Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1913-05-21

resumption by the people Of the direct
powers Of government it would have
been sufficiently astonishing that q
governor Of state like New Jersey
should have thought 1t worth while to
make to his legislature such an au-
dacious proposal as the direct primary,
with popular selection Of United States
senator's, popular nomination Of presi-
dental candidates and popular choice
Of party officers. This meant the KILL
ing Of the bosses; it meant the ex-
tinction of corporation controlled or
CARNATIONS; it meant everything that
New Jersey had never had and that
the professional politicians and the big
business interests could never permit
it to have
No wonder there was a battle royal!
James r. Nugent was in active d.
rection Of the opposition. Ex-senator
Smiths relation, he urged the 'in-
Frate' argument; Wilson knew no
honor and would knife the men who
assisted him; state chairman, he was
officially in command Of the party Or
ganization and could promise and
threaten with the prestige Of fifteen
| long years of almost unopposed party
supremacy against this new governors
bare month of troubled experience.
Nugent easily arranged coalition
with the Republicans. Their organiza-
ton was equally threatened, and far
greater than the fall Of the minority
party bosses would be that Of the
Republican "board Of guardians" If
the Republican majority still in con-
troll of the senate stood pat the Geran
bill would fail there, but Nugent
wanted more; he wanted the Demo
cratic lower chamber to repudiate the
governors plan. He was so confident
that this could be managed that he
arranged for a conference on the bill
as preliminary test.
| It was a fatal error
The governor heard of the confer
ence and genially suggested that he
be invited. It was unprecedented for
governor to attend legislative eau
Gus, but it would have been awkward
to decline to invite him il he wanted to
come So he went.
The gathering was in the supreme
court room, on the second floor Of the
statehouse. One assemblyman, Martin,
challenged the governors Intervention.
He had no constitutional right to inter-
fere in legislation. Had it not been
written by them Of old time that the
executive and legislative branches
must be kept sacredly apart? The
governor replied by drawing from his
pocket the Legislative Manual and
reading a clause of the constitution
which directed the governor of New
Jersey to communicate with the legis-
lature at such times as he might deem
necessary and to recommend such
measures as he might deem expedient.
He was there, he continued, in pursu-
ance of constitutional duty to recon-
mend measure of that character.
In noble fashion did he recommend
it. That conference lasted four and a
half hours. For three hours Of it Mr..
Wilson was on his feet, first expound-
ing the bill, clause by clause; answer
ing all queries and replying to all OBJ
jections out of a knowledge not only
Of the experience of other states, but
of the practical workings Of politics.
that greatly surprised his audience.
One by one he met and silenced all
critics. Then, looking about upon
them, he began what will always re-
main one Of the notable speeches OF
who was present will ever forget.
They were Democrats, and he spoke to
them as such. This, he told them, was
no attempt to destroy the party. II
was plan to revitalize it and arm 1t
for the war to which the swelling voice
of people called it in an hour of pal.
pitant expectancy. With an onrush Of
words white hot with speed and sup.
pressed emotion he displayed before
them the higher view of political duty
and expanded the ground Of his hope
for the future of the Democratic party
as servant Of the people.
One repeats only what the attend
ants at this remarkable meeting unite
in testifying when he says that they
came downstairs not knowing whether
more amazed by the force of logic that
had fairly won them over or moved by
the inspiring appeal to which they had
listened. The conference, called to
refuse the Geran bill, voted to make X
party measure. .>.s5 .#s.
A Republican caucus was proposed
to insure party unanimity against the
bill, but so many Republican members
refused In advance to be bound that
the plan was abandoned. The opposi.
ton had hoped that the senate com.
mittee on elections would refuse to re.
port the bill out, but to this Senator
Bradley, Republican, chairman Of the
committee, declined to be a party.
The senate elections committee did
hold public hearing arranged by the
opposition. 1t was melancholy at
fair, from their standpoint. The speak
ers who were to demolish the bill
never came, while battery of able
and by now enthusiastic cannoneers
riddled the pretensions of the enemy.
i Among the expected lights who failed
to come and scintillate for the senate
committee and the public was Mr..
John William Griggs, McKinley's at
torney general and governor Of the
state during the palmiest days Of I'M