Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1912-03-21
By WILLIAM sArARD HALE.

III NNAAA<AAM In AEhN A4AAASEfa
The State Of New Jersey 1t the be.
ginning Of the year 1910 was IN the caSt
Lot many another commonwealth in THU
Union Of States. II WAS ii the grip u
1.-The politicians and the corporations,
and the good people resident within It'll
borders had about as much voice ID the
management Of their public affairs as
they had in deciding the weather or de-
terminin9 the phases Of the moon. For
years the state government had been
run by agents Of the interests" for q
time the Pennsylvania Railroad pre-
dominating, more recently combination
Of electric light and power companies,
gas companies. and trolley lines, con,
trolled BY the Prudential Insurance
Company and the malodorous United
Gas Improvement Company Of Philadel.
phia.
Latterly it was the Republican Or
ganization that had been in power at
Trenton. but the system was really .
bipartisan one, The Republican bosses.
Senator John Dryden, Senator John
Kean, ex- Governor Franklin Murphy,
ex- Governor Edward C. Stokes, and
David P. Baird, had come to be known
as the Board of Guardians" in which
the public service, railroad. insurance,
and other corporation interests were
duly represented, The Democratic Or
ganization was he4private property Of
James Smith, Jr., q politician who had
made his way into the United States
Senate in consequence Of having de-
livered the vote Of the Jersey delega
tion to Mr.. Cleveland at the Democratic
National Convention of 1892. and who
had retired from that body under criti-
cisms connected with certain scandals
incidental to the framing of the Wilson
Tariff. Ex-senator Smith is polished
man of affairs whose business interests
are identical with those OF his friends
on the Republican aRoard Of Guardians
His chief lieu enant was james r.
Nugent, q typical representative of the
old~style. strong arm mstho Is in polt-
ties. Bob" Davis, the thrifty boss Of,
Essex County, sometimes fehelled
against his feudal lord and sometimes
played in with him. but between Smith
and Davis. the Organic alton through
dozen lean years had existed to
garner the spoils or municipal jobs and
contracts in Newark. Jersey City, and
Hoboken; to fill few minority mem
berships on state commissions of one
sort and another; and to furnish the
Republican machine with needed help
ia time of danger.
Howev er, the great moral movement
which during the last five years has
been abroad in the land. had not left
New Jersey unaware of its gathering
power. The leaders of both parties
were forced to heed 1t. In the Republi
can party, Everett Colby, George T..
Record and others stirred up danger
GUS enthusiasm among 'snew idea Re-
publicans. Somehow, somewhere, by
someone. there was suggested to Mr..
Smiths Organization plan OF getting
aboard the reform'wason and riding on
it into power. The fight against privi-
lege and the championship of democracy
in college life captained by the President
Of Princeton University had attracted
the attention of the state and now sug-
gested him as man who could lead q
party to victory under the banner Of
political reform. President Wilson was
q student of public affairs Of authority
throughout the country; he was an ac-
complished and persuasive speaker; .
man Of lofty character and winning
personality. Indeed, from outside the
State, from the press of many cities,
had come the suggestion that the nation
would be fortunate if it could place
such a man as Wilson in the Presidential
chair.
It Is easy enough to see how the idea
of running Wilson for Governor needed
only present itself TO the imagination
of shrewed boss to become immediate
" congenial. Mr.. Smith had son at
Princeton and had ON one or two oc-
cssions exchanged greetings with the
head of the college, but there was no
real acquaintance between the two m en-
| and the Danoeratie leader M dn,,ht
naturally imagined that learned coll
legian would be as putty in the hands
Of an experienced politician especially
| Il his eyes were e-spectaeIed by the
promise Of q nomination for President
The man was hero for progressive,
independent citizens everywhere and
especially within the state where he
was best known; ! spontaneous popular
feeling that he would make an IDEAL
Governor had arisen; what could be bet
tar politics than 70 become sponsor Of
his nomination and use his popularity
for ride back to power?
During the early summer Of 1910,
President Wilson was told BY : number
Of his friends that be could probably
have the Democratic nomination for
Governor Il be desired It. These in
Continued On eighth pageI