO doing | should
rot jeopardize the success of the rer i
publican party this fall. The rapub4 I
lican party appears to be fun of dis4
tensions and in no county In tho
state that I am aware of have the |
| democrats a serious primary fight. A
republican governor is in doubt ftha
| leaders of the democratic party |
claim that they can elect ANYONE I
governor this yeap), and asI have !
always stood for the republican |
party, I am unwilling that any act
tion of mine should jeopardi1e the |
chances of republican success.
There are no democratic canIis |
dates who talk of filling positions |
for endorsement for the position Of
United States senator, nor has any !
democratic members of the legislas
| ture or candidate for election as
such said that he would vote for the
choice of the primary for United |
| States senator.
Furthermore, the result of pris
mary contests have been disastrous
to the republican party, q notable /
|
Colby was nominated by majority
at the primaries but on election day
| he was defeated in county wher4a
the presidential ticket received
some $4,000 votes out of $4,000
votes, or nearly two-thirds of the emf
| tire vote cast. In Middlesex county
last year in the primary fight each
| faction succeeded in nominating
part OF the ticket, yet on election day
while the coroner was elected, shows
| ing that a majority of the ballots
cast were republican, each faetiouf
succeeded in defeating the eandf-l
dates of the other. Therefore, iudgsl
! ing from experience, 1t would SEEM
to me that a primary contest would
| jeopardize the chances of electing 9
renublcan governor and legislature
and probably result in the election
| of a democratic legislature un-
| pledged to any candidate for United
| States senator.
"Is It not better in state which
| has continually indOrsed the policies
of the republican party to continue
! that party in power thaa to rend 10
asunder by personal controyersiesf s
It seems to me that It is wiser for US
to all unite in electing republican
governor and legislature rather than
| to spend our time and energies in
advancing our personal ambition to-
ward an election to the United
States senatorship.
"It may be that the course | have
adopted is the wrong one SO far as
my own candidacy is concerned.
However that may be I shall have
| the satisfaction of knowing that
have acted in accordance with my
own best Judgment toward my partys
Very sincerely yours,
JOHN KEAN."
Senator Kean said last night thas
! the law under which candidates may
seek a popular indorsement for the
United States senate was merely q
CONTINUED on page 80
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