Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1911-09-12
NEED
NEW POWER, Says
MOUNTAINS HEAD

by a dozen of the governors, who spent
the night here, was most cordial.
"How are you, governor" inquired
Governor Wilson.
81 am delighted to see you, sir, and
to be here was the Ohio executives
reply.
The two men grasped hands and
placed their left hands on each others
shoulders. For a few moments they
exchanged pleasantries and Governor
Wilson passed on to meet other gov
errors who arrived during the evening
previous.
Former Governor Fort, of New Jer-
sey, who is chairman of the committee
in charge. received a telegram from
Adjutant-Genera Ainsworth, of the
United States States army at Washing
ton, stating that the government would
be glad to welcome the governors at
Fort Hancock, Sandy Hook, tomorrow
| afternoon, and 10 demonstrate the
workings of the new fo~urteen-inch guns
there by firing a salute. The governors
| plan to visit Fort Hancock in a body
tomorrow.
Two methods in which the powers of
State executives throughout the Union
ought to be strengthened, in the opin-
ion of Governor Edwin l.. Norris, of
Montana, were discussed by him be-
fore the conference of governors here
today.
The first vital stop to he taken, Gov
ernor Norris believes, is to bestow upon
governors the power to emo ineffi-
Client state officers charged with the
! m Foroap,a Of tho. apip,InoI md rapap-
dial laws. The second is to grant the
governor the right to initiate and refer
legislation to the voters for their APP
prevail or rejection.
Governor Norris addressed himself to
Strengthening the Power of the Ex-
ecutive," In part he said:
mo useful purpose can be served in
having unlimited authority to call out
the militia when it Is desired to prevent
prize fighting, suppress gambling. close
wine rooms or enforce the criminal
statutes in general. To attempt to
suppress violations of the various Grim
inal laws by calling out the State troops
would be about as sensible or practice
able as would be the use of coast de-
Tense artillery in destroying sparrows.
should Have Power to Remove
THE bestowal of supervisory con
troll and power to remove from office
for dereliction of duty certain officers
charged with the enforcement for the
criminal and remedial laws of a State
will insure more efficient service and
cure some of the ills that are of grave
public concern.
"In many States the voters have in
large measure lost confidence in the
efficiency of legislative assemblies, and
the initiative and referendum methods
of legislation have been invoked as
a means to secure laws hat the legis-
lature would not enact, and to veto
legislation that in the public mind was
not wise or beneficial.
AT best, however, initiating legisla-
ton by and referring laws to the peo-
pie is cumbersome and not easy of use.
A companion to and supplemental of
these methods the power of the execu-
tive should be strengthened by giving
to him the right to present bills for
the consideration of the legislative as
sembly.
IF the bills were not passed in form
substantially as represented he should
have the right to submit those bills
direct to the voters at the next general
election for their approval or rejec-
ton.
"There would Their be placed upon
the governor the direct responsibility
to carry out the pledges made to the
people in the platform upon which he
was elected. and the promises made
by him in public addresses delivered
previous to his election.
There are other ways in which the
power of the executive might be
strengthened to the benefit of the pub
lie service. The two methods men
toned, however, are the more vital
and reference to the matters of lesser
moment has not been made"