Perth Amboy evening news., 1920-04-28

60
THE PRIMARIES.

Almost any kind Of Il meaning can
be taken from the New Jersey pri-
maries yesterday-it all depends on
what kind of a result n is looking
for. But whatever may be hidden
under the surface the result must be
taken at its face value. In this respect
the primaries were u great personal
triumph for Senator Johnson. Sena-
tors Frelinghuysen and Edge also
proved their popularity with the
voters. 1t is also apparent that tue
s'wet" issue played little part In the
primary as far rs the Republicans
are concerned
As for Middlesex county, the desire
TO nominate johnson was apparent
In the Industrial section. while the
rural districts failed to make much of
n showing either way. County Clerk
Gannon has retained his old-time
popularity.
.Johnson's showing Is q personal
triumph because It was his speech
making tour that turned the tide In
his favor. Had he not made his cam
paIgn as he did It is doubtful II he
would hardly have been in the rum
ming. His wonderful spell-bindins
ability, however. simply swept h
people off their feet. He handed out
the kind of talk the people want to
hear and got away with 1t.
Senators Frelinghuysen and Edge
won handsomely largely on their own
popularity, but the fact that they
promised to vote at the convention for
the candidate who received the pref
erenoe of the voters at the primaries
helped a great deal. The johnson
men because of this stand on the part
of the two senator's, threw their sup
port to them.
The wet" issue, apparently, aid not
enter into the consideration as far as
the Republicans are concerned.
Candidates known to be dry" ran as
well and, in some instances better
than the candidates known to be
a.wet."
One of the most significant facts in
connection with the primary is the ex-
tremely light vote in the country dis
tricts. For one thing, the weather was
against @ big vote for most of the
voters have to travel several miles TO
the polling place. But more m
portant than the weather Is the fact
that the farmers are too busy at this
time of year to bother with primaries.
ohnso is the acknowledged candi-
date of the so-called radical win or
the Republican party and there was
some doubt whether he could gain a
foothold in the more conservative
East, especially in reactionary New
Jersey. 1t is evident that the so-called
radical element went to the polls yes
terday while thousands who probably
favor neither Johnson nor Wood
stayed away. AS between n
and Wood, however. the issue was
CLEAN cut anu Nullo NooN IN "
have everything his own way at the
outset the Johnson ~onslaughts during
the closing days of the campaign
almost swept the state from under
Woods feet.
The claim may be made that be
cause of the comparatively light vote
3n many districts the result of yester-
days primary cannot be taken as an
expression of the viii of New jersey
voters. But the fact remains thai
every voter had an opportunity to ex
press his will and If he was too bus,
or too Indifferent to vote he has M
right to complain if the primaries die
not go as he desired.
Altogether, the primaries show tha'
New Jersey Is not afraid to show
radical tendency. The wal has made
us all radical-only some Of us are
more SO than others. johnson came
In and reaped the benefit by appeal
ing TO this tendency. He certainly hai
added considerably TO his prestige ant
cannot help but be greatly encouraged
The fact remains. however, that tn
great mass of delegates thus ia
chosen from all parts of the countr'
are un~pledged. Johnson still has
hard fight ahead 10 win the nomina
ton.