Perth Amboy evening news., 1913-05-02
BITTER ASSAULT ON
SMITH-NUCENT RING

Newark, MI, Maya. President VII
son returned to NewsIersey last night
to speak In support OF a proposition to
reform the system of drawing grand
and petit Jurors which is to be consid-
cred at a special sessf0si Cf the legisla-
ture next Tuesday. He spoke to large
audiences here and IN Elizabet and
denounced the Influences that are seek
Ing to thwart the reform In scathing
language
The New Auditorium was crowded
when the president, accompanied by
Secretary Tumulty, Major Rhoads and
his secret service guards, reached the
platform. Assemblyman John Mat
thews, the only representative OF his
county in the legislature that favored
Jury reform, was speaking when the
assembly suddenly let go with cheers.
and those on the stage surged forward
10 shake Mr.. Wilson's hand. Mr.. Mat
thews ended his speech shortly, and
then the president stood up In way
that showed he meant TO hit straight
out and hard.
II know Of no greater satisfaction
than speaking for the people of this
state" he began, ''for have not come
to speak to you. ] know what you be-
lieve In. l know what you want. /
have come to speak for you and to tell
those men with whom we are dealing
what it is their business to do, for we
are their masters they are not ours"
He said he wanted everybody to re-
alize that be was not taken in by the
results of the last national election.
He explained that the country did not
go Democratic, but had turned to the
Democratic party as the only united
helpful instrument which it had found
at hand to accomplish its purposes.
It's purpose was to see certain things
done, and he affirmed his belief that If
they We're not done the Democratic
party never would get another chance.
He described how the Democratic par
ty in New Jersey betrayed the trust
placed in 1t and how that betrayal was
followed by nearly twenty years of
Democratic victory in 1910, he said;
ITO us this was a rejuyenation, a re-
newed party, and the first question
that came up was whether the old
gang would run it or not. / won't go
INTO the history of the two years of
aghting with the old gang Neverthe-
ess the old gang did not run, but they
Kept under cOSer, even I the lobbies at
Trenton. knowing that there were fin
gers that pointed to their past history.
They tremblcd Ia the spotlight, and
when | was told tha@ lust as soon as ]
went to Washington the old gang
would come back | didn't believe 1t
until l saw It,
"Once more that bulky form of a gen
tleman who used to personally lead the
legislature of New Jersey into disgrace
reappeared upon the very floor of the
legislature, and again it was that his
lntrlgues were successful in blocking
the things he did not wish done. Am /
mistaken, have you not heard it, that
the same old gang that had for two
years been scorched had not been
killed? Have you rot heard that that
system with h snakelike s, that great,
sneaking, whispering ystem, had es-
tablished itself again In Trentonf
These thinly yelled references to
James r. Nugent and James Smith.
Ir., provoked laughter and applause
that was apparently approving. The
president made mention also of his In
tention to spend next summer In New
Hampshire and said he had been infiu.
enced to go outside New Jersey be-
cause he didr't want o have people
feel that he was trying to boss tie gu
tConainnad on page 3D.