Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-11-09
THE REVOLT IN CAMDEN

"A on Tuesday. that from which DaVE
Baird ruled in Camden for 10! these many
years Is peculiarly conspicuous. senator
Frelinshuysen. fighting desperately for his
political life. made no secret Of the trust
which he put In Camden and Mr. Baird.
Other regions Of the State might seem
dubious and disposed TO 60 unwisely from
the fold. Northern regions like Jersey CITY
and Hoboken and Newark. never quite de-
pendable in a political emergency. might 90
impiously and In company with the uncon-
verted rich Of the Oranges TO light wine
and beer and Mr.. Edwards. They were
uncertain. said the prophets, like othe: Sec
tions Of the interior where there was OBJ
vious dissatisfaction with the record of Ke-
publican leaders in matters affecting street
railways and the Public Service Corporation
generally. But Camden was not uncertain.
1t was in the plans Of the campaign man.
ayers what South Philadelphia usually Is
in the calculations Of the State Committee
Of Pennsylvania. It was impregnabie.
When late on Tuesday evening the winds
began to blow cold. the watchers at Repub-
lican tickers thought Of Mr.. Baird and his
organization and were comforted. Davy.
good old war horse, captain Of captains,
friend Of the politically afflicted, was out
there in the storm holding his stronghold
against the heather. They knew Davy. He
had never failed them. And he would not
fail them now!
Had Camden and Atlantic Counties and
the adjacent regions run anywhere near to
form, had they been kept in the ranks.
Edwards and Silze- would have been de-
feated. Mr.. Rairds organization may have
revolted. 1t may have been permitted to
wander. The apathy Of which we had heard
SO much may have been merely in the bosoms
NJ 49, A;nI
The grisly fact IS that the Camden landslide
which was to have saved the occasion didn't
develop. Camden came perilously near to
giving the Democrats majority Of its vote.
Jersey politics, as We have said before, IS
a deep game. It has been clear for long
time that !nnumeratle small leaders Of the
Republican organize tious we're moro wet"
than Republican. What really happened
below the surface in Camden and at points
south We shall never know until somebody
on the inside writes The Mirrors OF Jersey.
One fact looms darkly out Of the gem
eral confusion to attract the awed attention
Of party men. Mr.. Baird couldn't elect
Frel!nghuysen or he wouldn't. The conse.
quences in either case should be tho same.
The time seems to have come for Mr.. Baird
to retire to the political equivalent of Doom.
There can be no consolation for Mr. Ere
!;nshuysen and Mr.. Runyon and the other
casualties of the Republican ticket in the
thought tina. the people Of Camden. like the
people elsewhere In the State. displayed an
independence Of thought and action which,
aside from Its immediate tendencies and re.
suits, Is reassuring as political symptom.
Mr.. Edwards was not an ideal cnndi-
date. He didn't pretend TO be one. lie
presented himself on the stump as n rough
customer. determined to do all that Law in
his power to bring suffering to the com.
placent Republican minority in the Senate
OF the United States. lie is not constructive
by instinct, but he knows crowds and the
needs and prcjudices Of crowds.
For time It appeared that the friends
Of Frelinghuysen had found way TO defeat
him. They began powerful campaign Of
newspaper propaganda TO disclose schemes
Of road graft which, they alleged, had
dourished under Mr.. Edwards A,mn!stra.
ton. About this question all farmers nre
almost abnorma!!y sensitive. Their road
taxes are high. They hate the thought Of
spending large quantities Of hard earned
money for highways that may crumb!e in n
few years.
Mr.. Edwards went on un,nindfu! talk
ing to the crowds nbou, their ncrsouul
rights, about dictators who wanted 10 mnn.
age their souls for them. abou. ,h. ,ubsti.
tuition OF governmental might for the divine
right Of personal freedom anu al! that sor,
Of thing.
He was seldom technical. His c,.i.f n,
gument against Mr.. Frel!nghuysen wa, TINT
Frelinghuysen was one Of the ''catal Of
freedom stealers" in Washington.
The crowds were touched. They seem IN
have been convinced II the farmers we're
sensitive about road expenditures, thew
were still! more sensitive about other things.
SO were the people in cities like Camden
and Atlantic City. Camden took Mr.. I'd
wards warmly to its heart, And the ctrec,
is as sensational in the view Of any Jersey
politician. as II the Ware machine buI
bo!ted overnight and voted for q Democratic
candidate for the governorsh.p.
Mr.. Baird will have to shoulder .rost q,
the blame for this, whether he deserve, it
or not. lie may rc.e establish himself ns the
acknowledged caliph Of Camden County,
But il lie does he may be credited with
having performed a political miracle.