The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1913-04-09

opposition II MAS melancholy al
fair. from their standpoint The speak
ers who We're TO demolish the bill
and by now enthusiastic cannoneers
riddled the pretensions OF the enemy
Among the expected lights who failed
10 come and scintillate for the senate
committee aud the public was Mr..
John William Griggs. McKinley's at
torney general and governor of the
state during the palmiest days of IN
rebuked nisruIe Governor Wilson in
formed the senators that if Mr.. Griggs
appeared he would come himself and
make few remarks suggested by
the former attorney generals speech.
1t would have been great debate had
it ever come of The governor waited
in his office. but Mr. Grfggs never
came. The total Of the opposition was
represented by James Smith. Jr.'s, pri
vate secretary. who, after some desul
tory vaporings. sent word to his chief
that open opposition to the Geran bin
was futile
So now was secret opposition. NJ
gent still hung about Trenton. One
day he went into the governors Office
at the governors request to talk
things over
Nugent very quickly lost his temper.
II know you think you've got the
votes" he exclaimed II don't know
how you got them"
What do you meanT' queried the
governor sharply.
Its the talk OF the statehouse that
you get them by patronage
Good afternoon, Mr.. Nugent." said
Governor Wilson. pointing to the door.
You're no gentleman shouted the
| discounted boss
You're no judge" replied Mr. Will
son. his finger continuing TO indicate
| the exit
| Let Us finish with disagreeable sub
! jeet of some slight interest in picture
| of Jersey politics. Nugent crept away.
| Six months later he came again into
the prominence of his kind. Still state
| chairman. he was giving a dinner to a
small but convivial party at "Scotty's."
restaurant at Avon on the Jersey
coast A party of officers of the New
Jersey national guard then in camp at
| Sea Girt. near by. was seated at an
adjoining table
Nugent sent wine to the officers Ia
| Bile and asked them TO join his own
party in toast The diners at both
tables arose 81 give you.' cried Nj
gent. 1.-The governor of the state of
n a
| Nugent tnished-"a liar and. an in-
| crater
The diners stood II moment stupe-
! fed DO | drink alone?" shouted the
| host
He did drink alone The glasses
were set down untouched Some of
the officers indignantly threw out their
wine on the floor Then all dispersed.
and Nugent was left alone
The following day majority of the
| members of the state committee signed
| call for meeting to elect new
chairman. A little strong arm work
was INDUCED in in Nugent's behalf by
| gang headed by Charlie Bell, a wine
agent. but the Newark man was duly
deposed and successor elected in the
person of Edward W. Grosscup, a
member of the organization who had
come to be a supporter and an adj
| mirer Of the governor
/ The Geran bill came TO its passage in
one-third more votes than it needed
The Republican senate accepted and
passed it without a struggle
The whole legislative program fol-
| lowed Today Jersey has the most adj
vanced and best working primary cleo
ton law in the Union. 1t has cor
/ rupt practices law of the severest kind
/ Betting on elections is forbidden.
Treating by candidates is forbidden
| All campaign expenses must be pub
lished. Corporations may not contrib
| ute. The maximum amount allowed to
be spent by candidates for any office is
| fixed by law.
New Jersey today has public utili
| ties commission with power TO APP
praise property. fix rates. forbid dis
ordinations, regulate finances, control
/ all sales, mortgages and leases In the
case of all railroads. steam and cleo
tric, in the case of express companies.
| of canal, subway. pipe line. gas. cleo
trio light, heat. power, water. oil. sew
er. telegraph. telephone companies. sys-
| TENS, plants or equipments for public
use Today New Jersey has an EN-
ployers' liability law which gives an
/ injured employee immediate automatic
compensation paid by the employer
| The Workingman NAV however sue
for damages if be prefers to take his
| chances before Il jury. The state has
| today a provision for the adoption by
such cities and towns as may desire ii
| of the commission form of government
on the Des Moines plan. with the ini-
| tiative and referendum and recall. On
| der this law Trenton. the capital, and
many other Jersey cities and towns are
trying scientific municipal government
Governor Wilson has spoken in many
| places in advocacy of the plan.
To this extraordinary record of pro-
gressive legislation must be added an
| intelligent statute regulating the cold
storage OF food. legislation establishing
| the indetermiuate sentence in place of
| the old discredited fixed sentence and
the complete reorganization of the pub
| lie school system
1t IS worthy of special remark that
the achievement of these surprising re
suits over and against its original op-
position left the legislature nevertbe-
less in very friendly attitude of
mind toward the governor. He earned
(