Perth Amboy evening news., 1912-09-19
FEAR RESULT
IF SMITH WINS
Pledged Legislative Candi-
dates Are Opposed to Him
rFrom the NEWS correspondent.J

Trenton, Sept. 19.-Several Demo-
cratic candidates for the Legislature
who were at the State House and
who have pledged themselves to vote
for hat candidate for United States
senator who shall win the prefer
ence of the voters at the primary
election next Tuesday, were fearful
of the outcome of their own candi-
dacy If James Smith, Jr., shall win
the nomination. AS these Democrats
viewed the s%ituatoon, there is strong
sentiment all over the state against
making Smith United States ena
tor againg, and as they are pledged
to vote for the candidate for senator
who wins the nomination at the pri-
maries, and this is generally known
to the voters of the party, they will
be compelled to go through the cam
paign for the election in November
with a serious handicap against
them.
These candidates are not for Smith
in fact they are opposed to him and
most of them pledged themselves on
the United States senator question
before Smith announced himself as
a candidate. If Smith shall win the
nomination then these candidates
will be compelled to seek election
to the Legislature when it is known
in advance that if they be elected,
they will be under moral obligations
to vote for Smith as the successor
to United States Senator Briggs.
This situation Is also giving some
concern to the Democratic state lead
ers because of a fear that 1t may
interfere with their chance of carry
ing the Legislature. Both the candi-
dates and the leaders figure hal with
Smith entirely eliminated the. proba-
bility of their winning a majority of
the members of the Legislature
would be materially increased. This
feeling led yesterday afternoon to
the sending out of a general call for
redoubled efforts not only to get out
a full vote next Tuesday all over the
state, but to see that to the utmost
limit this vote is lined up against
Smith.
1t was learned yesterday afternoon
in connection with this situation that
the thing the Democratic leaders
fear most is that the handicap Of the
Smith candidacy may work against
the success of the Democratic legisla-
tive ticket and permit the Bull Moose
men, or at least enough of them, to
win legislative seats to hold the bal
ance of power and to prevent Pro-
gressive Democrats from choosing
the next United States senator.
With no opposition in the field to
Senator Briggs he is sure of the reg
ular nomination, but his election de-
ponds upon the ability of the stall
warts in the G. 0. p. to control a ma
jority OF members of the Legislature.
If enough Bull Moose candidates
should be elected to the Legislature,
to prevent either the Democrats or
Republicans from having a majority
the situation next winter on the SEN
atorship will be exteremly interest
ing. There is a possibility of a dead
lock which might prolong the fight or
prevent an election altogether, if all
three factions stood absolutely pat.
There has been considerable discus
sion as to the candidate the Roose-
welt Progressives might nominate for
United States senator. Former Gov
ernor Fort, former Senator Everett
Colby, George l.. Record and others
have all been mentioned, but no can
didate has yet been slated. From
which ever angle it is viewed the
United States senatorship contest is
reaching a stage Of absorbing inter
est, not only to the party leaders, but
to the rank and file of the voters az
we'll.