Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-04-09

From an avowed Republican save
where woodrow Wilson is concerned,
from George r. BOdine, OF Bridge
ton, New Jersey. who is connected with
the Pittsburgh Plate Glass company
and has been IN Atlanta for snort
while past on business-rrom this Re-
publican comes an intimate statement
81 the New Jersey situation which has
been so broadly misrepresented' ana
comes also an admission that his choice
lying between a good Republican ana
= good Democrat Tor president II looks
more and more as IL he must depend
on his second choice and take the gOOo
Democrat, Wilson. whose Repuoheah
opponent will be President Taft
Mr. Bodine prepared his own state-
ment in his own words and as repro
auced below, il reflects q keen intel
ligence which makes what he has 70
say impressive. he IS shown 20 be
man OF perception. He expresses hlnn>
self in direct language
he declares thar ne first measured
lIr. Wilson from the viewpoint or a
Republican sizing up dangerous OPP
'ponent. Then ne concluded that he Tx
ed AIr. Wilson, and with some forty
thousand other voters he so expressed
himself in the yubernatorlal election
in New Jersey.
He states that AR. Wilson was ask
ed publicly through the press, durinS
his campaign. n his administration
would De iRriEe1ced oy the smith
Democratic ring in New Jersey ana
his reply was a positive no. On tnat
understanding ne won Wilson, not
fthe Democratic party, carried the state
in that election says Mr. Bodine, who
begins his statement with the assertion
that ito one familiar with the political
situation in New Jersey the claim that
woodrow Wilson would not again car
~ that state is ridiculous"
But here is Mr.. BOdine,s own state
ment. IL is well worth reading
A RIDICULOUS CLAIM.
TO one familiar with the political
situation in New Jersey, the claim that
woodrow Wilson would not again carry
that state is ridiculous.
i first appraised the qualifications
OF Governor Wilson from the appre-
hensive point OF a Republican feeling
out an opponent. and. passing through
the stages Of fearing that he was dan
+. gerous TO the success OF the Repubh-
can party in that state. finally arrived
N the conclusion that IL was rauher
q good thing for him to be elected any
how. some forty thousand other citi-
szens Of New Jersey, must have had
the same experience. as was indicated
BIZ his plurality.
The political situation in New Jer-
sey in the fall OF 1910 was similar 10
the national situation today. Though
New Jersey had long been in the Demo-
cratic column, il was lost to the Re
publicans about the year 1884 by a
small margin. because Of the corrupt
boss rule. II remained in the Republic
can column until 1910, when. after a
futile effort on the part OF progressive
Republican legislators. TO bring the
states antiquated laws up to the stand
ard OF the more progressive OF the
states the voters elected Wilson and
most Of the progressive Republicans.
ssThe voters were tired Of alternating
between two corrupt rings and the sit
uatfon demanded a clean candidate, who
was not subject to the dictation OF the
political bosses. Governor Wilson. dur
ing mis- campaign, was asked, through
the press. II his administration, pro-
vided he were elected. would be infiu-