The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1911-09-13
GOVERNORS CLASH
At EXECUTIVE
CONFERENCE
Hot Passage Between Two
Prominent Democrats
COWS. WILSON AND 0'NEAL
Debate at Meeting Of Governors Was
Over Initiative Referendum
and Recall
COWS. WILSON AND O'NEAL

sey and Gov Emmett O'Neal of Ala
bama, both prominent Democrats,
measured swords over the initiative
and referendum on the floor OF the
conference of governors convention
hall at Spring Lake, n j., yesterday
afternoon. Gov. Wilson as champion
of the measures, replied to Gov. o.
Neal who had previously denounced
them as IAN insidious popular yag-
ary and the southern executive was
on his feet in moment with an Inn
FASHIONED defense of his position.
II do not think Gov. Wilson was
fair | think he was most unfair"
he said before he resumed his seat
in the hall.
When the conference ended, how
ever, Gov. Wilson grasped Gov. o.
Neal by the hand, and remarked that
he did not wish to be misunderstood.
Gov O'Neal later said that he had
stepped to the piazza to meet Mrs.
O'Neal who he had heard was there.
There was no mincing of words in
the Alabaman's denunciation OF the
initiative, referendum and recall.
There is movement which seems
to be gathering strength in certain
sections of the country" he said,
that tends to weaken rather than
strengthen executive authority, and
that Is the system of initiative, refer
endum and recall. The governor has
no power to veto or amend law In
itiated by the people and adopted by
referendum. II the law Is In viola
ton OF the constitution. invades vest
ed rights or destroys individual liber-
ty, the only remedy can be found in
the courts; and where the system Of
recall Of judges prevails, overthrow
ling as 1t does, the independence OF
the judiciary, the courts would degen-
crate into tribunals organized chiefly
to register popular judgment on all
legal questions" Gov. 0'Neal said
1t was pleasing to know that this 'in-
sidious popular yagary" will meet
with the almost unanimous opposi.
ton of the American bar. The recall,
he said would convert the public OF.
ficer into spineless and servile hire.
ling, stirred by every passing breeze
OF public opinion, obeying every pop.
ular impulse and yielding to every
wave OF popular passion or prejudice. .
New Jerseys governor did not take
the floor after Gov. O'Neal sat down
amid applause. until several western
governors had spoken. 1T seems tC
me-" he said, after few words by
way OF preliminary, that on the Ques
ton OF initiative and referendum II
: is necessary that We carry the analy
sis little further than II has beer
carried. A very important thing. 9
| fundamentally important thing is tn.
| source of the law. Some of the laws
that we have are bad laws and they
are bad for a reason that there is {
suspicion as TO their source. The
people OF the United States wan
their governors TO be leaders in mat
tiers Of legislation because they hav,
serious suspicion as to the source o
the legislation and they have q ser
ious dlstrust OF their legislatures
What | would urge as against tn,
views Of Gov. O'Neal is that Their,
is nothing inconsistent between th'
Strengthening OF the powers of thu
executive and the direct power OF tn,
people" He spoke of the caprice o
the majority. Il have known of in
stances of the caprice of the mob. h
said, but have never known OF an!
instance where the vote OF the popu
lation was spoken of as caprice.
have read OF gentlemen speaking re
Gently in distrust OF the people an,
using that old erroneous phrase
Mob rule
what is a mob? A mob is a bod,
OF people Immediately associated witt
j each other acting under the impuls,
OF passion, but that does not apply 4
n thousand men in n community ii
scattered portions casting their bal
lots. | don't believe there Is any dis
} trust OF the fundamental principles o
/ democracy. believe we are all dem
ocrats II we use a small d. | wisl
for the salvation of your souls that
l could use a large d also. believ,
that Gov. O'Neal feels as Gov. McGoy
} ern feels. and that we are merely a
} odds as to the best method of givinl
expression with reference TO tina
: great public opinion upon which al
} depends"
Gov. Wilson bowed and sat down
7 Gov. oNeal spraing to his feet an,
} In voice that carried 100 yards ava
1 to the roaring breakers shouted tn
reiteration OF his belief. He drov
} home his argument with yigorou
1 gestures and with gllstenlng fac
Z strobe the length of the chairman
} platform as he spoke. Il would ratt
I er stand with Madison and Hamilton
he concluded after repeating what h
\ believed the menace OF the measures
\ than to stand with some modern pro
lphets and some of our western state,