The Washington herald., 1914-02-28
Political Procession.
By ". ID. q.

When Thomas Jefferson Scully and
] William Edgar Tuttle, Democratic Con-
gressmen from New Jersey, are missed
from their usual evening conferences
in the Willard way the guess is good
that they are aiding their beloved party
up Passaic way in the State which gave
, the nation a President. along with more
Democrats in Congress, to uphold his
hands than Jersey has known In many
years. Really the unselfish desire Of
Scully' and Tuttle calls for commenda-
tion. as they have districts which have
fiickered the other way in other years,
and which need rather close attention in
year like 1914 which promises some
shocks TO Democrats not blessed with
residence in the administrators home
State.
Both Scully and Tuttle are young busi-
ness men who apply business methods to
the maintenance OF political organiza-
tion. Possibly at heart they hardly SUBJ
scribe TO the lofty sentimental output
which is the privilege OF an administra-
ton intrenched with a term twice that
OF House member. but the word passes
that the special campaign TO elect sue
cessor TO Bremner in April must be con-
Quoted first on lines to insure victory and
incidentally with commendation of the
President as an actual issue, but not
overworked.
At the outset of this contest, the DEM
ocrats admit the district Is normally Re-
publican and pains are taken to proclaim
in alvanCc that defeat would Feni'y no:
reflect against the White House way Of
doing thiTfs. Also the district. comEris-
ing all but two townships OF n single
populous county. is practically one big
Workshop filled with working men and
women in mills and factories. They are
wabbling some over the tales of the I'M
employed and what they know of the
laid on contingent at home. They ars
iacIined to blame somebody and the sd
ministration is handy with a special cleo
ton, giving excuse for blow. Hence
the question mark is frequent when abe
assimilatOrs among the people like Scully
and Tuttle came into the White House
consulting room. along with that other
astute and soft-voiced political adviser.
Tumulty. by name. Possibly the Tumult:'
wisdom will advise against the rather
hasty declaration of Senator Hughes in
favor of any one candidate. thus mark
ing him as the choice of the administra-
ton.
Hughes has picked out Anton Peterson,
civil engineer OF Passaic, but other
ambitious Democrats resent designation
of favorite by Washington. either by
Executive or Senatorial approval. Judge
CaDell and James kerwin. long active
in Democratic affairs. declare themselves
entitled to consideration, also votes.
The Republicans are SO sure OF reclaim
ing the district that a dozen candidates
are seeking the nomination and there is
hope of winning back the Progressives
Of last year who went to Bremner. hav-
ing no candidate OF their own There
will be much pondcring in Executive
circles before the President decides TO
take a personal hand in the fight. and
already the managers have figures ready
to use in case Of defeat-figures showing
the normal tendency toward Republican
sentiment and a list of Republican merI-
bers since 1895.
Shades of 1896, Think Of the Mckinley
and Hobart campaign and subsequent
ones sending almost solid Republican
to Congress from New Jersey,
while now Browning. one lone Republi-
can. heads a list OF twelve members, not
including two Democratic Senators. With
the election of Mckinley New Jersey had
but eight House members, but each one
chosen with him was a Republican, and
several held on many terms James
Smith was a hold over Democratic Sena-
tor, along with William F. Sewell, Re
publican, but two years later Smith gave
way to John Kean, a Republican.
Few Democrats broke in prior to the
1910 smash of things, and some had to
be let in with the increase to dozen
districts, but no such overwhelming ma
jority was expected. nor do the Demo-
Gratis hope to keep 1t up. however well
backed by the administration at WASH
ington, and one equally eager at Trenton.
The need of Republicans in Jersey is
big leader CT national size. Hobart and
Sewell did well in their time. but their
SUCCESSORS have hardly come to the fore
front of battle
Senator Briggs was an able. lovabie
Senator trained as a soldier and engineer,
but hardly ambitious to be political
general He. too, Is dead. dying few
weeks after his term expired.
Before 1916 some new Republican leader
may arise, and great will be the Joy from
Hoboken to Cape May when one gets
the right grip on things in the old way
of Hobart, Sewell and Company, with
connections financial and moral on the
New York side of North River.