Perth Amboy evening news., 1912-05-22
H MEN BEHIND TAFT IN NEW JERSEY.

kind of men are backing President Taft in his efforts to secure a
denomination. Practically every member of the old Board of Guar
dams, which, when the Republicans were in absolute control of the
state, dictated the work of the legislature at Trenton, has been inter
viewed and, of course, all declare that Taft is sure of a victory in
New Jersey.
The list is headed, naturally, by United States Senator Frank
O. Briggs, who is the Republican state chairman. Senator Briggs is
a representative 0. the Roeblng wire mills, one of the principal cor
porations in the wire trust, and as such takes good care of the cor
poration interests in congress. Briggs never did amount to a great
deal in politics and only sneaked into his present position a a com
promise when it was found impossible to re-elect John +. Dryden
In Washington, Briggs has been merely a me too senator. His
vote has always been sure for the machine in all matters where cor
poratiOn interests and the Republican organization were affected
lie is practically a nonentity in the upper House Of Congress as far
as representing the people Of New Jersey is concerned. Briggs is
doing what he can to deliver the delegates from this state to Presi
dent Taft at the Chicago convention. Naturally he says Taft will
win.
Down in Atlantic county we have State Senator Edge, the man
of two faces, who poses at Trenton as a reformer and progressive,
but who in Atlantic City lines up with the corrupt ring that has
just been overthrow and replaced by a commission form of gov
eminent, He is an ardent supporter of Col. Kuehnle, the former
Atlantic City boss, who has been found guilty and sentenced to
prison on a charge of corruption and who is only kept out of Jail by
an appeal of his case. Both Edge and Kuehnle arr doing what they
can for President Taft in Atlantic county and throughout the see
od congressional district. AT first Edge tried to fool the people by
declaring himself unpledged, but he has been unmasked and forced
to come on. in the open IS a Taft delegate.
Then there is "Davy' Baird, of Camden, who used to make his
boast that all New Jersey, south of the Shrewsbury, was his. He is
one of the leaders in the Board of Guardians and one of the most
despcable bosses the state has ever produced. He is working hard
to deliver Camden county to the president and claims that all south
Jersey will be with him.
Further north, in Mercer county, which is in the fourth district,
we have QuartermasterG General c. Edward Murray, the machine
boss of Trenton. lie was indicted and fined in connection with the
investigation a short time ago of the wire trust. Murray is a past
master in ring politics and he is using every trick of the trade to
win the delegates in his district for Taft.
1t is hardly necessary to call attention to those backing the
Taft candidacy in the third congressional district. We find 'Dory'
Strong, the discredted boss of MddIesex, working with c. Asa
Francis, of Monmouth in an effort to corral enough votes to over
come the great popular demand for the nomination of Colonel
Roosevelt. That they will be unable to accomplish their purpose is
a foregone conclusion, but they are followers of the machine and,
therefore, dare not diobey orders.
Up in Essex county Chairman Alfred N. Dalrymple, chief lieu
tenant of Franklin Murphy, the millionaire varnish manufacturer,
and who was the most arstocratic governor New Jersey has ever
had, is having his own troubles trying to keep Essex in line fer Taft
He admits that the President will have a stiff fight in that county,
but he has called his cohorts together and all the corrupt methods
that the old Essex machine is capable of putting into play will be
fused ct The primary next Tuesday to overcome what is undoubtedly
the will of the majority of the people.
Going further up the state we find "Uncle Dam Voorhees,, of
Morris county, another member of the old Board Of Guardians that
held full sway at Trenton a few years ago, promising to deliver the
vote Of that county to the pesident.
In Passaic former Governor John W. Griggs, who is now one of
the leading corporation lawyers of the country, has taken off his
coat for Taft and reports that Passaic will be found in the Taft col
umns when the votes are counted next Tuesday night.
In Hudson county the Taft forces are being led by no less a
character than Samuel D. Dickinson. Dickinson, it will be remem-
bered, is the man who, while Secretary of the State, brought 50
much disgrace upon the commonwealth that when Governor Fort
was inaugurated the governor refused to allow Dickinson to hold
the Bible when he took the oath of office. 1t is this man who is the
representative of President Taft in Hudson.
And so it goes, not only i'll New Jersey, but throughout the
country. All the dscredited bosses and corporation workers are
backing the Taft candidacy while the true leaders of the people,
men who favor real representative government, who have no fear
of laying their cause directly before the voters, are eSpousng the
cause of Theodore Roosevelt.
But it is interesting to note just how these bosses We're lined up
in 1908 when President Taft was a recognized follower of Roose-
welt and when it was believed throughout the country that,
if elected, he would carry out the Roosevelt policies.
AT the convention at Chicago when Taft was nominated Frank
lin Murphy voted for Fairbanks; Senator Briggs and 'Davy' Baird
voted for Knox; the late Congressman Loudenslager and Bob"
Hand, who is the boss i'll Cape May, voted for Cannon. Louden-
Slayer is now dead, but the rest of these men are now all for Taft.
Have they changed, or has Taft come over to their way of think
iug2 The Roosevelt followers are the same as they were when Taft
was nominated and when all these bosses were opposing them
These bosses are still opposing Roosevelt and his policies, but they
are for Taft. There can be but one explanaton-Taft has deserted
the Roosevelt policies entirely and gone over to the reactionanes
He has broken faith with the people. He is not worthy of their sup
i MONT at h nrimarias TueSdau