New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-05-03
Calls Smith-Nugent Machine
Synonyme of Corruption and
Attacks Certain Demo-
Gratis for Tariff Stand.
CHEERED BY THOUSANDS
President, in Final Plea in Jer,
sey City, Appeals to Hudson
County No Longer to Play
Second Fiddle" to Those
Who Betray Trust.

with a thinly yelled attack on Ger
tain Democrats in Washington for their
attitude toward the tariff bill Presi-
dent Wilson brought to a close last
night his campaign in New Jersey for
the enactment OF an honest jury re-
form law by the coming special session
Of the New Jersey Legislature.
The President plainly was tired out
by the strenuous day he had passed
through. but the reception given 70
him by the 5000 or more persons at
the Dickinson High School. Jersey
city. seemed to have an cXhilarating
effect. and he went at the Smith-Nu-
gent machine in vitriolic manner He
was cheered for five minutes when he
walked on the platform. lie closed
with mastcrful appeal TO the people
and the Democratic legislators.
"Hear Only Special Interests"
The Presidents reference TO certain
persons in Washington was not diff
cult Of Interpretation.
Some Of my fellow citizens" he said
and some Of my colleagues in Wash
ington city now think that they are
hearing the voice Of the people Of the
United States when they are only hear
ing the part that has become vocal by
moving down to Washington and in
ssting upon its special interests.
LAS sit in my office in Washington,
there are windows on only one side Of
the room, and those windows look out
upon parks and upon the Potomac
River and the shore OF Virginia on
the other side, and cannot see Wash
ington from those windows. and
sometimes thank God that I can't, be-
cause Washington behind me is seeth-
ing with special representatives Of
little things who are almost storming
at the doors of this Office itself. where
as out here are the cool, large spaces
OF the United States, and l would
rather hear the whispers coming in at
those windows than the strident argu
ments coming in at those doors"
President Wilson in his speech con
fined himself, with occasional digres-
sions. TO the subjects Of jury reform
and a constitutional convention. once
he digressed long enough to praise the
ice e
At another time he referred sarcasti-
cally TO Assemblyman McDermott,
who. he said. had shown much indigna-
ton earlier in the day because he (the
President) had come TO Hudson County
without first consulting him about IT,
Attacks Smith Nugent Machine.
The Smith Nugent machine. the
President said, was known all over the
country The names Of its managers,
he said. were synomymes for the corrupt
management Of politics from one end
OF the country to the other He chided
the people Of Hudson County because
the~r lawmakers had been fooled into
pla ing second fiddle to the smith-Nu-
gent machine, and he urged them TO
wake up.
How long are you going 10 play
second fddle?" he asked. How long
are you going TO elect men that wheth-
or they intend to do It or not, manage
YOUR affairs in such fashion that they
are as a matter OF fact subordinated
10 the purposes entertained by the
managers. let US say the governors. Of
the party in the County Of Essex?
was present at a conference to-day at
which one Of the gentlemen in the As
sembly from the County Of Essex asked
me ~ had said that the greater part
Of the delegation from that county
exercised no choice Of its own but took
orders.
"He did not ask me in those words
but the words do not make any differ
ence. that is what ] said. and | said
e. not because I suspected II. ! have
lived In this state a good many wears.
J was an observer. and very close
observer. Of the course Of politics be-
fore ventured upon that uneasy sea,
and when ventured upon that uneasy
sea was not the landlubber that |
looked. and knew the gentlemen who
control the politics Of Essex County
Synonynnes Of Corruption.
knew them? Why. the whole United
States knew them. II was not hidden
from ANYBODY. Their names are syn
onymes Of the corrupt management or
politics from one end Of America 10 the
other. and because OF the way in which
Your representatives have allowed
themselves to be tied up by private
politics Of their own they have. no
matter how august they are. no matter
how well intentioned they are. put
themselves in the usual position OF
PLAYING second fiddle 10 the managers
Of Essex.
Look into the thing for yourself.
The Democratic party had PLATFORM
but these gentlemen had a little pri-
vste platform OF their own In which
they undertook to say how the Demo-
cratic party IN the state should do the
thing which the Democratic party all
over the state had promised TO do, and
because YOU elected them as Demo