Perth Amboy evening news., 1920-09-30
SAY THOMPSON
HURT HERBERT
Friends of AppIeby Say
Thompson Was Used in
Campaign to Aid AppIeby

During the early morning hours
on Wednesday-when the reports of
the Republican congressional race
fwere coming in from all parts of the
third district. the chance of all three
candidates seemed to hang in the
balance SO evenly that a few votes
for any of the three candidates
might decide the winner. At 2 o'clock
Wednesday morning 1t looked like.
anyone's race and the exceptionally
strong run being made by Joseph M.
Thompson, Of New Egypt, came as
a surprise to many Republican lead
ers who had looked for a meek and
neck" contest between 7. Frank
Appleby, the successful Asbury Park
candidate, and John w. Herbert, of
Helmetta.
Herbert was said to have been the
New Brunswick G. o. p. factions
choice as his run in the county seat
and many parts of the county would
Indicate that this was the case. In
Perth Amboy however the result was
different. Appleby was the favorite
and Thompson was the second
even up matters however New
Brunswick gave the Helmetta man
about 1000 more than was given
Appleby. Thompson did not make
such a strong showing there.
Mr.. Appleby. who was the fret
candidate tc announce his candidacy
for congressional honors, started
early with his campaigning. Then
followed Mr.. Herbert and later,
coming as somewhat of a dark
horse" was the entrance of Mr..
Thompson. Considerable discussion
in political circles followed the en-
trance of the New Egypt man into
the race. one rumor which seemed
more persistant than others being
that he had been induced to enter
the race by supporters of Herbert
who expected that Thompson's pres
ence would have a tendency to cut
AppIeby's vote and thus make II
easy sailing for the Helmetta man.
Friends of Mr.. Appleby, still claim
even now that the victory has been
won that there was something
strange about Mr.. Thompson's can
didacy.
Another point about Thompson'sI
candidacy which was talked OF con-
siderably by supporters of Mr..
Appleby was that his manager ana
Herbert's campaign manager were
close friends and possibly working
with the same object in view
namely, that of Strengthening Her
bert by having Thompson win over
a part of the votes which woulo
otherwise be cast for Appleby.
If such was the intention, 1t fall
ed, to defeat the Asbury Park man,
who. despite the heavy Thompson
vote managed to keep ahead of Her
bert in Monmouth and Ocean coun-
ties and follow on his heels-only
about twenty-five votes behind-ln
Middlesex, Herbert's own county.
Thompson's entrance into the
race proved to have the qualities OF
a boomerang, however. as 1t show
ed that the New Egypt man not
only annexed many of the votes
which would have been Appleby's,
but also injured Herbert's chances
of winning by annexing ballots
which otherwise would have belong
ed to the Middlesex county man.
1t was thought at one time during
the early morning hours when the
returns were coming in. showing
unexpected Thompson miniature
"iandslides." that he would be the
candidate nominated. Herbert's
showing in Middlesex county is con-
sidered to have been a poor one
considering the fact that 1t was his
home county.
Thompson proved 10 De the
ladies man. of the campaign with
out doubt and the addresses made
by he and his wife resulted in many |
Appleby and Herbert votes going to
him. His slogan of Jail the prof.
teer'' struck a responsive chord with
many housewives while the sol
diers' preference" plank in his plat
form brought forth the votes OF
many ex-service men. The Jr. o. U.
A. NJ. was strong behind Thompson
in all three counties.