Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1909-05-20
Corporation Influence.

road companies, etc. Ore New York
city street railway company claims
that it has had to file 1000 reports
with the commission since the board
has been in existence. The Hughes in
surance reform and banking reform
measures have antagonized these in
terests and their powerful allies, such
as fire insurance companies, etc. He
has further attacked telephone and
telegraph companies. All these inter
ests have influence with political par
ties, and so with the legislature.
Through the aggressive Hughes pol
icy regarding the interests of the
classes named the governor has arous-
ed antagonism that will prove too
strong for him to successfully combat.
for he has no machine, and his
strength with the voters is decreasing
through lack of a new appeal of the
necessary impressive qualities.
a Fatal Compromise.
Probably the failure of his direct
nominations campaign was inevitable
when he decided to make his bill
compromise. 1t did not provide for
simon pure direct primaries. 1t gave
a preference to political organizations,
unlike the Wisconsin and other plans.
Resultant was the disapproval of vari-
GUS civic bodies that, however, sup
ported the bill perfunctorily as at least
a step in the right direction. The Re
publican and Democratic organizations
joined in Il common cause to defeat
the direct primary bill, and when this
was accomplished this bipartisan com
bination was maintained until several
important measures affecting corpo-
rate interests were either defeated or
emasculated by the devious process of
amendment.
The great trouble with the govern
or's campaign for direct primaries,
which has vitality affected his career
was that he offered the compromise
himself instead of forcing his oppo-
nents to do so.
Men who have voted for every re-
form measure the governor ever pro
mulgated went on record against him
on his direct primary bill; also last
year the Hughes telephone and tele-
graph control bill received over thirty
votes in the assembly This year It
got but four votes when first voted on
and five the second time.
Real Rulers of State and Country
The business interests Of this coun-
try control this country. The business
men of the various states control the
various states. The business men con-
troll political parties. When the gov
ernor of state SO conducts himself in
office as to antagonize powerful bust
ness interests and to fill them with
distrust of his policies he faces a fin
ish fight for his political existence.
The stringent nature of certain OF
the Hughes reforms have caused some
of the important business interests to
attempt TO 90 to the other extreme
and wipe out all state control over
their affairs. An interesting indica-
tion of this tendency was revealed be
fore the judiciary committee of the
New York state senate week before
the legislature adjourned
Joseph IL. Choatc, former ambassa-
dor to England appeared for the Ryan
street railway interests In opposition
to the Davis bills extending the power
of the public service commission He
condemned the measures numerically |
Finally Senator George 4. Davis of
Lancaster. the committee chairman, in |
tcrrupted Mr.. Choate, asking:
Mr. Choate, is it possible that you
can find nothing good at all in these |
bills?"
Yes" quickly retorted Mr. Choate. |
81 haven't been looking for anything |
good in them"
The political future of Governor !
Hughes will be determined during the |
next year.
His party organization is willing to .
stand by him. to renominate him If he |
so desires or to promote him-for a
consideration. And that consideration
is that he modify his policies. abandon
radical reform programs and follow
the lead of his organization instead of
trying TO lead the organization. In the
words of prominent member of the
legislature spoken to the writer a few
days ago, "If Charley becomes docile
est enemies recognize his ability"
VIII Charley become docilc?
The only answer will be his legisla-
tive program next winter. a year lead
ing to another state convention. year
Of peculiar political significance there
fore. Various Of the governors impor-
tant issues of this year have been
smothered by the recent creation Of
legislative investigating commissions
which are 10 report to the next legis-
lature. These commissions are to invcs-
tigate direct nominations and the ques-
ton as to whether the jurisdiction of
the public service commission shall be
extended over telephone and telegraph
and they will also investi-
gate the matter of new charter for
The city of Greater New York.
If these commissions make reports
adverse to the governors views. will
ne resign himself to the inevitable. or
viii he have bills introduced to com
BAT the organization leaders and to