Perth Amboy evening news., 1910-11-26
WILSON VISIT
TO DAVIS Is
SIGNIF FICANT
Believed to Sound the Death
--knelI to Ambitions of
Senator Smith.
COMMENTS MADE BY
JAMES MARITIME
Especial Correspondence. }

Trenton, Nov. 26:-Those who are
demanding that the Democratic
members of the Legislature abide by
the direct primary vote in the United
States senatorship, and who are
keeping in touch with the varying in
fiuences at work in the situation, de-
clare today that the visit of Cover
nor-elect Woodrow Wilson to Robert
Davis, the Hudson county leader,
sounds the death-knell to the ambi-
tion of former Senator James Smith,
Jr., to succeed John Kean in con-
gress.
Ever since election day Dr. Wilson
has been devoting more time and
thought to the United States sena-
torial question than any other poll
teal problem developing from the
great Democratic landslide in New
jersey. At first the goyernor-elect
was reluctant to mix up in the sena-
toria1 affair, although from the be-
ginning he has appreciated the fact
that conditions might become SO
acute that it would be necessary for
him to take a hand in the contest.
The MARITIME men have pressed DR..
Wilson very hard to get him to do
something definite in the direction
of compelling the legislature to ac-
quiesce in the popular choice, while
at the same time the opponents of
the direct primary system and
friends of Mr.. Smith have counseled
him to keep his hand Off
When former Senator Smith visit
ed Princeton and talked with Dr.
Wilson ah ahnnt tho IA
latter made it very plain to the for
mer that he was not inclined to
acquiesce in the movement to turn
down Mr. MARITIME in favor of Mr..
Smith. 1t is an open secret that DR..
Wilson was surprised and astonished
by the publication of the letter sign
ed by the Essex assemblymen-elect
requesting Mr.. Smith to become a
candidate for senator. This develop
ment, followed Immediately by the
bold announcement of James R.
Nugent that Leader Davis had prom
ised to deliver the Hudson county
legislative delegation to Mr.. Smith,
forced DR.. Wilson to go out of his
way to take a hand in the embroglio
1t is understood that DR.. Wilson
and Mr.. Davis had a very frank talk
together over the senatorial ques-
tion, the outcome of which will be
the final conclusion by Mr.. Smith
that his desire to succeed John Kean
is hopeless.
Discussing this latest development
in the senatorial row. a close friend
of Mr.. MARITIME said today:
There have been many evidences
of the effectiveness of public opinion
on the senatorial question within the
last week or two, but none of them
have been more significant than the
visit of Dr. Wilson to Davis. The
meeting of these men under the cir
cumstances was very unusual. Ordi-
narily, it would hardly be expected
that a governor-elect, and especially
q man of DR.. Wilson's type, would
make a. pilgrimage to politician
like Mr.. Davis unless there was tre-
menduous concern in the subject of
the mission 1t is very evident that
DR.. Wilson has come to the conclu-
sion that he must take the bull by
the horns, so far as the senatorship
is concerned. Dr. Wilson has been
Just q bit slow in appreciating how
intensely the State Is animated by
this question, but he seems now to
have more adequate realization of
conditions. AS the senatorial ques-
tion has shaped up, it is moral one
rather than political one. Time
and again New Jersey voters have
shown where they stand on moral
issues and in this view there is no
doubt but that Mr. MARITIME will be
eIecfed senator afthof,oh thara N, a W
be many distressing features witness
ed before the final result is reached.
The Developments since election
have had the effect, at least, to i'm
press DR.. Wilson that the great mass
of his party are anxious for him to
exercise the political leadership
which he invited the voters to repose
in him"