Perth Amboy evening news., 1912-09-23
LEON ALBEIT
HOT IN REPLY
Surprised That Jim Smith
Should Ask His Support.

Leon Albeit, a councellor-at-law
with offices In Hoboken, has replied
to the appeal for aid from former
Senator James Smith, Jr,, of New
ark, in his fight to down William
Hughes, the Wilson progressive, and
secure the preferential nomination
as the Democratic candidate to sue
coed United States Senator Frank o.
Briggs, Republican, with hot shot"
of the hottest variety. Mr.. Albeit
expresses surprise that Mr.. Smith
should presume to enlist his aid, and
takes the thoughts of the Newark re-
dictionary back to the stirring times
of 1892, when Mr.. Abbett's father,
Leon Albeit, then governor of New
Jersey, was supported by Mr.. Smith
for the same nomination. Mr.. Smith
played the Judas on that occasion, as
every one knows, and has not minced
words in telling the Newark aspirant
of the opinion Of thousands of Demo-
Gratis to that effect. His letter, sent
to Senator Smith, was as follows:
Hoboken, N. j., Sept. p, 1912.
Hon. James Smith, Jr.,
IA Washington Place,
Newark, New Jersey.
Dear Sir:-I am in receipt of your
letter of recent date expressing a
hope to enlist my aid in your candi-
dacy for the United States Senate.
To say I was surprised when l re-
ceived your letter on that subject,
would not describe my feelings.
You write hat you want every
democrat in the state to consider
impartially who they ought to sup
port. If that is done, the vote at the
primary next Tuesday will be over
whelmingly in favor of William
Hughes for United States Senator.
Judge Hughes has always been a
Democrat in thought and actions,
and ably represented his district and
the people generally while he was in
Congress.
Your announcement of your candi-
dacy for the high and exalted posi-
ton of United States Senator to rep
resent our State in that all import
ant body, and the statement in your
letter that you hope to enlist my aid,
| naturally carries my thoughts back
to the New Jersey state campaign in
| the fall of 1892, when my revered
father, who was then Governor OF
our commonwealth, was the &C
knowledged candidate of the Democ-
racy for the position of United
State Senator to be chosen by the
Senators and Assemblymen elected
in our state that fall. He had the
loyal support of the rank and file
of the democracy of the state, and
many of its citizens who were not
affiliated W h the democratic party.
He also IAd the promised support
| of the then so-styled leaders of our
party, of whom you were one. We
/ bOtI. Know that he considered you as
one of his truest ami most loyal
friends In that contest; from your
statements to him, he had a right
to so think.
The result Of the votes in the fall
of 1892 was a democratic legislature
and it was generally conceded that
Leon Albeit Chen living) had won
his fight, and would be the next
| United State Senator from New Jer-
sey.
You know-no one knows better
what influences were brought to
| bear upon the members of that legis-
| ldlulo Nllllh hCL III ohuoi y } iC"os
By the vote at the joint meeting of
that legislature you, who had been
| consulted and trusted by Leon Alb
bett as a friend during that cam
paign as well as previous campaigns,
took from him the votes which the
people of the state had practically
said should be cast for him, and you
were chosen United States Senator
to represent our state and the peo-
pie of this country.
Your record in the Senate on the
tariff and other measures is, of
course, we'll known, and does not
recommend your return to that body.
The country today wants, among
other ~reliefs, a downward revision
of the tariff, and the people of New
Jersey want to send to the United
States Senate q man who is honestly
(and without any mental reserva-
tions) in sympathy with the progress
sive principles in which the demo-
cratic party leads the nation, and
| who will work hand in hand, and
heart and soul, with u next Presi-
dent, Woodrow Wilson, in the task
Of relieving this country and it's peo-
pie from present unjust and unfair
conditions. We do not want a sem
ator to go to Washington from this
State who will obstruct or try to pre-
vent the passage in the Senate of
the democratic measures for the re-
lief of the people which will be ad-
vocated by our next president, as was
done by certain United States Sena-
torres when Grover Cleveland was
president, and when you were in the
Senate.
l cannot support your candidacy,
but am doing and will do all I can to
advance the candidacy of William
Hughes, who will, if he Is chosen
Senator, faithfully represent the peo-
pie of our State and of this nation,
and who will support all the great
progressive measures referred to in
the Democratic platform, and which
are advocated by Woodrow Wilson.
Very truly yours,
LEON ALBEIT.