Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-08-09
BUGBEE WILL CARRY.
II JERSEY COUNTIES
Republican Forces Throughout
State Lean Toward organiza-
tion Candidate for Governor
BOOZE QUESTION OUT

Republican machine forces in seven
teen of Jerseys twenty one counties
were declared to be virtually unit for
Newton a. X. Bugbee, organization
candidate for the Republican nomina-
tion for governor in a summing up of a
non partisan survey this week Of the
political situation across the Delaware.
The bai'iwicks allotted to Mr.. Bugbee
do not include Hudson county, where
Republicans have been Mt variance for
-syears in n district which always goes
Democratic; Essex. where the G.. o. P
factions are making ready for battle
royal over Thomas Raymond, Newark's
former mayor. who is running on a
"wet" platform: Atlantic, Governor
Edges home district. where the ag-
gressive Kuehnle insurgents are pro-
Tossing to feel very friendly toward
( Raymond because the regular machine
is for Bugbee. and Union.
Union, it is conceded. probably will
cast its vote strongly for Governor
Runyon. Mr.. Bugbees most dangerous
opponent as matters stand. because it
is his home bniliwick. Friends of the
candidate. including the "wet" fol-
lowers of the Essex aspirant, are keep
ing their hands off.
The tendency is to avoid along the
whole line and in all Of the rival camps
any breeches that might refuse to re-
spond to harmonizing influences after
the primaries six weeks hence.
poo1a nuoef;o,, N-ot -.
It is generally conceded that Gov.
ernor Runyon clarified and simplified
the whole situation very materially this
week when in promulgating his plat
form he said the booze question is not
and cannot be made an important issue
in the campaign.
This statement removes any ground
for bitterness between Mr.. Bugbec and
the governor or their respective sun.
porters. it is contended. as that is en-
actly what the former has been main.
tanning ever since he declared himself
In the fight.
The Runyon pronouncement is all the
more significant in the light of the fact
that Messrs. Raymond and Nugent. both
of the Estate of Essex" have based
virtually all of their hopes upon appeals
to liberal resentment over the enforced
dryness now pervading New Jersey.
Some profess to believe Governor Run
yon. who has been regarded during vir-
tually the whole of his political career
as an apostle of the local optionists and
their brethren, the straightout prohi-
bitionists. is casting an anchor to wind
ward bidding for wet support.
1t has been pointed out that his
declaration that he will enforce the law
when the eighteenth amendment be =.
comes effective, if he is nominated in
September and elected in November,
really means nothing, for even the re-
>doubtable "Jim'' Nugent has said pre-
cisely the same thing and Mr.. Bugbee is
clearly upon record also in that con-
nection.
Passaic Goes for Bugbee
Passaic county, one of the largest
in the North Jersey tier, declared this
week for Bugbee beyond a shadow OF
doubt. Warning Bugbee and Raymond
leaders in Essex reached an agreement
looking to harmony and getting together
after the primaries. John Woolston,
chairman of the county committee, the
only conspicuous county leader to 60 in
unqualifedly for Raymond, has agreed
not to be a candidate for re election to
that Office if the Bugbee chiefs abandon
their threat to remove him summarily.
Mr.. Raymond, who under other cir
cumstances might have commanded the
support of the state organization,
swung into Senator Edges county of
Atlantic this week and TOLD his story
to the Kuehnle followers. His visit
scarcely caused a ripple there. because
Atlantic ceased to be liberal bat
tleground seven years ago, when then
Governor Wilson closed Atlantic City
tighter than the proverbial drum on
the first day of the week.
Atlantic now regards 'long dry
spell" as inevitable and views the pros
pect with equanimity. 1t is the firm
conviction of the Edge Bacharach =
Johnson machine that the home fight
over senator and assemblymen will not
be carried to the gubernatorial division.
ID The anticipated flocking to the Nu-
gent cause among Democrats has not
transpired in South Jersey, unless it
s IS in Camden, where the Newark boss
is to be feted week before the
primaries with an imported "wet" in
the person of Judge Bonniwell, Of this
city, as master of ceremonies.
Ocean County Visit Failure
Nugent's cause has made no percepti-
bic progress thus far in Atlantic, Cum
berland. Burlington or Mercer counties.
His visit to Ocean county, where he was
credited with delivering at least two
soul stirring addresses to the body poll
tic, which were not delivered in fact,
is claimed to have been failure.
II Is claimed-and there seems to be
good foundation for the assertion-that
+ the Democratic state organization is for
Senator Edwards, of Hudson. from
State Chairman Macdonald down, and
that whatever influence President vii
son and Mr.. Tumulty, his secretary
WELD at home has been promised to the
banker senator from Jersey City.
An interesting bit of political finan
cial history was disclosed this week as
an aftermath of Mr.. Raymond's sharp
attack upon Mr.. BuGbee and the Edge
machine during his flying visit to At
lantic county. o
Among other things the Essex candi
date for the Republican nomination
charged Mr.. Bugbee. as state comp
troller, and William F. Read. of Cam
den, as state treasurer, with keeping
millions of state funds upon deposit in