The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1913-08-05


In THE opinion of former Governor
Edward c. Stokes the two Progressive
candidates, former Senator Colby and
Mr.. Osborne, are wider apart than the
Republican and Progressive parties. In
an interview Mr.. Stokes comments upon
a speech of Senator Colby, which is re-
garded as Mr.. Colby's declaration of
principles. The former Governor saws
that if the two Progressives believe in
the policies they have enunciated one
could not support the other without a
sacrifice of principles to mere party ex-
pediency. The former Governor has
words of praise for Mr.. Colby's platform,
but he insists that Mr.. Colby's ideas in
no wise justify third party movement
He says that, reviewed in calm, judicial
light, Mr.. Colby's speech is really a
strong argument for the union of the
two parties. The interview of the for
mer Governor also shows his belief that,
without union, there cannot be success
| for either of the two parties as he saws
that Senator Colby's course in leaving
the Republican ranks is to be regretted
because it can only result in the defeat
of the principles he advocates and in the
impairment of the chances of Republican
success. In speaking of Senator Colby's
platform, Governor Stokes says:
| 81 have read Senator Colby's state
ment of principles with great interest.
They are extremely conservative and
Senator Colby's conservative trend of
mind is shown in his statement that the
people must guard against attempting
4 to force governments to do more than
governments composed of average human
beings can possibly accomplish Sena-
tor Colby very properly recognizes the
tendency of the day to expect the State
to do for the individual what the in
dividual should do for himself.
| with one exception, Senator Colby's
enunciation of principles involves no
new policy, and this fact is no detraction
| from their merit.
| Home rule for cities was advocated in
my message to the Legislature of 1907
and 1908. Senator Colby was a member
of the Legislature during that period,
and while he was member of the Legis-
lature a joint resolution was introduced
upon the subject of municipal govern
ment, with view of framing home
Irule municipal charter.
The short ballot is needed reform to
which no man will take exception and
which has been advocated by public men
of all parties for some years.
In reference to the referendum and
initiative, l quote from my December
statement: The referendum is already
an established principle in the function
lof law making. In New JERSEY it has
constitutional sanction and is exercised
in the adoption of municipal charters
bond issues and in the regulation of Ger.
tain municipal salaries. The home OF
the referendum is not in Switzerland,
but in New England There are in this
If7fa1 try l..
Idums upon State issues, and perhaps 500
If municipal and local questions are in.
Icluded'
The initiative is, in principle, the
constitutional right of petition which
John Quincy Adams said belonged even
to slave
Senator Colby's advocacy of indus.
trial peace in connection with strikes and
lockouts is along the lines of the Cana
dian Industrial Disputes Act, which !
recommended in statement last Deem.
Der, and which is part of Congressman
Fowler's platform.
The Senator's treatment of MONOPOLY
is extremely interesting from a Republi-
can point of view. 1t is recognition OF
regulation as the true method of corpor.
ate reform instead of dissolution of big
enterprises into smaller units, and the
IlcCOSlitiOl vi Tic H6c6SSlJV OF one con-
trolling federal authority to avoid the
confusion incident to regulation by forty.
leight different States. This is distinctly
a Republican doctrine. 1t is Hamiltonian
government as opposed by Jeffersonian
government and until the line of demar.
cation is clearly defined between federal
and state authority we shall have
disturbance and uncertainty in our bust.
ness enterprises, and most of our great
Iproblems will remain unsettled. The
Japanese question in California is only
lone of the many cases that arise from
the conflict between state and federal
authority.
Senator Colby's suggestion in regard
to land taxation is, as he says, an echo
OF Lloyd George, and is, l presume, a
sop TO the Osborne Cerberus in this cam
lpaign. THE merits of this policy will
cause differences of opinion, but it is en-
titled to the fullest discussion. The sub
ject, of course, is one of mere agitation,
Enactment of such a law as Senator
Colby suggests would be clearly uncon-
stitutional. 1t would require constitu-
tional provision to put the idea into prac-
tice.
Outside of this one provision there is
scarcely policy Senator Colby advocates
which is not distinctly Republican, and
which has not been from time to time
advocated by Republicans and which
may not be part of the Republican