Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-11-12
Woodrow Wilson
As Know Him
by JOSEPH P. TUMULTY
Chapter V

COIlNc1lIlO1lg at l. SlAIOAh:
under the mastery direction Of the
members of the Democratic old guard
of the state. New Jersey had long
been noted throughout the country
as the Mother of Trusts" and the
nesting place of privilege. Through
their alliance and partnership with
the political bosses 'of both parties.
the so-ca1led corporate interests had
been for many years successful,
against the greatest pressure of pub
lie opinion, in blocking the passage
of progressive legislation.
Liberal-minded men in the state
had for many years been carrying
on an agitation for the enactment
into law of legislation that would
make possible the following great
needs:
l. The passage of direct primary
law.
2. The passage Of an employers
liability law.
3. The regulation of public utili
ties.
4. The passage of a corrupt prac-
tees act.
These were matters within the
scope of state legislation, and to
these were added an agitation for a
fifth reform, which, of course, could
be accomplished only through an
amendment to the constitution Of the
United States, the election of United
States senators by vote of the peo-
pie.
New Jersey Interests"
In the old days in New Jersey, now
happily gone, the days when the
granting Of special corporation char
tiers was the vogue, a sort of politi-
cal suzerainty was set up by railroad
and public service interests. Every
election was, in it's last analysis, a
solemn referendum upon the Ques-
ton as to which corporate interest
should control egislation-whether
the Pennsylvania railroad, whose
master mind was the Republican
leader of the state, United States
Senator Sewal1, or the public service
interests, whose votaries and
friends were Senator Smith, of New
Jersey, and Milan Ross, ST., of Mid
dleseX county.
While these corporate interests
matter of a United States senator
ship or the governorship of a state,
! they were as one in their unrelent-
ing, bitter, highly organized oppo-
sition to the passage of what in this
day we call by the highly dignified
name of social welfare legislation
The voices of those liberal-minded
men and women of the state, who,
year. after year, fought for this leg
Islation, were like voices crying in
! the wilderness. An illustration of
corporate opposition was the unre-
| lentlng attitude of the special inter-
est group of the state to the passage
Of the employers liability act Ev-
cry decent, progressive, humane man
in the state felt that the old, bar
! barrie, felloW-servant doctrine should
be changed and that there should be
! substituted for it more humane,
wholesome, modern doctrine. Nearly
every state in the union had already
| recognized the injustice of the old
rule, but the privileged interests in
New Jersey could not be moved in
their bitter and implacable opposi-
ton to it, and for over half a cen
fury they had succeeded in prevent
ing it's enactment into law. Pro
| gressives, or new idea Republicans,
high in the councils of that party,
! had fought with their Democratic
brethren to pass this legislation, but
always without result.
The New Idea Republicans
At last there came a revolt in the
Republican party, brought about
and led by sturdy Republicans like
Everett Colby, of Essex, and William
| P. Martin, of the same county;
George Record and Mark M. Pagan,
of my own county, Hudson. Out of
this split came the establishment in
the ranks of the Republican party
itself of faction which called itself
the New Idea branch of the Repub.
lican party. The campaign for hui.
name legislation within the ranks of
the G.. O. p. was at last begun in
real fighting fashion. It was the ir-
repressible conflict between the old
and the new, between those who be-
lieved human rights are superior to
and take precedence over property
rights. The conflict could not be
stayed; it's leaders could not be re-
strained. These men, Colby, Record
Martin and Pagan, were the sewers
of the progressive seed which Wood
row Wilson by his genius for leader
ship and constructive action along
humane lines was soon to harvest
His candidacy, therefore, admirably
fitted into the interesting situation.
When the convention which nomi
mated Woodrow Wilson had adjourn
ed, a convention wholly dominated
by reactionary bosses, it seemed -
| if progress and every fine thing cor
| which the progreSsiVeS had WORKS.
had been put finally to sleep. Behind
the selection of the Princetonian anC
his candidacy lay the old guard who
thought the professor could be uSeC
as a shield for their strategy. The
progressives, both Democratic an(
Republican, had witnessed the scenes
enacted at the Democratic conven
ton at Trenton with breaking hearts
They were about to lose hope. They
did not know that the candidate ha(
at the outset served notice on the
old guard that if he were nominated
he must be a free man to do no
body's bidding, to serve no interest:
except those of the people of the
state. But the old guard had no
published this.
Th@ Republican candidate, nomi
mated at the time Woodrow Wilson
was selected, was a most pleasant
kindly, genial man from Passaic
Vivian M. Lewis, who had just re
tired as banking commissioner fol
the state. BY clever plays to thu
progressives he had, at least temper
arily, brought together the various
progressive elements of the state
This movement apparently was aid
ed by the Democratic candidates re
luctance in the early days of tn
campaign to speak out boldly agains
the domination of the Democratic
party by the bosses of the old guard
(To BE Continued.)
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