Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1913-02-03
places in advocacy of the plan.

piuCeS III duVOCdCy OI tue pan.
To this extraordinary record of pro
gressive legislation must be added al
intelligent statute regulating the cole
storage Of food. legislation establishing
the indeterminate sentence in place o.
the old discredited fixed sentence ant
the complete reorganization Of the pub
lie school system.
1t is worthy of special remark tina
the achievement of these surprising re
suits over and against its original op
position left the legislature neverthe
less in very friendly attitude O..
mind toward the governor. He earned
their respect. and he won. to boot
the hearty good will Of most of the
legislators. At first an atmosphere o.
diffidence hung over the executive
anterooms. Visitors were not sure
how they would be treated. But they
soon found 1t delight to visit thu
governors Office and began to think
up excuses for look in. The spare
gray man with the long jaw had q
mighty taking way about him. There
was always ready smile and often q
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 a
little dinner given him and them by
the adjutant general, Mr.. Sadler. at
hn ri,
darky music makers on hand. and
presently the high tenor voice that had
led two college glee clubs was CAROL
ing In darby dialect, and before long
lit was In the confidential privacy Of
group Of sympathetic senators) the
rather lengthy legs and other members
Of governor were engaged In a duet
cakewalk with one Of the older sena-
tors.
No retaliation was ever visited upon
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 bill
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 al. and sundry who
were in communication with the ex-
ecutive whether they thought he would
let 1t 60 through. 1t was difficult to
persuade a man used to the customs
Of the old days that there was a new
kind of politician in the governors
chair. politician who dealt with pro-
posed legislation on It's 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.
Ex-senator Smith. Wilson's bitter en-
envy. owns great deal Of real es-
tate in Newark. His relative and chief
lieutenant. James II. Nugent. controls
the city so absolutely that a laborer
can't get job on the street without
his consent However. there are some
things which Il New Jersey city coun.
Gil has to ask the legislature for per-
mission to do. This session there was
to come up at Trenton 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 a vindictive governor to
veto the bill on the ground that 1t
was a job and to win applause
for his act while striking q telling
blow at Smith and Nugent. But, con-
sidering the case on its merits, Cover
nor Wilson could conclude only that 1t
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 unblushing-
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 he
could render in his capacity as 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 him how the
case stood with him. II quite under
stand" said the governor, land l 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 | 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 u hero, that he went to the
caucus and voted for MARITIME. His
work was cut till he could make only
$40 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 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 vigor drawn from resources not
commonly tapped by Presbyterian eld
ers. Walsh was poor man with a
family whose livelihood had been TAX
en- away from him because he voted
according to his conscience. Some
ho for Wolch.