The sun., 1914-09-13
Coz. EeMer's S Leadership
at Stake in Hudson Race
Control of Party in New Jersey Depends Upon Election of
f. +. kinkead as Sherff-Defeat Will Mean Victory
for II. Otto Wittpenn. Naval Officer of Port


TRENTON. Sept. le-- Behind the spec
tacular primary fight that is being waged
over the Democratic nomination for sheriff
In Hudson county is the Anal desperate
struggle of Gov Jsmes y. Fielder to
have himself recognized as the leader Of
his party in the state. Compared with
the Democratic battle In Hudson. all other
political contests In New jersey are ex-
ceedingy tame affairs. Gov. Fielder has
put Representative Eugene r Kink,ad into
the rght as his personal choice for sheriff.
the nomination by the Democrats In Hud-
son being equivalent to an election.
~ Fielder succeeds In forcing kinkead
over, he will not only regain much Of
his waning party prestige In the state
but he will deal staggering blow 10
the leadership OF Naval officer ". otto
Wittpenn Of the Port Of New York, who
is now regarded as having n much stronger
grip on the party than Fielder.
Thus far Fieders efforts Ia force his
leadership on the Democracy have been
rather dismal failures, and he fully an
preciat,s that he cannot suffer another
defeat without jeopardizing his chances
Of bcing an important factor In the tu-
ture management Of his party. Fielder
Is generally regarded ~ having his eye
on tho United States Senatorial nomins-
tiop when the term of James Edgar Mar
tine expires in 1916. and n setback for
him in his home county OF Hudson would
make hard shedding for him In other parts
OF the state
And so the Governor. with Judge Mark
Sullivan, Surrogate John p Egan and
a host Of lesser lights induced Kinkead
to enter the field. kinkead. who was
named for Congress two years ago by
former senator James Smith. Jr., and
Naval officer Wlttpenn. fell out with smith
last winter. and realizing that IL would
be impossible to get congressional re-
nomination succeeded in having himself
agreed upon for postmaster of Jersey
city He was to have had that office at
the end Of the present session Of Con
gr.ss but upon his selection to max" the
race for sheriff as the Fielder candidate
he relinuuishe his claim upon the post
office. The salary Of the postmaster is
SIS 900 while that Of the Sheriff IL sl0,-
600.
Kinkead ia devoting his campaign
largely to an attack on former senator
smith. and has even gone 50 far as to
make a speech in the House OF Repre-
sentatives assailing the old time party
chieftain. Up to tho rr,sent Smiths only
r,taliation has heen TO point out that
Kinkead was named first AS an Alderman
in Jersey City and then as y Congress
man nv tho old machine forces that he is
now denouncing and to express q kind of
good natured pity for the Representative.
Through tho late Robert Davis who
was Smiths ally in Hudson county. Kin
kead got many valuable public con
tracts. 49, well as contract for the
advertising In the street ears Of Hudson
and Essex counties. and these facts are
furnishing the kinkead opponents with
some choice morsels for mud singing.
AS gracefully as the circumstances will
permit the Fielder candidate II sidestep-
ping these assaults and proclaming him
self As the choice OF President Wilson and
appealing to the voters to support him In