The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1913-04-10


the achievement of these surprising re
suits over and against its original op
position left the legislature neverthe
less In a very friendly attitude Of
mind toward the governor. He earned
their respect. and he won. to boot.
the hearty good will of most of t
legislators at first an atmosphere of
diffidence hung over the executive
anterooms Visitors were not sure
how they would be treated. But they
soon found 1t a delight TO visit the
governors Office and began to think
up excuses for a look In. The spare
gray man with the long jaw had
mighty taking way about him There
was always ready smile and often
lively story. and you seldom failed to
go away with glow around your
heart
The senators found him out in due
course of the session one night at 4
little dinner given him and them by
the adjutant general, Mr.. Sadler. at
the Country club. There were some
darky music makers on hand, and
presently the high tenor voice that had
led two college glee clubs was carol
ing in darky dialect, and before long
Dit was In the confidential privacy Of
a group of sympathetic SENATOR'S the
rather lengthy legs and other members
of a governor were engaged in a duet
cakewalk with one of the older sena
tors.
No retaliation was ever visited upon
adversaries of the governor. Assem-
blyman Martin of Hudson county, for
instance. was prominent IN the fight
against MARITIME, and he was leader
in opposition to the Geran elections
bill. his opposition being doubtless sin
cerely based on his belief that it would
destroy the party organization. Martin
was much interested IN a bridge bin
affecting Hoboken and the north end
| of his county. As the time drew near
| for action upon the bridge bill he grew
very uneasy and was observed to be
much in the vicinage of the governors
| room. inquiring of all and sundry who
were in communication with the ex-
ecutive whether they thought he would
| let it go through 1t was difficult to
| persuade a man used to the customs
of the old days that there was new
| kind of politician in the governors
chair, politician who dealt with pro-
posed legislation on its merits and not
| in the harboring Of vindictiveness nor
| the remembrance Of promised reward
Mr.. Martins bill was a just and de
sirable measure, and he got it.
envy, owns great deal of real es-
tate in Newark His relative and chief
lieutenant, James R. Nugent. controls
| the city SO absolutely that laborer
can't get job on the street without
his consent, However, there are some
things which New Jersey city coun
ell has to ask the legislature for per
mission to do. This session there was
to come up at Trenton a bill allowing
the Newark common council in its dis
erection to widen certain streets The
improvement would enhance the value
of realty owned by Smith 1t would
have been the easiest thing in the
world for vindictive governor to
veto the bill on the ground that it
was a job and TO win applause
for his act while striking telling
blow at Smith and Nugent But, con
Sidering the case on ifs merits. Cover
nor Wilson could conclude only that ii
authorized real Improvement ire
spective of its effect on the Smith prop
erty. He signed the bill.
There was one case. however. in
which Mr. Wilson violated unblushiug-
ly his declaration that he had no re
wards for those who supported nor
punishment for those who opposed his
measures Assemblyman Allan b
Walsh Of Mercer county was me
chanic employed by the Roebling com
pany This corporation, which paid
Walsh something like So day for his
labor in its shops. naturally felt that
this sum included what service be
could render in his capacity as a legis-
lator When the election of United
States senator came up he was in
structed to vote for Smith. He went
to the governor and told hin how the
case stood with him Il quite under
stand" said the governor, land don't
want to advise you what to do. | am
not the man TO ask you to imperil your
family's living. Whatever you con-
clude to do l shan't hold it against
you
Something in the common sense and
human kindness of Wilson's attitude
so touched Walsh, not heretofore
known as hero. that he went to the
caucus and voted for MARITIME His
work was cut till be could make only
SO week
When the battle was Joined on the
Wilson legislative program his EN-
ployers warned him to vote against
it He voted for it-Walsh, you see,
had a man in him-and was discharg-
ed The governor heard Of that. and
those who happened to be In the state
house that day heard language flow
In a yigor drawn from resources not
commonly, tapped by Presbyterian eld-
ers. Walsh was poor man with
family whose livelihood had been tax
en- away from him because he voted
according TO his conscience Some
thing must be done for Walsh: we
can't see him suffer like this" said
Mr.. Wilson He was reminded of his
declaration that be would neither pun
ish nor reward mo matter what
saidr' he exclaimed This is a good
time to be inconsistent. Well find
place for Walsh