New-York tribune., 1911-04-23
NEW JERSEYS REVOLUTION.

NEW JERSEYS REVOLUTION.
New Jersey now confronts an accom-
plished civic revolution. Never before IN
the history Of that state, or probably in
the history Of any state in normal times,
have so great changes been effected In
its governmental system In single
legislative session as those which under
the urgings Of Governor Wilson have
been made in the last three months. Inc
whole electoral system, including choice
of election officers, party primaries. plat,
! forms, forms Of ballot and methods OF
voting. has been radically transformed.
The most stringent corrupt practices act
| in America has been adopted. Strong
and sweeping public utilities and en-
ployers' liabilities or workmen's cOmpen-
satiOn laws have been enacted. The pub
lie school system has been remOdeled.
A law enabling municipalities to adopt
the commission form of government has
been placed upon the statute book. The
merit system in the Civil Service has
The net result is that while three months
ago New Jersey was one Of the most
conservative and backward states in the
Union in governmental methods, 1t now
stands In the very forefront as one of
the most radical and advanced.
For this achievement It would be un-
| just and churlish not to give the highest
credit to Governor Wilson. He became
candidate for the goyernorship and en-
tered upon that office with the explicit
intention Of effecting precisely such re-
forms, and he has fulfilled his intentions
and redeemed his ante-election pledges
with a completeness unrivalled by any
of his predecessors in anything like COM
parable circumstances. In this achieve
mcnt, however. he has enjoyed TO an eX.
ceptional extent the support and active
aid of the party which Is politically OPP
posed to him. Not one Of these things
could have been done but for the CO.
operation Of the Republican majority in
tie Senate. and ii is doubtful If any Of
them could have been done II the Repub-
lican minority in the Assembly had op-
posed them, since there was an Opposi-
tion 10 the Governor in his own party
sufficiently strong to have defeated his
policy had the Republicans been willing
10 join II. It was an inspiring sight TO
see party lines ignored and Republicans
unanimously voting for measures pro-
posed by a Democratic Governor simply
cn the ground that they were for the
welfare of the people.
It is doubtless true that TO this pa
tIiotic course the Republicans were in
measure impeled by the impressive les
son which they received Mt the polls last
fall, when their party was overwhelm.
lingly defeated. for the reason chiefly that
II had failed 10 fulfil its promises. For
this revolution which has now been ef-
fected really had its inception under Re-
publican rule, five or six years ago.
Some of the most important reforms
were outlined and urged by Governor
Stokes. but unfortunately the party
managers did not see fit to put them into
execution They were again taken UP
and enlarged upon by Mr.. Stokes's sue.
lcessor. Governor Fort. and some Of them,
notably the Civil Service law and pre-
liminary enactments for public utilities
and employers liability, were secured.
But again the party leaders demuTed at
executing the whole programme which
the people desired and which the people
had been led to expect. and the result
was that at last falls election the state
intrusted TO a Democratic Governor and
Democratic Assembly the fulfilment Of
what were largely though not entirely
Republican promises.
Now, the pist Of the whole matter Is
that an unrivalled opportunity Is pre-
sented TO the people of the State Of New
Jersey to improve for their own benefit
the results of this extraordinary revolu-
ton. We may indeed say that the bur
den Of responsibility rests upon them Of
puttiny into effect what the Governor
and the Legislature have done. In the
largest and most important sense these
laws cannot enforce themselves. nor can
they be perfectly enforced simply by Of
fetal agencies. They are intended TO
give the people fuller power in state af-
fairs. and they must be made effective by
the people themselves. through their
more general. Intelligent and aggressive
participation in the functions of govern
ment.