Bridgeton pioneer., 1916-08-17
Edge Particularly Strong
in Essex.
BEST CAN D|DATE.
Show Candidate. Does Not Have
to Come from North to
Be Elected.
Special Correspondence.

Newark, N. j., Aug. Is, 1916-The
following statement was issued today
from the Edge Essex County Cam
paign Committee Headquarters
OF all the desperate eleventh-hour
efforts to revive the memory of the
Colgate candidacy, the most ridicu-
lous is the absurd claim being widely
circulated that the candidate for Gov
ernor must come from Essex County,
i'll order to secure the large Essex
and Hudson County Republican vote
or Election day.
AS enthusiastic Essex Republicans.
we emphatically resent such an as
persion on the party loyalty, and feel
that tn true condition as existing in
Essex County should be spread broad
cast without delay.
When the Essex Colgate hackers at
tempt to make it appear to the State
that he has solid party behind him
in Essex, it is untrue. Several thou
sand Essex County Republicans have
already either signed petitions favor
ing the nomination of Senator Edge,
or indicated in other ways their in
tention of supporting him, and right
in the Essex County Committee where
Senator Colgate was endorsed months
ago, the undercurrent for Senator
Edge is well known and understood,
and has been growing stronger since
the campaign opened.
These are days when records and
previous service will count with the
voters, rather than sectionalism.
1t must be flattering to Senator Col
gate to have this big county plea ad-
vanced as practically the sole rea-
son why he should receive the Repub-
Hcan nomination. Not a word about
his qualifications for the office, his
service to his party or any program if
nominated; just the arbitrary and
crude argument of sectional division.
Would it not be better for the Col
gate boosters to tell us wherein their
candidate has better claim or a bet
ter record than Senator Edge? Why
not tell us who put through the Work
mems Compensation Act, Regulation
of Factory conditions, and dozen
other acts to promote social justice,
or the Economy and Efficiency meas
ures, the Central Purchasing Bureau,
the State Budget System, or who has
made the question of business ad-
ministration the chief and original is
sue of the State campaign?
Why these things have become the
very articles of faith of theh Republi-
can Party and every one of them orig
mated with Senator Edge. Come!
Tell us what Colgate has done to ad-
vance the progress of the party he
would lead?
One of the striking testimonials of
Senator Edges fitness for guberna-
torial responsibilities is the fact that
practically all of his colleagues in the
Senate who have watched his activi-
ties for years are earnestly advocat-
ing his candidacy.
Referring further to the argument
advanced that the candidate must
come fom Essex or otherwise charg-
ing Essex Republicans of contem-
plated treachery, it is to be inferred
that should Ex-Governor Murphy be
nominated for United States Senator
that he would not be competent to as
sure Essex County's "undiluted loyal
ty" for the entire Republican ticket.
1t occurs to us if there is really any
thing IN the geographical argument at
all, then Senator Colgate should fol-
low in the footsteps of former Cover
nor Stokes and retire for the sake of
harmony. Both of the senatorial can
didates, Ex-Governor Murphy and ex-
Senate, Frelinghuysen, come from
North Jersey, and should, therefore,
be balanced by candidate for Gov
ernor from South Jersey. No Senator
Colgate cannot logically set up the
sectional argument as the reason why
he should be nominated.
Now let us pour few cold facts
upon the heated imaginations of Sen