Evening journal., 1911-05-05
His Failure to Sign the
Measure Criticised by the
Rev. Hubert W. Wells

Editor Of THE EVENING JOURNAL.
note in your editorial Of Tuesday
reference 70 Senate bill 120. the
..Woman's Bill" as We have learned
10 sneak Of Il. Generally in accord
with your opinions upon social mat
ters. I find that I differ from you in
this. You no doubt feel Il incumbent
upon you 10 defend che Governors
failure TO sign a bill drawn and sup
ported by progressive and Intelligent
men and women here. But you do
not defend him. Your attempt to de-
fcnd him almost tempts one to inn
patience.
DO you imagine for one moment
that persons really informed con-
cerning the actual conditions that
surround women who work in Della
ware believe that the Governor IS eX-
ercised for the common good where
that common good clashes with pow
erful private interests. or with what
is conceived to be the "party's" well
fare. or with person political ambi-
tions? Do you suppose that the
working people directly affected by
the bill, or indirectly affected by IT,.
believe that the Governor has kept
them and their needs in mind I'm all
his reported review OF factory condi-
iions and his canvassing Of the mar
kct conveniences OF farmers and their
wives? or. granted that these classes
Of interested persons believe that the
Governor has kept the human side or
this question uppermost as he has
pondered the bill. do you imagine that
thew can possibly excuse his utter
failure to grasp the wide bearing Of
this bill and to give weight TO tho
very best that has been thought and
said and done in such matters by the
more intelligent and more enlightened
commemorative Of the country? Was
he not In duty bound to consider u IN
reference to what has been done in
other communities far larger and far
more intelligent than our own? What
possible evidence is there that he has
SO broadly considered It? To my
mind the Governor has treated this
bill and the men and women who
drafted il with singular indifference,
and has listened far too well TO the
sort of captious criticism OF tho bill
that We heard i'm the City Hall the
night of Mr.. Reynolds speech and OF
Mr.. Fels able defence Of tho bill as
2 practical measure.
j. the Governor AmbitiOuSl
do not now question the Cover
nor's motives, but ! do fault his be-
havlour. For in all this matter he
has behaved precisely as man would
behave had he his own selfish inter-
ests at heart in the way OF political
preferment or as he would behave
had he failed to grasp the meaning
Of the present social upneaval and IT'S
ultimate doom of a government con-
Quoted for the benefit OF profit max
ers and stock johbers rather than for
the benefit OF the mass.
Is Governor Pennewill ambitious
What does he wish? Is II the United
states senate? Is he servant OF
"tho interests" in their terrific strug'
ri ~ conduct Government for them
selves aud I'm Indifference 10 the
common good? Is he unaware Of cur
rent history? Does he know what
Massachusetts has done for women
who work I'm factories or Rhode
Island. or the neighboring State OF
Maryland? And If he does know. does
he care? I'm plain words. Mr.. Editor
the Governor has earned the sus-
picion. where he has not earned the
actual hostility Of large numbers or
Intelligent working men and women.
They do not say so openly. but they
saw so when and whore, without pref
udice they can. They laugh at the
notion that the Governor has real
interest I'm them-a real and an in
telligent interest. They laugh at his
visit TO the factories here. Said one
bright woman-a factory girl-"The
Governor is like the rest of us-he
does what he's told TO dol" That is
precisely it-he "does what he's told
to do"
If the Governor approves the con-
ditions that are actual In the factories
here-in some OF the biggest and
most important OF them-he approves
of them because he has been grossl,
deceived. One concern which he Is
reported to have visited is notorious
in the records OF the Delaware Child
Labor Committee for its indifference
TO the Child Labor Law and its en-
plovment Of children undor age.
Question Of Leadership.
The Governor Of a Commonwealth
owes much to II, but above all els
he owes Il leadership The as yet nm
realized function Of the Executive
in Delaware Is leadership. 1t is In
cumbent upon a Governor Of Della
ware TO point the finer ways OF livinl
for his people. II is incumbent upol
him to discover the best methods 0
conducting business within tho Stat
AZ well as the business of the State
and 70 press his power 20 the limit q
secure by the large-minded conduc
OF affairs the fullest measure Of we'll
being to his people. II Is incumben
upon him to know, OF to- have per
sons about him who know, the bes
means TO secure the best ends Of liN
ing
And It IS a shame TO him so to bea
himself that to scores Of earnest an
steady persons IN the State he stand
convicted OF practical incapacity fo
this nobler sort Of leadership. Ths
he should be unselfish. large-minde'
thoroughly funded with facts tbs
bear. capably advised. goes with tn
very conception of his office. That b
should labor so TO impress his peopl
with confidence in his capacity I
lead in the great way that they re
ioice in his governance seems but IN
yeriest axiom Of political wisdom
And. Mr.. Editor, il is difficult to dis
cover so far along the course Q
Governor Pennewill's tenure of offic
any striking evidence of the large
fort Of capacity, of'courage. OF states
a. l.