Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1911-09-13
WILSON COMES
BACK AT O. NEAL
New Jersey Governor in
Spirited Debate With Gov
ern0r of Alabama.
OVER THE REFERENDUM M
Executives Also Discuss Uni
form Divorce Law and Other
Much Needed Reforms.
spectul By United Press Wire.

spectul By United Press Wire.
Spring Lake, Sept. 13.-Twenty-
eight governors and ex-governors
united today in support OF Employ
ers' liability and workmen's compen-
sation legislation at the governors
conference.
Governor Foss asserted that until
Hay, of Washington, and Wilson, of
New Jersey, made the principal ad-
dresses, and their views were gener-
ally supported. The conference
seemed to be practically unanimous
in favor of the compensation prin-
ciple
Governor Foss assted that until
private liability companies are elm
mated there is little hope for the
proper working out Of really helpful
workingmen's laws. He outlined the
compensation law passed by the last
Massachusetts legislature and heart
lily endorsed its provisions.
The arrival OF Governors Stubbs,
of Kansas; Tenner, Of Pennsylvania;
Spry, of Utah; Crothers of Maryland,
and Ex-Governor Quimby, of New
Hampshire, brought the number of
governors present up to twenty-eight
today.
The experience meeting of the
governors, with Governor Cruce, of
Oklahoma, as presiding elder, was
enlivened by a spirited debate be-
tween Governor Wilson, of New Jer-
sey, and Governor O'Neal, of Ala
bama, regarding the caprice of the
majority" and mob rule" by spir-
tied attack on the divorce evil by
Governor Carey, of Wyoming, and a
pitiful plea for sympathy by Gov
ernor Kitchin, of North Carolina,
who has neither the power of veto,
appointment nor removal.
Governor O'Neal and Governor Nor
ris Of Montant had read distinctly re-
| dictionary papers on the necessity for
granting more powers to governors
when Woodrow Wilson led an attack
! on them, in which Governors McGov-
ern of Wisconsin, Aldrich of Nebras-
ka and other western executives
| joined.
! There Is movement that seems
to be gathering strength in certain
sections of the Union," said Governor
| O'Neal, which tends to weaken rather
|
ity, and that is the system Of initia-
| tive, referendum and recall"
Governor O'Neal said that 1t was
pleasing to know that this "insidious
| popular vagary" will meet with the
almost unanimous opposition of the
American bar. He said that the recall
| would convert the public officer into
q raln nd etj
by every passing breeze Of public
opinion" and spoke with contempt Of
the caprice of the majority" 8 catch
word that provoked a storm Of crfti-
cism.
II have never seen an instance where
the registered will of majority could
properly be called caprice" retorted
Governor Wilson. Nor is the ver-
dict of the majority mob rule as it is
described by some"
The present conference Is the fourth
conference of governors. 1t is the third
that they have held as an independent
body on their own initiative. 1t Is the
second to be held as a regular annual
institution with permanent organiza-
tlOu, duu IL lS lD6 uISl Ol Tue COUleT-
ences to be held In the neighborhood
Of New York. Spring Lake made a
great occasion Of the coming of the
governors. The annual carnival, with
its fireworks display on the lake, had
been postponed from August. So the
state heads ran into fireworks even
before much had been said in their de-
liberations.
The conference is TO last through Sat
urday. 1t is to consider In succession
a series Of subjects on which prear-
ranged speakers will make addresses,
followed by general discussion. The
procuring Of uniform divorce laws is
not among the subjects on the program
this year, and one of those attending
the conference suggested that the sub
ject was a little too strenuous for dis
cussion at present, with the state of
divorce laws now existing, although,
to be sure, there was no doubling that
it fell into the class of subjects On
which uniform laws were most needed
and was, therefore, right in the line of
the conferences work.