Perth Amboy evening news., 1919-11-04
,u The Asaocfated Press.

6u The Associated Press.
TRENTON, Nov. 4:-The chief
issue in the New Jersey elections TO-
day, at which a governor and state
legislature will be chosen, was pro-
hibition. An unusually heavy vote
was forecast.
State Senator Edward I. Edwards,
Democratic candidate for governor,
in his campaign speeches declared he
favored q liberal enforcement OF
the prohibition amendment, and that
if elected he would use all the legal
machinery at his command to make
the state wet.
Newton A K. Bugbee, state comp
troller, the Republican gubernatorial
nominee, who in his speeches said
the question was federal and not
state issue, was supported by the
prohibition forces.
Another question that aroused wide
interest was the woman's suffrage
amendment-the Republicans favor
ing submitting it to the legislature for
adoption or rejection, while the
fication.
New Jersey was one of the four
states of the Union which refused to
ratify the prohibition amendment to
the federal constitution, and in their
state convention the Democrats took
the ground that the people, as repre-
sented In the legislature, are opposed
to prohibition. The plank in their
platform on this subject declared that
every legal means possible VIII pe
used to prevent ratification and en-
forcement of the amendment, and
Senator Edwards has made this the
principal theme of his campaign. The
Republicans took the ground that the
amendment will be the law Of the
land in January next, and that all the
states will be obliged to abide by that
law. Comptroller Bugbee followed
this line in his canvass of the state
and made many savage attacks upon
his opponents.
- Upon the trolley fare question.
which has aroused so large a part of
the state, the Democrats took the
ground that the State Utility Com
mission as at present constituted Is
subservient to the Public Service Cor
poration, which, in turn, wields large
powers with the Republican organiza-
tions of the state. They denounced
the zone system, which has aroused
such widespread hostility; declared
for nickel fares and promised an cleo
tive Utility Board, In case of triumph
at the polls Senator Edwards has
closely followed these lines, and has
declared that, If elected, he will at
once remove the members of the
Utility Board in favor of body more
responsive to the popular will. The
Republicans also declared against the
zone scheme of trolley fare collec-
ton, and in the last days of the cam
paign Comptroller Bugbee has come
out in favor of a turnover of the
Utility Board.
The general impression OF the sit
uation is that the election will be
virtually settled by the large vote of
Hudson county, the home of Senator
Edwards, which Is unwaveringly
Democratic and Essex, where former
State Chairman Nugent is the party
leader and a power at the polls. The
South Jersey counties are likely to
give Bugbee a rather large lead, but
that could be overcome by the vote
of Hudson and Essex. Mayor Frank
Hague, the Hudson Democratic leader
declares the county will give Senator
Edwards at least 10000 majority, and
Nugent says Essex is safe for Ed
wards because of the sentiment there
against prohibition.
In the exciting battle for Governor
little attention has been given to the
canvass for members OF the Senate
and Assembly. Sixty Assemblymen
from the twenty-on counties are to
be elected, constituting the whole
to be chosen. The usual number is
seven of the 21, one from each coun-
ty, but there are two unexpired terms
to fill this year. There will be four
holdover Democrats, representing
Hunterdon, Middlesex, Sussex and
Warren counties, and eight holdover
Republicans, representing Camden,
Cape May, Essex, Gloucester, Passaic,
Salem. Somerset and Union counties.
1t will be necessary, therefore, for the
Democrats to win seven and the Re
publicans three to gain majority in
the Senate. The Senate last year
stood fourteen Republicans and six
Democrats, with one vacancy. The
Assembly last year was tie between
the two parties, resulting in a long
deadlock over the choice of Speaker
and organization.
The elections for Senator this year
occur in Atlantic, Bergen, Burlington.
Cumberland, Morris, Mercer and
Ocean, which are likely to be Repub-
lican; Hudson. which Is sure to be
Democratic, and Monmouth, which is
debatable ground, although the
chances favor the Democrats. The
Legislature in joint session will have
the election of a state Comptroller in