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1910 and 2008

by: Hopeful

Thu Jul 31, 2008 at 08:05:57 PM EDT

Back in 1910, New Jersey faced the question of who would replace John Kean as U.S. Senator. Woodrow Wilson had just been elected governor of New Jersey, having initially been the choice of the political bosses, but having run on a reform platform that earned him the support of progressives. In those days before the 17th Amendment, the Senator would be chosen by the Democratic-controlled State Legislature.

One possibility was James Martine, who had won the new, but non-binding, Democratic primary. As the New York Times put it, Martine was sure of Kean's place following the vote. But the political boss of New Jersey was James Smith, who demanded to be made Senator, as indeed he had been from 1893-1899 . Many New Jersey politicians thought the boss held the whip hand, but ultimately Wilson supported the people over the bosses, declaring:

I know the people of New Jersey do not desire Mr. James Smith, Jr., to be sent again to the Senate. If he should be he will not go their representative. The only means I have of knowing whom they do desire to represent them is the vote at the recent primaries, where 48,000 Democratic voters, a majority of the whole number who voted at the primaries, declared their preference for Mr. Martine of Union County. For me that vote is conclusive. I think it should be for every member of the Legislature.

Wilson's support was decisive and the choice of the voters became Senator.

How sad that almost a hundred years later, our own Party in NJ1 made a mockery of the voter's right to a primary and now may be selecting the boss's brother. Unlike the Democrats of 1910, we'll never know whom the voters desire to represent them.

Hopeful :: 1910 and 2008

Tags: 1910, NJ1, Woodrow Wilson, James Martine, James Smith, primary, Boss, (All Tags)

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1910 and 2008 | 5 comments

Dead Horse (0.00 / 0)

Stop Beating it!

How come there is not outrage and marching in the streets in the First District ?

No one is very upset about this except a few people on this site.

A replacement candidate was put on the primary ballot. A primary election was held. The District voters knew she was a placeholder and would be replaced and they were ok with that since she won an overwhleming victory. Now a replacement candidate is about to be named ( NO Surprise!), but because his name is Norcross the very foundation of Democracy has been shaken!

I can only imagine what would have happened if someone who was YOUR choice was selected. It , of course , would have been an enlightened decision!

Well rest assured. Democracy is safe. We will survive this " assault". The evil empire ( Darth Norcross) will not win out as long as you are vigilant.

But I do suggest that everyone just move on to more important issues.

All can't be bad if we have to go all the way back to the 1890's for an example.

Was James Smith in any way related to Norcross?

by: firstamend07 @ Fri Aug 01, 2008 at 00:42:28 AM UTC

by: you @ soon

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Why (0.00 / 0)

does it bother you so much?

by: Thurman Hart @ Fri Aug 01, 2008 at 00:48:45 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Part of the Machine (0.00 / 0)

"How come there is not outrage and marching in the streets in the First District ?

No one is very upset about this except a few people on this site. "

This from the man who kept telling us about polling data showing an Andrews victory.

Even if there was outrage, would you admit it?

-pb

by: princetonblue @ Fri Aug 01, 2008 at 16:15:18 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Makes you wish that Andrews would come back! (0.00 / 0)

It's ironic that Rob Andrews was stepping up to the plate and showing some of his leadership and talent in the House.

"Discrimination caused by ignorance and fear is a tax on human progress" - Barbra Casbar Siperstein

by: Babs NJSD @ Fri Aug 01, 2008 at 01:29:58 AM UTC

by: you @ soon

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Reality (4.00 / 1)

The reality is that while people who come here are tuned in to the process, the vast majority of voters don't care or don't know. The see "Andrews" and think it is the same person they voted for the past 18 years. Or they just blindly voted "D". Not a single one of my family or friends has any idea about the "placeholder" but they plan on voting "D" as a protest to Bush.

Don't EVER think the fact the Camille got the majority of the votes means the voters endorsed this silly placeholder scheme. It just means they voted the party line. Don't confuse voter ignorance with voter acceptance. If instead of her name, there was a giant "TBD" do you think she still would have won?

by: AreYouWithMe? @ Fri Aug 01, 2008 at 12:31:18 PM UTC

by: you @ soon

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1910 and 2008 | 5 comments