The Penn's Grove record., 1915-12-24
STATE CAPITOL NEWS
What The State Officials Are Doing.
What The Political Leader Are
Talking iibOui.

dfen should turn 70 Inc WD1r1 OF p0Iu<
cal life. What happened was that the
demands Of Santa upon the legislators
and politicians for Christmas shopping,
etc, was so great that few Of them got to
the State House for the usual Governors
Day political confab. However, while
few politicians were present, there was a
lot Of political gossip and speculation, not
only in connection with the opening OF
the Legislature now 50 rapidly approach
ing, but also as to the various phases of
next years campaign.
The conferences Of prominent National
and State Democratic leaders to be held
with Governor Fielder in this city on
Wednesday Of next week formed the chief
topic Of political conversation. This
meeting has been called by Governor
Fielder and viii take place in the State
Democratic headquarters on West State
street near the Capitol, at 2.30 o'clock
.. N. Among those who viii be present
upon the Governors invitation are Jos
eph P. Tumuity, Secretary to President
Wilson; Robert S. Hudspeth. of Hudson
County. the New Jersey member of the
National Democratic Committee Edward
E. Grosscup, chairman of the Democratic
State Committee; the members of the
Executive Committee Of the State Com
mittee. who are Congressman Thomas J..
Scully. Of Middlesex; United States Dis
trict Attorney J.. Warren Davis, Of Sa-
lem County; James r. Nugent, of Es-
sex; Charles Mcdonald, of Monmouth
former Senator Johnston Cornish, of
Warren; Jacob Shurts, of Somerset, and
Alexander Dunn, Of Ocean; Naval Officer
81. Otto Wittpenn and Surrogate John P.
Egan, the leaders of the two Democratic
factions in Hudson County.
Governor Fielder said yesterday that
he did not care to discuss the conference
in advance. From other sources, how
ever, it was learned that the purpose of
the meeting viii be to discuss Democratic
conditions in this State; to bring togeth-
er in harmony the various party factions
and also, in all likelihood. to discuss
available candidates for Governor and
United States Senator. Secretary Tu-
multy and National Committeeman Hud-
-speth hive been invited to the conference
because the campaign next fall viii have
a National aspect with a President, a
United States Senator and twelve mem
bers of Congress to be voted for in this
State. The two rival Hudson County
leaders have been requested to attend as a
part of the effort to heal all ruptures in
the party ranks.
In advance Of the conference nothing
definite can be said as to candidates.
There has been a lot of gossip as to what
men might be endorsed as candidates, but
it has had no foundation in fact. From
what can be learned it is not at all likely
that any candidates viii be definitely de-
cided upon at this meeting. Those
close to Governor Fielder declare that the
prime object of calling these leaders to-
gether was to make certain that the party
should be put in the best possible condi-
ton for the great battle upon which it
is just entering. and that the question of
candidates would be a greater considera-
ton.
It was learned today that friends of
Governor Fielder are urging him to get
in the race for United States Senator.
The Governor, owever, reiterates his in
tention Of retiring to private life at the
end of his term to devote his attention
to his law practice. There seems to be
a settled opinion sAat United States SEN
ator James e. MARITIME viii nave opposi-
ton for the nomination, but as yet there
are no indications of the Democratic
leaders, either National or State, having
united upon any particular man to OPP
pose Senator MARITIME.
.
As to the ~Governorship, just now the
talk az Wittpenn as the candidate seems
to be The strongest, but the Democratic
political situation is not sufficiently cry
sai5ea = sey definitely that he win BE
the standard bearer. The csa{erence
next Wednesday may SO clarity the stu
ation as to result in q decision Of the
party leaders to get behind Wittpenn.
but there is no certainty about this. The
names of State Chairman Grosscup,
Banking and Insurance Commissioner
LaMonte, Frank s. K~atzenbach, Sheriff
Eugene Kinkead, of Hudson, Congress-
man Thomas j. Scully. former Congress-
man William E. Tuttle, Jr., of Union
County. and others, continue to be men
toned for either Governor or United
States Senator.
Following the Christmas holiday, the
Republican legislators and leaders viii
hold an important conference at the
State House next Tuesday. This viii be
only two weeks in advance of the open
ing of the session of the Legislature, and,
hence, the gathering will have much to do
with the final shaping Of the pre-legisla-
tive program. Reports win be received
from all the Committees which have in
hand the drafting of the bills to meet the
pledges in the Republican State platform
The majority members of each House
will attract more than ordinary interest,
because of the fact that much win de-
pend on the result of the session just in
advance Of the Presidential campaign.
=
The Republicans of Essex County had
an enthusiastic jubilee on Monday night
On the occasion of the testimonial din
ner given to county counsel Alfred N,
Dalrymple in Kreuger auditorium. New.
Continued on page Al