The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-08-24
BUGBEE STILL HAS
SHADE ON RUNYON
Governor Gains Steadily, How
ever, in New Jersey Pri-
mary Fight.
Special pespatcA TO TIE srs.

TRENTON, Aug. 23.-Statewide primary
elections will be held in New Jersey one
month from to-day. The results will
determine which Of the four Republi-
cans and which of the three Democrats
now in the field will represent each of
these parties as the candidate for Gov
ernor. Nominations will also be made
OF candidates for State Senator, nine Of
whom are to be elected; Assemblymen,
OF whom sixty are to be chosen county
officers, such as Sheriff. County Clerks,
Surrogates and Registrars OF Deeds.
where vacancies occur. and municipal
officers in municipalities not governed
by commissions.
As the time for the primaries ap-
proaches the contest for Governor is
warming up noticeably. On the Repub-
lican side Gov. Runyon and Newton A.
X. BugDee, State Comptroller, are now
looked upon as the real contenders, with
former Mayor Thomas L. Raymond OF
Newark and Warren C. King of Bound
Brook as a field
From outward appearances Mr.. Bug
bee still holds the inside of the rum
ming, although Gov. Runyon has been
gaining ground steadily since he re-
Gently promulgated the platform on
which he bases his claim for recogni-
ton. The Governor, however, lacks an
efficient organization such as that to
which Mr.. Bugbee fell heir when Gov
Edge relinauished his post to become
United States Senator.
Present indications point TO the closes st
kind OF night for the Democratic nomi-
nation between Senator Edward l. Ed
wards of Hudson and James r. Nugent
of Essex. Since his unexpected entry
as a candidate some weeks ago Mr.. Nu-
gent and his friends have displayed an
aggressiveness rarely equalled In pri-
mary campaigns. This activity Is partly
| reflected in the fact that Mr.. Nugent's
nominating petitions now contain more
than $4,000 signatures, as against not
more than one-sixth of that number on
the petition of Senator Edwards.
The Nugent movement will be given
further impetus at the annual outing OF
the Joel Park Association. the Oldest DO.
litical organization of the kind IN the
State, at Neptune Heights next Tuesday.
Thousands of Democrats will attend the
outing. which is one of the picturesque
political events of the year In New Jer-
sey. Mr.. Nugent Is president of the as
ISOLATION, which was used as the vehicle
for his entrance into the Gubernatorial
race.
Essex county promises to be the piv-
ptal point In the coming battle for po-
lltical supremacy. On the Democratic
eide Senator Edwards has decided to
place an entire county ticket of his
own In the field to oppose the candidates
Of the Nugent organization. The politi-
cal wisdom OF such a step is doubtful
1t is not within the range OF reasona BILE
possibilities that the Edwards ticket can
make even a respectable showing against
the Nugent forces In Essex, and Il is
probable that the opposition thus enRen-
dered will draw from Senator Edwards
support which otherwise he might have
had
Mr.. Nugent also is invading Hudson,
the home county OF Senator Edwards,
but In 30 doing Il pursuing different tao
tics. He is not attempting to oppose
the Hudson organization, but Is seeking
such personal support as is obtainable
with the help OF political friends.
The Republican situation in Essex Is
no less complicated than that Of the
Democrats. Efforts Of Col. Austen Col
gate to bring about harmony between
the warning factions by the formation
OF a coalition ticket came to naught
this week. when the regular organization
Republicans fiatly refused TO admit the
names Of dry" candidates on the ticket.
This resulted In an announcement that the
Essex County Republican League, COM
posed OF a number of Republicans for
merly identified with the local option
and prohibition movements, would NOM
mate a complete ticket to oppose the
regular Republicans. =
The Republican organization OF Essex
Is not unmindful OF the fact that the
county was lost last year by the nomina-
ton OF prohibition candidates for the
Assembly.