Perth Amboy evening news., 1922-10-24
IS
NOV. ISSUE
Both Edge and Hague's Fate
Will be Decided by Results
of Election

factors in the practical control OF
both the Democratic and Republican
parties for sometime to come. This
of course, is not an issue in the cam
paign which is now being waged.
by the respective candidates for
United States senator and governor.
It is behind the scene" so to speak.
Upon the outcome will depend to a
large the personal politi-
cal leadership in the Republican
party of Senator Walter Z. Edge. of
Atlantic county, and Mayor Frank
Hague, of Jersey City. in the Demo-
cratic party. Both of these men are
ambitious to control absolutely the
machinery of their own parties. One
of them. Mayor Hague, may be said
at this time to have reached hat
ambition. The other. Senator Edge,
is believed to have high hopes in that
direction. In the case of Hague the
coming election means the retention
of what he has grasped in party con-
troll. In the Ease of Edge the No
vember verdict may come a long
way toward giving him what his I'M
bition has craved.
Singularly enough to those who
make a business of following the in
~tricacies of state politics, If not to
the average citizen who does not
follow the game 365 days in the
year, both of these leaders a real
ize their hopes by n result on
the coming election day-a complete
victory for the Democratic ticket.
1t may, to the casual observer.
seem peculiar to reason that the
election of a Democratic United
States senator and the election of a
no-nN1rafi4 onuornnr on Nnuan1 her
z would help the fortunes of a lead
er of the opposite party. Yet it is all
simple enough upon some examina-
ton. The retirement of Senator
Frelinghuysen from the Republican
councils at Washington woul make
Walter E. Edge, now the Junior
United States senator from this
state. the senior senator and the
sole Republican representative from
New Jersey in this important branch
of the national legislative halls. Edge
would handle all the patronage
which to date he has had to share
with Mr.. Frelinghuysen. The present
Junior senator would be the adviser
and consultant on things political
relating to Republican politics in
this state. He would have ali the
power and prestige in a G. o. P. Ia
tional administration which would
GO with such al outstanding posi-
ton.
Senator Frelinghuysen has been a
close personal and political friend
of President Harding ana during
the time the latter has been in the
White House the senior senator. Of
course, has played a conspicuous
part in the affairs OF the admins
tration. Naturally this has to an
extent s~idetracked Senator Edge.
A defeat for Frelinghuysen this year
would give the now Junior senator
full sway for the next two years at
Washington. The election OF Gov
ernor Edwards would. Of course,
bring this all about. Being of the
opposite party to the present adj
ministration. the present governor
as a member of the United States
senate. would have nothing to say
in the matter of patronage or the
other advantages which go with
the ascendency of a senator of the
same political faith as ths Presi-
dent.
governor next month also mas it's in
teresting phase as respects the fort
unes of Senator Edge. 1t would re-
move the possibilities OF a Pepubii-
can governor competing with the
Atlantic City mar for the Republi-
a nomination for United States |
senator two years hence wnen Me-.
Edge up for reelection. |
With Runyon in the gubernatorial
chair for the coming two Years and
the power of great patronage avail
able as a lever to advance his own
interests in the Republican ranks,
well might the present junior SEN
atoI worry over capturing a re-
nomination. or course. the friends
of the p.tNent Republican candidate
fOf governor say he has neither
the ambition nor the money To
make him a contender for The EN-
atoriaI togl two years hence But
it would be mighty comfortable,
nevertheless. for the present junior
senator to know hal so far as the
eecutiye chair is concerned he need
have no fear OF rivals dn1ipg the
coming two years. Mr.. Edge knows
well the lever the governors Office
could be for such purposes. In the
years of 1917 and 1918 he was
governor himself and 1t was a
mighty big help as a stepping stone
10 Washington.
Thus the election of a Demo-
cratic governor this year would re-
move this "Runyon threat" for
1924 senatorial nomination nonors
IN the q g P. ranks. With no
one to share honors in the senate
and with no governor at home to
watch, it would indeed be flee sail
ing for the Atlantic City ntan, IL
the opinion of those who follow the
trend of New Jersey politics.
In such a situation it is easy to
imagine Senator Edge reaching out
fer. and with good prospects OF at
tanning too, the complete control Of
the Republican party leadership N
this state. Now he has to share 1t
with Frelinghuysen, Runyon, State
Chairman Stokes, former Senator
Baird, and National Committeeman
Kean. A victory for Frelinghuysen
means the continuance Of the At
'lantic City man as just the Junior
u. S. senator at Washington. A VIC
tory for Runyon mean worry ior
Edge during the next two years 20
keep the latter from reaching for
his senatorial togs.
An Edwards success and a Silzer
victory will carry the same
satisfaction to Mayor Hague. in
the Democratic ranks, as to Edge
in the Republican side. The Jersey
City Executive since 1919 has gain
ed practically complete control Of
the party machine in the twenty
one counties. with the possible ex-
ception of Essex. There James r.
Nugent still seems to hold sway but
with several bad thorns in the side
OF his organization in the form If
City Commissioners Bremen and
Gillen. But Hague has supplanted
Ryuoenf as the dominant character