The Penn's Grove record., 1919-01-24
PAPER SLIPS END
SENATE FIGHT
Case Laid Them on Window Sill
and Runyon Picked Ore
Labeled president"
OTHER HAD LEADER" Gu IT.
Somebody Suggested the Scheme to the
Somerset Man, ard the Gentleman
From MON Agrees to lt-Mystery
Is as to Real Deadlock Breaker.

Is as to Real Deadlock Breaker.
Trenton.-Featured by Il squahhle
as to committee assignments ana me
inability of the members of the assem-
bly, to agree on the election OF a sleah-
er, the legislature of New Jersey ON
yened for its one hundred ana forty
third session.
In the lower house are 80 Republlc-
ans and 30 Democrats.
The senate got 50 far as to erect
Senator William y. Runy0n of Union
rs president in accord with the al
vance program adopted by the ltepuo-
licans, and it did re-elect NlillalA H.
ALBRIGHT of Gloucester county se'fe-
tary, but that is as far as it got. Inc
selection of committees by Pres'dei'
Runyon opened the predicted vista OF
fractional trouble for the session and
pending settlement of this inside dIii-
Guilty. and no other officers were clio-
sen. and adjournment was taken.
The assembly did net get ever that
far. 1t took five Intellectual ballots on
the speakership without attempting 10
accomplish any further result and thea
also adjourned. On all five ballots
James J. McAteer of Hudson, theD Dem
ocratic choice, received 80 votes anu
Arthur n. Pierson of Union, h lie
publican candidate, the same NUMBER.
In all the ballots each c~oufteeNStF
voted for the other, leading one oid
timer to remark, "Gracious, suppose
enc of 'em should make a slip n vote
for himself?" But no such political
cataclysm came to relieve the tension.
Two Scraps Of Paper.
The story of how Senator william
y. Runyon of Union county came 10 BE
chosen as president OF the upper house
of the New Jersey legislature acting
Governor of the state when Governor
Walter L. Edge zoe te the tinted
States senate and may make Senator
Runyon a candidate for the guberna-
toriaI nomination by the Republican
party in the coming September prlma-
ries is likely TO he hashed. rehashed
and guessed al for some time 70 come
II is a narrative that should not he
penned on ordinary newspaper copy
ape for it is too good for that
Every reader OF a state OF local
newspaper-or metropolitan newspa-
per, for that matter-kuows that The
New Jersey Republican senators,
strongly in the majority, were dead
locked on the choice of senate presl-
dent. Seven held out for Senator Har-
old r. Wells Of burlington county. and
an equal number stood for Senator
William 3. Mackay of Bergen county.
Eight votes were necessary to settle
the question in caucus
Nothing doing. Both factions held
10 their respective lines. A compro-
mise was suggested by Governor Edge,
United States Senators Frelinghuysen
and Baird and State Republican Chair
man Bugbee.
To make a long story short, that
came to pass. 1t was agreed by the
warning tribes to leave it all up to
Senate Clarence Case of Somerset
county and Senator Runyon. They
were to retire, talk it over between
themselves, reach q conclusion, return
10 The room where their party col
leagues We're in waiting, announce
their decision. which was 10 be ratified
by the caucus.
The prevailing idea before Messrs.
Runvon and Case pctook themselves
away to deliberate was tAat Case
would be the selection for senate preSi-
la,+ and p,lu,,nr for Marry leader ON
the floor. 1t turned cut to he just the
reverse.
Senator Case, a MackaY supporter,
announced that Senator Runyon, a
Wells advocate although these points
did not figure in the matter) was the
choice for president and himself (Case)
the floor leader selection. The conclu-
sion reached by the pair was ratified.
Then came speculation, conjuring and
guessing. How did it happen? There
was something like a Juror among the
newspaper correspondents.
Did Case and Runyon flip" a coin?
Was such an ~undignitied proceeding
rpsOrted to in such a serious matter Of
state importance? Case and Runyon
smiled. looked wise, but said nothing.
1t was a case Of no answer on the
part of the witness.
As a matter of fact, there vas no
DIN tossing. This is how It happened.
Case and Runyon got together in a side
room. Case had two slips of paper.
One contained the word: