Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1907-04-11
J e Il = e = e
Especial washington Letter.


UT seems to have come 10 stay.
What seems to have come to
stays The reform movement, and
1t not only appears to have come
to stay until it has done its perfect
work, but seems to be widespread,
reaching from San Francisco to Ros-
ton. When a few years ago a few
men began to agitate in favor of re-
form, many persons turned up their
noses and said that like many reform
movements which they could remem-
Der, this one would be short lived, but
these prophets turned out to be false
prophets. In fact, many good people
who earnestly desire to see things i'm
proved did not take any stock In the
reformers simply because they had
seen many reform movements, promis-
ing in the beginning, come to naught.
But the proponents of the present
ground swell of reform were In no
way dismayed and pressed forward
steadily and valiantly. They belong
to all parties. Bryan and Roosevelt.
Folk and La Toilette are all engaged
in doing what they consider reform
work. Governor Hughes and William
Randolph Hearst, though opposing
candidates for governor OF New York.
each has certain reforms which each
thinks important Pennsylvania Is the
only place where reform seems to have
received a jolt. In 1905 she elected a
Democratic state treasurer by nearly
100000 minority just one year after
she had rolled up more than 100000
majority for Roosevelt Last year,
however. she elected Republican
governor by something over $4,000 ma
jority.
At first blush that would seem to be
step backward. 1t should be remem-
bered. however, that it was really
race betwixt two Republicans True,
Emery. The defeated one was indors-
ed by a Democratic state convention.
not, however, without hard struggle
and much bitterness--so much bitter
ness, in fact, that a large number Of
Democrats sulked and some no doubt
bolted. 1t should also be remembered
that Mr.. Stuart. the regular Republic
an nominee, who was elected governor,
claimed that he was the only simon
pure reformer on the track, boldly and
loudly announced his independence of
all rings, bosses and cliques and as
seyerated volubIy that he would be
governor In fact as well as In name.
governor not of faction. but of all
the people | have been told by close:
observers in the keystone State that
these promises made many times elect.
ed him. and to be fair and just Pennsyl
vania papers say that he is carrying
out his ante-election promises.
At present in Pennsylvania all other
questions are obscnred by the investi-
cation into the huge jobbery in con-
structing and furnishing the new state
capitol The indications are that sew
eraI more or less prominent jobbers
are likely to do time in the peniten
tiary before the thing is done with
Congress for some five or six years
has been engaged in all sorts OF re-
form work, the result of which no man
Gull HOW7 lUitlct LEI no uVpc Al1At tAC
results will be good and prove that
congress is not a lot of ignoramuses,
as some folks pretend to believe.
Nor has reform work been confined
in these strenuous years to presidents,
presidential candidates. governors and
congress. Almost every Legislature in
the land has taken hand at the re-
form bellows, aud instead of the tide
receding there was more reform work
done the past winter than ever before
in the same length of time on this con
tinent. In Missouri, in bidding the leg
islature farewell. Governor Folk con-
graduated the members on much good
work done, but reminded them that
there is still much to do and ilnme-
diately issued his proclamation con-
vening the legislature in extraordinary
session
So it goes from sea to sea and from
the great lakes to the gulf Of Mexico.
Surely there must be some fire
where there is so much smoke, and,
while certain of these reform measures
may be crude or even unwise, on the
whole the chances are that they will
be productive of good