Gloucester County Democrat., 1912-05-02
POLITICS AND COMMENTS FROM
STATE CAPITOL.

Trenton, May To-day was the
last day for the filing of petitions for
delegate and alternate to the National
Conventions for the selection of the
Presidential ticket, the Republicans to
meet in Chicago, June 49, and the
Democrats in Baltimore June 25 A
large number of petitions were filed
Following the filing of many yester-
day, and these two lots supplement-
ed those which have been filed dur
ing the last two or three weeks.
The petitions for the Big Four OF
the Democrats and both the Taft and
Roosevelt Republicans were filed
The candidates for delegates-at large
on the Roosevelt ticket are former
Governor John Franklin Fort, former
Senator Everitt Colby, Frank B.
Jess, President of the State Tax
Board, and Edgar B. Bacon, of Jer-
sey City. The Taft big Four" are
United States Senator Frank %.
Briggs, of this city, former Governor
Franklin Murphy, of Newark, former
Supreme Court Justice Gilbert Col
ains, of Jersey City, and F. Wayland
Aver, of Camden. The quartette of
candidates for delegate-at-large who
viii favor Governor Wilson for Presi-
dent are United States Senator James
E. MARITIME, of Plainfeld; Sheriff N.
Peter Wedin, of Jersey City; former
Senator John Hinchliffe, of Paterson,
and former Judge John W. Wescott
of Camden.
With the petitions all filed, the cam
paign for the Presidential primary
on May % will begin in earnest.
The contest in this state will be an
unusual one in that there will be a
fight in both party ranks. The cam
paign will have the liveliest kind of
a finish the week preceding May %
when President Taft, Colonel Theo-
dore Roosevelt and United States Sem
ator Robert NJ. LaFollette, will all
be in the state in a strenuous endea-
yor to capture the delegates. Gov
ernor Wilson will be opposed by the
Smith-Nugent forces but the indica-
tions are that the Governor will have
little difficulty in winning the Demo-
cratic delegates. On the Republican
side the result is very uncertain.
The regular state leaders claim that
Taft will carry the State, but poll
ticians from various sections who
We're at the State House yesterday
declare that there was much Roose-
Welt sentiment in all the counties.
President Taft was greeted with
enthusiasm last week on his visit to
New Jersey, and the Taft managers
hope that the campaign trip through
the State will win him the delegates
to the National Convention at the
Presidential primary election on May
%. The President spoke to a crowd
of several thousands in Newark on
Friday evening, played a game of golf
on the Baltusrol Golf Links Saturday
morning and Saturday afternoon came
to this city and was accorded public
reception in the auditorium of the Re-
publican Club. He was accompanied
by United States Senator Frank O .
Briggs, and other State leaders. De-
spite the rain which was pouring
when the President reached Trenton
more than 5000 people, including a
liberal sprinkling of women passed
through the auditorium and shook
hands with him. In his Newark
) speech the President renewed his at
tack upon Colonel Roosevelt which he
began the day before in Massachus etts
but in this city no speech was sched
uled. The reception here partook
somewhat of a non-partisan character
and among those who greeted Presi-
dent Taft was former Governor E. C.
Stokes, one of the Roosevelt leaders
of the State, and there were other
Roosevelt men who also shook his
hand. Quite number of Democrats
too, passed before the President, and
greeted him.
The Senatorial investigation on Mon
day of the second charge against Sen
ator Richard Fitzherbert, of Morris
County, failed to prove the allegations
against the Senator The charge was
that Senator Fitzherbert had attempt
ed to hold up the Lehigh Valley Rail-
road Company for a retainer as the
price of his vote in favor of the bill
for the abandonment of the Morris
Canal The bill was backed by the
Lehigh, which is the lessee Of the ca
nal. The resolution directing the
probe was passed by the Republican
majority in the Senate during the last
week of the session The committee
which conducted the examination was
composed of Senators Gaunt, of Glou-
cester, and Leayitt of Mercer, Repub-
leans; and Johnson Democrat, of Ber-
gen. The basis of the charge was the
allegations that Senator Fitzherbert
had suggested to counsel for the LIE.
high that he be retained to act for the
company against the canal bill al
Trenton, and later relative of the
Senator had made a similar PROPOSE
ton to the company Several witness
es were examined, which showed tha'
the charge had practically no founda
ton in fact and is based largely upoI
rumor. The committee viii report its
findings to the Senate next January
At the conclusion of the investigation
the members of the committee an
nounced unofficially that there was ne
evidence on which to recommend tina:
the Morris County Senator be tried
and. therefore, the report will cleal
him of fl1e charge.