The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1911-09-14

nor of New Jersey Champloned the
Measure While the Govern,r of
Alabama Termed it q yagary and
Then Left the HaiI-IAter He !
Pays His Respects" I'd Modern
Prophets and Western Staesmen-
Wilson Contends for the Measure.
Governor Woodrow Wilson, OF New
Jersey, and Governor Emmett O'Neai
OF Alabama measured swords over
the initiative and referendum before
the conference of Governors this af-
ternoon.
Governor Wilson as champion or
the measure, replied TO Governor
ONeal, who had previously denounc-
ed them as ''an insidious popular
vagary," and the Southern executive
was on his feet in a moment with an
impassion defense Of his position.
Governor O'Neai smoke vehemently
for ten minutes, bowed and without
a word walked through a easement
window TO the piazza fronting the
ocean. What's the use of my going
back in there?'" he asked a reporter
81 have already spoken twice, and
am limited to two speeches on any
| one topic He did not re-enter the
| hall for fifteen minutes and took no
further part in the discussion. When
the conference ended, however, Gov
ernor Wilson grasped Governor o.
Neal by the hand and remarked that
he did not wish to be misunder-
stood Governor Meal 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 a movement which seems to
be gathering strength in certain sec
tions of the country" he said, that
tends to weaken rather than to
strengthen executive authority. and
that is the system of initiative, refer
endum and recall. The Governor
had no power to veto or amend
law initiated by the people and adopt
ed by referendum. II the law fs In
violation of the constitution, invades
vested rights or destroys individual
, liberty, the only remedy can be found
, in the courts, and where the system
. of recall of judges prevails, over.
throwing, as it does, the indepen'
!. dence of the judiciary, the courts
would degenerate into tribunals or
, ganized chiefly to register popular
: Judgment on all legal questions.
. It was pleasing to know, he added
a that this 'insidious popular vagary,
7 will meet with the almost unanimous
= opposition of the American bar.
S Governor Wilson did not reply un
: til several Western Governors hat
spoken.
s "It seems to me-" he said, that OIL
q the question of the initiative ant
referendum, it is necessary that W.
carry the analysis a little furthe
: than 1t has been carried. A very I'm
q portant thing, fundamental thing
l. is the source of the law. Some
q the laws that we have are bad law
IS and they are bad for the reason tha
, there is suspicion as to thei
u source. The people of the Unite
q States want their Governors to D
leaders in matters Of legislation be
cause they have serious suspicion a
u to the source of the legislation an
thew have a serious distrust of thei
Legislatures What I would urge a
le against the views Of Governor O'Nes
d is that there is nothing inconsisten
between the Strengthening OF IN
ID powers of the executive and the d
le rect power of the people. He spok
W of the caprice of the majority.
le have known of instances OF the c;
price of the mob,' he said, but
n have never known of any instant
ID where the vote Of the population We
is spoken of as a caprice. | don't b.
he lieve there is any distrust of the ful
damental principles OF Democracy.
. believe we are all Democrats IL v
use a small ID
st believe Governor O'Neal fee
as Governor McGovern feels and tn
we are merely at odds as to the be
method of giving expression with re
erence to that great public opinit
upon which all depends"
II AS Governor Wilson sat dow
Governor O'Neal sprang to his fe
II and proclaimed the reiteration OF b
belief.
.I would rather stand with Mat
son and Hamilton" he concluded q
ter outlining what he believed W
the menace of the measures, tn
to stand with some modern prophe
and some of our Western statesmen