The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1916-09-23
Claim is Made That He is Best
Vote Getter Republicans
Gould Nominate For
Governor.
HIS BUSINESS PLAN POPULAR

AL@ooI VI bAS " k8O -
Material nomination. They seem to
have caught up with the spirit of the
direct primary, having gone din ectly
to the people with their claims to pre-
ferment, rather than seeking the ia
vor of political bosses. And 1t has
been a clean, square fight, which will
leave no bad blood after the primary.
That Senator Walter E. Edge, OF
Atlantic county, has set the pace is
generally conceded. Not only has he
covered more ground in the campaign
than either of his opponents, but he
has also supplied the main issue-the
issue of a business administration of
state affairs. His opponents have
trailed in on this, but he alone has
presented a specific program for the
future, while pointing to his record OF
achievement in business legislation
for the state.
The only question raised against
Senator Edge by Colonel Austen Col
gate, of Essex, was that Edge being a
South Jerseyman would not command
the support in Essex and Hudson
counties that a North Jersey candidate
would, and therefore Colgate shoul1
be chosen to insure party success.
While Republican state leaders deplore
this appeal to s~ectionalism, and many
Republicans in Colonel Colgate's own
county have said that it unfairly 1e-
fleets upon their party loyalty, the
ILd6S CdIlpdl6A A1o1d6C1o nav pr
sented facts and figures to shatter the
Colgate argument.
They point to the fact that Edward
c. Stokes, elected governor by. 1854
plurality, the highest ever given a
candidate, came from South Jersey,
from Cumberland, a small county,
while the two more recent Republican
governors, both hailing from Essex,
were elected by pluralities OF 1913 and
1913 respectively, that n lost his
own county and was only saved from
defeat by the South Jersey vote. ms,
they say, shows that there Is nothing
In the Colgate contention. They claim
that a man hailing from Atlantic, hay-
ing the solid backing of a reliable Re-
publican county that Is free from fac
tiOnal disturbance, would be a stronger
candidate throughout the state than a
man from Essex, the hot-bed of faction
alism.
Moreover, the bulk Of the Republican
majorities lies not in North Jersey, but
In the counties south of Mercer and
Ocean inclusive, they having furnished
49, 0 of the $4,000 Republican ma
state Last fall. The Colgate contention
would bar any candidate for governor
who does not reside in either Essex
OF Hudson county, yet these two coun-
ties last fall pOlled only $4,000 Repub-
hcan votes, as compared with $4,000
LIZ III NOLOo Wills q IL "a
tic majority of 500, while Republican
votes In the rest of the state numbered
143 100 in comparison with 99,S00
Democratic votes, a Republican ma
jority of 43 5000. In selecting the Re-
publican nominee for governor would
1t not be we'll to listen to he " per
cent of Republicans who live outside
of Essex and Hudson counties? In
order to win, the nominee must be a
v~ote-getter not IN one or two big coun-
ties only, but in everyone of the TWEEN
ty-one counties. Besides, both candi.
from North Jersey, and the Edge sup
p~orters say the ticket would be i'll
balanced and not truly representative
of the whole state ii South Jersey were
denied recognition.
They point to the recent endorse
ment given Senator Edges candidacy
by the Newark Evening News" the
leading independent newspaper OF New
Jersey, as evidence that the independ-
emit vote is more likely to go to Edge
than to Colgate. The News" the
most w~idely-read of all the newspa.
pers published in Essex county, said
of Senator Edge:
His personal character is un-
blemished, and as a member of
the New Jersey senate he has to
his credit a RECORD of constructive
and beneficial enactments that it
hOb1u NC olAlIOo1l " uupllCdICs Ial
beyond this he cherishes an ideal
founded On both public and private
experience of a state government
nodded on lines of efficiency and
conducted on rules of economy,
with the executive as business
manager in close touch with all
departments and familiar with the
business of each. = y y He
has worked out the actual moves
and changes necessary to make
the new order effective. y = y
Mr.. Edges past performance is an
evidence that he will fu. fill his
pledge if given the opportunity to
translate his words into deeds"
Frank Willing Leach, the we'll
known political writer, for the last
four years a follower of Theodore
Roosevelt, and officially identified with
the Progressive organization in New
Jersey, after careful consideration of
the several ~gubernatorial candidates
reached the conclusion that thousands
of those who have recently refrained
from afiliating with the Republican
party will support Walter E. Edge"
The candidate who thus appeals 10 the
Independent vote, and who would un-
questionably command the regular or
ganiZation support is undoubtedly the
strongest man the Republican party
could nominate, the Edge managers
claim.
Other elements of Senator Edges
strength as a vote-getter are pointed
out. AS the introducer of the work
mems compensation act, and of many
bills to improve conditions in work
shops and factories, he has incu re l
the gratitude of labor. Many union
organizations have endorsed him INT
the State Federation of Lab@r has ex-
pressed appreciation of his sympa-
thetic cooperation in the passage OF
labor measures.
Business men and taxpayers have
been quick. to comprehend what the
Edge business management plan
mean TO the state. The estimate
saving. Of 100000 in the next year by
operation of the state purchasing
agency, Ahe financial reforms effecte
by the state budget act, and tie
economy and efficiency program, al
creditable to Senator Edge, are but
stepping stones to the goal, the per.
fecting of New Jerseys admintstya,
tion so that 1t will lead all the states
In business efficiency, and afford the