Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1912-05-09
He Has Shown Courage and
Practical Common Sense
PROMISES TO PEOPLE KEPT.
Every Pledge Enacted Into Laws
Along With Many Other Reforms.
Wilson as Governor a Fair Sample Of
What He Will Do as President.
BY JUDGE THOMAS H. OWEN,
M~uskogee, Okla.

We" jersey CumpdlBn OF 1SlU pFOullSeu
five particular reforms. each of them
radical and each of them apparently
academic They were: A new election
law to take the control of nomina
tons out of the hands of the bosses
an employers liability law. just to
both employer and employee: u cor
rupt practices act, to stop the wrong
full or excessive use of money in cleo
lions; Il public utilities commission.
with actual and not merely theoretical
power, and a law regulating the cold
storage of food. These five things
were promised in the Democratic plat
form.
New Jersey had been u machine
ruled state for years, and nobody took
platform promises seriously. Nobody
expected them to be redeemed. A po-
litical party platform was like a street
IA Notwithstanding to get in on
What They Said Would Happen.
When the election was over New
Jersey found that it had a Democratic
governor, Il senate Republican by u
to 9 and a lower house Democratic by
AZ to IS. OF course the Republicans.
controlling the senate, could block any
legislation they desired. They deter
mined at once to stop all the bills of
the governors program, and. what is
more, the old time Democratic ma
chine leaders decided not to let the
bills pass the lower house. That was
the situation when the legislature met
In January.
When it adjourned in April every
one Of the FIVE promises made in the
Democratic platform were laws on the
statute books Of New Jersey. and
along with them were several other
new reform laws.
Credit Due to Wilson.
That the redemption Of those plat
form promises was due solely to the
courage and practical common sense
of Governor Woodrow Wilson Is ad,
mitted by everybody In New Jersey.
Republican or Democrat, friend or foe.
These are some of the laws that
were passed by that legislature: An
election law that provided for all nom
nations from president down to con-
stable to he made in direct primaries
held by the state authorities. that
eliminates the power of bosses by
abolishlng the old party machinery.
that provides for all elections to he
held by officers who have passed a
civil service examination to show their
fitness and that requires voters t"
sign their names 40 as to make a IRE
peater' liable to punishment for for
gerry.
An employers liability law that
does away with damage suits. When
an employee is injured the law says
just how much damages he Is entitled
to for that particular injury. and 1t Is
paid. The employees are benefited be-
cause they do not have to wait for
years to get Justice: the employers. be-
cause 1t enables them to know what
they have to pay and relieves them of
ueaVy ieRai expenses.
Some of tho Laws Passed.
a corrupt practices act that regu-
requires publication to be made |
OF I'll contributions and expenditures
and makes the penalty Of violation the
of the Office. A candidate
for governor may spend $4,000 under
this law and nc more. Candidates for
congress may spend $500, candidates
for county Offices $500, and 80 on down
list. The law goes further and
prohibits intimidation - 1t prohibits
political sentiments on pay
envelopes; 1t prohibits the posting Of
handbills in factories and all
other means that employers may take
% Influence their employees In poll
,ica
A public utilities commission was
with complete power to regu-
ate railways. street car lines. tele-
1hone companies and all other public
In the interest of the public. a
oower backed up with the machinery
% make 1t effective.
A law was passed prohibiting the
old storage Of food for longer than ten
and providing for the sale at
public auction of all food stored in vio-
alton of the law
Performances Not Limited TO Promises.
These were the things promised
These were the things performed
3ut the performances were not limited
y the scope Of the promises. THAI
anne legislature under the firm guild
ng hand OF that same governor passed
law providing for the commission
orm of government for cities. with the
initiative, referendum and recall Of ad-
illustrative officers; a law c~bolishing
onvict labor in the state prison; a law
roviding for adequate protection Of
nctc-irs from fire: IL law allowing the
attorney general to participate In
prosecutions in counties, and
half dozen other progressive meas
res