Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-01-17
WILSON IS GOVERNOR

WIl0UN ID dUv[klVUk
Continued From First Page.)
sation act which will not put upon him
the burden Of fighting powerful COM
posite employers to obtain his rights, but
which viii give him his rights without
suit, directly. and without contest, by
automatic operation of law, as If OF a
law or Insurance.
This is the first adjustment needed, be-
cause it affects the rights. tho happiness,
the lives and fortunes Of the greatest
number. and because 1t is the adjust
ment for which justice cries loudest.
I'VE are much too free with grants or
A corporation exists only by license OF
law, and the law is responsible for what
It creates. 1t can never rightly authorize
any kind Of fraud or imposition. 1t can
not rfghteously allow the setting up OF q
business which has no sound basis or
which follows methods which in any way
outrage justice or fair dealing or the
principles of honest industry. The law
cannot give its license to things Of that
kind. It thereby authentacates what 1t
ought to forbid.
Check on Interpretations.
II would urge the imperative obliga-
ton OF public policy ard public honesty
we are under to effect such changes in
! the law of the state as will henceforth
iege OF incorporation which has in recent
years brought SO much discredit upon our
state. It will be necessary to regulate
and restrict the issue Of securities, en-
force regulations with regard to bona
fide capital, examine very vigorously the
basis OF capitalization. and to prescribe
methods by which the public may be
safeguarded against fraud, deception, ex-
tortion and every abuse Of it's confidence.
such scrutiny and regulation ought not
to be confined to corporations seeking
charters, They ought also to be extended
to corporations already operating under
the license and authority OF the state
The power to originate and conduct in
vestigations Of public service corpora
| lions, regulate the rates and adjust the
service OF such corporations operating
within the state should be bestowed upon
the New Jersey public utilities commits
sion. the governor declared. Were the
commission clothed with such power, the
governor said, their rulings would serve
to establish definitely debatable values
upon which many questions OF taxation
turn.
'"The whole system OF taxation" Gov.
Wilson asserts, rs no system at all, and
! needs overhauling from top to bottom"
The conservation of natural resources
within the state was strongly urged.
One OF the greatest needs, Gov. Wilson
declared, is the perfection and extension
of the existing state primary law. He
said:
Some persons have pointed out that
with our present methods of machine
nomination and our present methods OF
elections, which were nothing more than
choice between one set of machine
nominees and another. we did not get rep
resentative government at all-at least not
| government representative OF the people,
but government representative of politi-
cal managers who served their own In
| terests and the interests Of those with
whom they found it profitable to establish
partnerships
"The laws in recent years adopted in thu
state of Oregon seem to me to point the
direction which we must also take before
we have completed our regeneration of a
ly and SO long from private management
and organized selfishness. Our primary
laws. perfected, should be extended to
every elective Office. and to the
WELL in order that the people may once
for all take charge OF their own affairs.
I'VE have here the undoubted sound
OF an ,bs
who are to organize alike. their parties
and their government, and these measures
which true representatives OF the people
viii certainly favor ana ia. adoptmsystematic
| the careful regulation in the common in
| terest Of all corporations, both In respect
| Of their organization and Of their methods
Of business. and especially OF public serv-
ice corporations; the equalization Of taxes,
and the conservation Of the natural re-
sources Of the state and Of the health and
| safety OF its people.
For Ballot Reform.
Another matter Of the most vital con-
| sequences goes with all these, namely.
| systematic ballot reforms and thorough
opI NJ, v,raSyiaSosNa NJ low inst
corrupt practices in connection alike with
primaries and elections
Economy in the Administration Of the
/ state government, by the abolition Of use
less state boards and commissions, was
advocated by the governor. who announced
| time the means by which this end may
be attained.
Announcing his departure from 1.-THE
beaten track Of precedence. Gov. Wilson
| called to the attention Of the legislature
| the maintenance and use of large cold
storage warehouses in the northern Sec
/ ton OF the state. Immense quantities
Of meats. poultry. egEs and fish are stor.
years, awaiting q favorable market, Gov.
| Wilson asserts the results being net only
to control prices. but to endanger health
He urges the legislature to Push rapidly
spection and OF limitation OF the length OF
1 time such commodities may be left In
| storage He concluded:
| I'VE are servants OF the people. OF the
whole people. Their interest should be
| our constant study. We should pursue
| 1t without fear or favor. Our reward will
\ be greater than that to be obtained In any
other service. II 10 not the foolish ardor
OF the sanguine or too radical reform that
| I urge upon you, but merely the tasks
| that are evident and pressing, the things
we have knowledge and guidance enough
| to 40: ana to do with confidence aud eter-
~, merely point out the present busi-
ness Of progressive and serviceable gov
ernment. the next stage on the journey
or duty. The path IL as inviting as it Il
i ~Na Sn,A hAo r. ~