Bridgeton pioneer., 1913-10-09
STOKES STRIKES
The KEYNOTE
Progressive Policies Favored
In Address to Convention.
The SLOGAN is "FORWARD!"

Outlines His Platform-Favors Di-
rest Voice of the People and Thinks
That They Should Take Initiative
and Ask Best Men to Serve Rather
Than Have Candidates Solicit Suf-
frage.
Trenton, Sept 80 = Edward c.
Stokes, candidate for governor on the
Republican ticket, in his address to the
state convention urgently favors pro-
gressive policies He said:
For the first time in the history of
New Jersey candidates for governor
have been nominated by the direct
vote of the people without the inter-
vention of a convention. The powers
heretofore exercised by delegates are
now exercised directly by the voters
themselves. The wisdom of their
choice will be contested from now un-
til election day, and so far as l am
concerned it shall be a dignified cam
paign, free from personalities, aiming
at right and truth, with no spectacular
promises, but with the assurance, ear
nest and sincere ON behalf Of our party
and myself, to render faithful service
to the commonwealth.
A contest of marked bitterness has
been raging in the Democratic and in
the third party.
Contest In Democratic Ranks.
The contest in the Democratic party
was not brought about by our presi-
dent. l say "our' because he is your
president and my president He has
been the earnest advocate of Demo
cratic harmony He selected the can
didate to be indorsed and ratified by
the voters, and he endeavored so far
as he could to persuade other aspirants
to make the pathway harmonious and
easy, but he found in Katzenbach a
man who insisted that popular gov
ernment was popular government and
that under the Garen law the voters
themselves and not a single individual
should determine who the Democratic
nominee should be. Under the impress
sion that the Garen law meant what
It said and that when the nominating
convention was abolished its powers
became vested in the voters at large
and not in any one individual Katzen-
bach proved as obdurate to polished
diplomacy as did Huerta himself, and
he went on with the fight for what he
believed to be Democratic principles.
In his campaign he has rendered val
liable service to the state in disclosing
the incompetency and extravaganza of
Democratic government. The Ameri-
can people love fair play and a fair
contest, and they want the best man
to win without official or governmental
interference
Split In Republican Party.
The new third party is not yet year
old, but it has been able to develop so
rapidly that it shows all the symptoms
OF age. 1t can boast already of party
and factional antagonisms that usual
ly come with long years Of power.
The new party was launched with the
assurance of high ideals and noble
sentiments. 1t promised an example
of exalted leadership that should put
the old parties to shame Sad the out
come and humiliating to those who in
good faith joined its ranks as a new,
unselfish organization, dedicated only
to the public good and above the cavil
or selfish preferment. 1t has become,
as Mr.. Colby puts 1t, "a nation wide
split in the party" and in this state
that split has been characterized by
quarrel between two factions, one ac-
cusing the other Of leaning toward Re-
publicanism and the other of leaning
toward Socialism. To the student of
history the outcome was inevitable.
Abraham Lincoln once said to the dis
satisfied southern states that their
logic destroyed itself. If eleven states
could leave the Union because they
We're dissatisfied with its government
five could separate from eleven, and SO
on until tue doctrine of separation de-
stroyed itself When those dissatisfied
with the Chicago convention (and l
was one of them), instead of fighting
out their cause in the party ranks as
President Wilson fights his battles III
thS DShiONAdlAS IdllkS, uctlucu W sep
arate they exercised THEIR SOVER-
ElGN RIGHT, but they set the ex-
ample to those who might become dis
satisfied with their leadership to di-
vide their own ranks in turn. And so
today the new third party, generally
characterized as the Progressive party,
has already developed within its ranks
progressive and "a reactionary ele-
ment.
Praise For Direct Primaries.
In our own ranks there has been a
contest without bitterness, without
personal attack and so far as l know,
with perfect coed feeling l at least
have no complaint to make against the
other candidates, and 1 have heard no
criticism against me except the fact
that l was not enough of a candidate
have my own theory as to the direct
primary If it is to remain an effective
governmental agency. The government
III