The Penn's Grove record., 1911-09-15
CONFERENCE OF
The GOVERNORS
Gathering at Spring Lake En-
liyened by Spirited Debates,
RECALL PLAN UNDER FIRE
Reactionary Paper Of Alabama Execu-
tive Leads to Defense of lnitia-
tive and Referendum by
Wilson and others.

Spring Lake, N. 1.-The conference
of Governors here after a somewhat
humdrum reading of papers with Gov.
Cruce Of Oklahoma, presiding, TOOK
on a lively aspect when the initiative,
referendum and recall we're brought
into the discussion by Gov. Emmett
O'Neal of Alaama, who read a paper
ON Strengthening the Power OF the
Executive" He oke in approval OF
the tendency in ut direction n
then denounced the opposite tendency
as shown in the r,2vement for direct
legislation and the recall. Gov. Wood
row Wilson was n of those who tool
issue with him on that subject and
the discussion became very warm.
Every governor who got a cnance
sounded the praises of his own great
state with no reflections on ANYBODY
else's great state and nearly every
governor whacked d~isobedient legisla-
.ures.
Those who took an active part in ad-
iition to Governors Harmon, Wilson,
O'Neal, Plaisted and Smith, were Gov
ernors John F. Shafroth of Colorado,
Albert w. Gilchrist of Florida, James
H. Hawley of Ida 0, August E. Will
son of Kentucky eugene N. Foss OF
Massachusetts, Z fond F. Noel Of
Mississippi, Herbert S. Hadley of Mis-
souri,, Edwin /. Norris of Montana,
Chester H. Aldrich of Nebraska, Will
liam w. Kitchin of North Carolina,
John Burke of North Dakota, Lee
Cruce of Oklahoma, Aram j. Pothier
of Rhode Island, ,bert S.. Wesley of
South Dakota, Wi lam Hodges Mann
of Virginia, Marion E. Hay of Wash
ington, William E. Glasscock of West
Virginia, Francis E. McGovern of Wis
consin and Joseph M. Varey of Wyo-
ming.
In his address of welcome, Cover
nor Wilson said New Jersey was glad
to have the governors for their second
"Independent' conference.
81 suppose" he continued, there
never was a time in America when
large questions were more generally
debated than now. There certainly
never was a time when there was a
more pleasing and profitable candor
on the part of public officers than now.
1t is more important to draw the coun-
try together in thought than in any
other way. The vitality of the con-
ference is manifested"
Governor Joseph M. Cary, Of Wyo-
ming, as temporary chairman, replied
to the address of welcome and then
cleared decks for action on the pro-
gram that had been arranged. The
House of Governors does not go at
questions h~aphazardly. The whole
line of discussion ras mapped out in
advance. The question of uniform di-
vorce laws, for example, does not en-
ter into the plans or this session, al
though it is a topic of keen interest to
the delegates.
Gov. Wilson and Mrs. Wilson gave a
reception to the Governors at the
State Cottage at Sea Girt. Next day
after a session in the morning, they
went to Fort Hancock, where, by au-
thority of the Secretary of War, the
big guns were fired in their honor. In
the evening a business session was
held to give the Conference of Cover
nors, which was instituted by President
Roosevelt in 1908 and met again in
Louisville last year, a more detailed
and comprehensive organization.