Gloucester County Democrat., 1912-06-13
our TRENTON LETTER.

iSiApoH, JuAc lz.- III less than
Two years of public Executiyeship he
mas re-created the Democratic party in
New Jersey; made over the organiza-
ton into one of character so eff
clent that the public itself has become
part OF that organization; that is to
say ne has constructed such a work
ing force of official life that the af-
fairs OF the state are conducted not
only to the entire satisfaction of the
people, but are sustained by their en-
thusiastic approval. He has made
government in our state matter of
business, and thereby placed his party
IN lmpregnable control These are
a part of the opening words of the
statement to the delegates of the
Democratic National Convention is
sued in behalf of Governor Woodrow
Wilson by the New Jersey delegation.
The statement is being sent to every
delegate and alternate to the Conven-
tion
The delegation declares in the state
ment that the situation confronting
the Democratic party demands that
the strongest man and the best cam
paigner be nominated for the presi-
dency, and then proceeds to show
from Governor Wilson's record that
he is the strongest man to nominate.
Besides claiming Governor Wilson is
the strongest candidate politically, the
statement also declares that what he
has accomplished while Governor is
proof that he, if elected, would be
capable of so conducting Natiorsl
business and of so solving govern
mental problems as to improve The
conditions in the country.
When Woodrow Wilson commenced
his term of office in New Jersey a
little over a year ago. continues the
statement, s'the state was one of the
most reactionary states in the Union.
During one short legislative period,
this condition was totally changed
and New Jersey became one of the
most sanely progressive states in the
country. The change was brought
about through the courage, leader
ship and ability OF one man. Some
of the reforms credited to the Gov
ernor are: Placing the direct election
of United States Senators by the peo-
pie upon an effective and dignified
basis; complete revision of the cleo
tion laws resulting in the establish
ment of direct primaries; establish
ing a humane society of compensa-
ton to employees injured at the dis
charge of their duties; enacting the
corrupt practice act; insuring honest
election in New Jersey. The state
ment closes with an appeal to the
delegates to support Governor Wilson
for the Presidency The statement
was prepared by a committee of del
egates composed of former Judge j.
w. Westcott, of Camden, chairman;
Senator j. Warren Davis, of Salem;
Editor James D. Carpenter, of the
Gloucester County Democrat, and
Editor Robert G. Drummer, of the
Passaic Herald.
The formation in Hudson County of
a big Four headed by Mayor H.
Otto Wittpenn, of Jersey City, is re-
garded by State House politicians as
a move of the Mayor to strengthen
his chances for the Democratic nom
ination for Governor next year. Be-
sides Mayor Wittpenn the combina
tion is made up of Street Commits
sioner Patrick H. Griffin, Democratic
leader of Hoboken Mayor Cronin, of
Bayonne, and former Mayor Emil
Groth of Union Hill. All four are
Wilson men Without doubt Mayor
Wittpenn will use the combination to
fight the Smith-Nugent forces in Hud
son and to favor the movement to
place him at the head of the state
ticket in the fall of 1913. There has
been some comment that Sheriff We'd
in. also a Wilson leader in Hudson,
was left out of the combine ,and the
significance of the omission is be-
lieved to be that the Mayor thought
that perhaps too much prominence for
the Sheriff would jeopardize his own
hope of party supremacy.
&*
Through his failure to file his per-
sonai financial statement of his CAM
paign expenses within the five days
allowed by the corrupt practices act,
Edmund B. Osborne, President of
the Progressive Republican League OF
New Jersey, has forfeited his seat in
the Convention as a Roosevelt dele
gate from the Tenth District of this
State The disqualification of Mr..
Osborne will throw the place of dele
gate to Harold J Howland, one of
the Roosevelt alternates elected in the
same district. Mr.. Osborne's fail
ure to file his statement as required
by law was due to his sailing for Eu-
rope on a business "trip shortly before
the primary election The terms of
the corrupt practices act require the
Prosecutor to take action in all cases
where candidates fail to file campaign
expenses.
One lone representative from New
Jersey will represent President Taft
in the National Convention at Chicago
next week. He will be former As
semblynlan Christopher S. Hand, of
Cape May County, an alternate from
the Second Congressional District. He
will go to the Convention through the
failure of the Roosevelt Managers to
nominate two delegates for alternate
/ nfh5S district AS fha district iS