The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1911-05-26

Interesting Side Lights on Governor
of New Jersey, Who Forced the En-
aotment of the Peoples Will Into
Law, Despite Political Dctators.
woodrow Wilson, Possible Presi-
dent" is the title of an interesting arti-
Gle in the May Worlds Work by Will
liam Bayard Hale concerning the per-
sonality and record of the militant
governor of New Jersey, whose sue
cess in obtaining popular reforms from
an unwilling Legislature has focused
upon him the eyes of progressives OF
all stripes and parties throughout the
county. Here are some of the things
Mr.. Hale has to say about the man
who may be the leader of the fight
against President Taft in 1912:
There may have been tiercer po-
litical battles than that which was
now Joined between the Democratic
old guard of New Jersey and its new
governor, but few have been in their
issue of greater possible significance
to the political future of the United
| States.
1.-THE quiet gentleman who had just
emerged from the delectable groves OF
Princeton academy, his garments
odorous with the vapors of Parnassus
his lips wet with the waters of Helicon
this long, haired bookworm of pro
fessor who) had just laid his spectacles
on his dictionary came down to the
Trenton statehouse and licked the
gang to a FRAGILE.
1T appeared that he did know the
difference between a seminar and
caucus, a syllabus and a New Jersey
corporation; that he did know Hobo
ken and Camden politics pretty nearly
as well as he did his Burke and his
Bagehot and that, able to write book
on constitutional government, he was
lust as able to handle governors
lob constitutionally or otherwise.
"This is the fact that makes Gov
ernor Woodrow Wilson a looming fig
ure In the world today. This is the
reason it was worth while to go to
Trenton to observe the advent of a
new type of man into the arena of
politics"
Here is the pen picture of Governor
Wilson as painted by Mr. Hale;
CDR Wilson's face is familiar-a
high forehead gray eyes, a long jaw,
a very long jaw He instantly recalls
Joseph Chamberlain as that British
statesman was in other days. The
| a. iuhf
changed almost without detection.
DR.. Wilson is of good height. sturdily
built, with square shoulders. He
stands erect and on his feet IL you
want mannerisms you note that his
hands seek his trousers pockets; that
he changes his glasses with much care
when he looks down at document
or up from it; that every time be has
used his pen he Wipes It carefully
with a cloth taken from a drawer,
into which he painstakingly replaces
it, closing the drawer. There is GER
tain trained precision of habit In mat
tiers of routine and a free spontaneity
in others. There would be a gray
grimness about him except for the
pocketed hands, frequent sunburst
of a smile and a voice like music.
You learn in the course of a few hours
that a man with stiff jaw and sen
sitive mouth is pretty sure to be mas
! ter in any situation. Governor VIII
son Is a man of positive opinion, re-
lieved by an eager sense of humor.
He moves and speaks with unfailing
poise, with good natured certainty of
himself"
The story Of Governor Wilson's fight
with the bosses and the special inter
ests is Interestingly told by Mr.. Hale.
Here is one of the governors quoted
statements. which gives a clear idea OF
his attitude on popular government:
Back of all reform lies the means
of getting it Back of the question
what you want is the question. How
are you going to get it? We are al
pretty well agreed, | take it, that GER
tain reforms are needed But we find
that the first necessary reform is one
that will render us able to get reform
1--WE have been calling our govern
ment a republic, and we have beer
living under the delusion that it is 6
representative government That Il
the theory But the fact is that We
are not living under a representative
government We are living under {
government of party bosses. who in Sc
cret conference and for their private
ends determine what we shall anc
shall not have. The first. the imme
date thing that we have got to do IL
to restore representative government
There has got to be a popular rebel
lion for the reconquest and reassump
ton by the people of the rights of th'
people too long surrendered"