New-York tribune., 1911-01-10
TRENTON CROWD GUESSING.
Death of Davis Viewed as Weak
.ening Smiths Candidacy.
BIG DEMOCRATS ABSENT
Contest for Clerkship Won by
Dupan, of 0range-senator-
ship Talk Uppermost,

Trenton. Y !, Jan a.-The death Of
Robert Davis, the Hudson County Demo
cratic leader. had a marked effect on the
might before" crowd which gathered in
Trenton tonight for the convening OF the
125th session OF the Legislature Of New
Jersey. scheduled for noon
Because of Mr.. Davis's death none OF the
Hudson County delegation appeared at any
of the hotels The executive committee of
Hudson County had a meeting in Jersey
City 10 take action on the death Of the
leader The dinner given By the Demo
cratic State Committee to state Chairman
Nugent I'm Newark also had It's effect in
keeping some Of the notables away from
the Capitol.
Many Of the old guard" however. were
on hand. and the one subject which con
suned all Of the time devoted 20 corridor
gossip was that Of the Senatorial situation
and the effect on it which the death Of Mr..
Davis would have II was a general opin-
Ion that the chances Of former United
States Senator James Smith. ir. were
weakened by the removal OF HIS ally from
Hudson. NIr. Smiths followers, however,
were not willing 10 concede this and said
that even in death the influence Of Robert
Davis would be shown in the votes If Hud-
son members. with the possible exception
ot those who have already declared for
James E. MARITIME. the primary choice
The caucus of'the Essex members in the
afternoon decided that the clerkship Of
the House would GO to Daniel Dugan, OF
Orange, who in 1907 was private secretary
Of Speaker Edgar z. Lethbridge. This
clerkship contest gave promise for a time
ot disrupting the Essex delegation, but
now it is not thought that IT will leave
any marked effect or that the bitterness
will he carried 10 any length during the
session
Ernest r Alderman. president-to-be ~
the Senate, will not arrive in Trenton until
shortly before the time set for the organi-
zatlon Of the Legislature, nor will Edward
Kenny. Speaker-to-be, reach here until
about the same time. There was also
much interest In the attitude to be taken
by the Senate in the contest for the seat in
Ocean County.
II has practically been decided that
George c. Low, Democratic candidate,
will bear the credentials, and It is the in
tention Of the Senate 10 seat whoever ap-
pears with the proper credentials Then an
investigation will be ordered into the claims
Of Thomas A. Mathes. who charges that
he was duly elected and that Lows claims
are without merit. There is writ OF man
damus now before the Supreme Court,
taken out by Mathes, and II is not likely
that any action will be taken by the Sen
ate before the court passes upon this writ
II was curious crowd that gathered in
the capital tonight, one such as has not
been seen since the Democratic regime
during the days Of the late Governor
George T. Werts. While I'm 1897 the Dem
ocrsts were in control of the House of Az
sembly. the Republicans retained control
Of the Senate, and also had the govern
ment, therefore il could not he called a
Democratic year. Now. however. the Dem
ocrats have control of tho Legislature on
Joint ballot, and in a weeks time the Chief
Executive Of the state will be a Democrat
Both the majority and minority are plan
ming reform measures. and il is likely that
at the session Of next Monday night num-
erous bills, calculated TO appeal to the pop
ular cry for progressive legislation. will
be introduced In both houses.