Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-11-22
"WOODROW WILSON
AS | KNOW HlM''
Continued From Page ~

informed me that he would support
MARITIME and use all his force, Off
cial and personal, to have the 1egis-
lature accept the preferential pri-
mary as the peoples mandate.
With prudence and caution, with
political sense that challenged the
admiration of every practical poll
tician in the state the Princetonian
began to set the stage for the pre-.
liminary test. There was nothing
dramatic about these preliminaries.
Quickly assuming the offensive, he
went about the task of mobilizing
his political forces in the most pa
tient, practical way. No statement
to the people of his purposes to
accept the challenge of the Demo
cratic bosses was made by him. Ger
tain things in the way of accommo-
dation were necessary to be done
before this definite step was taken.
1t was decided that until the gov
ernor-elect had conferred with the
Democratic bosses in an effort to
persuade them that the course
they had adopted was wrong, it
would be best not to make an i'm
mediate issue by the governor-elect' S
announcement. We thought that by
tactfully handling Smith and Davis
we would be able by this method
Of Cancellation to convince their
friends, at least those in the party
organization, that we were not ruth.
lessly bent. upon leading a revolt
but that we were attempting peace
fully settlement that would pre-
vent a split in our party ranks.
BackIIre Against the Machine
We were convinced that in the
great body of organization Demo
who resented this attempt of the
bosses to force Jim Smith again
on the party and that there were
many who silently wished us sue
cess, although they were not free
to colaae to our side in open espousal
Thus we began patiently to build
our, backfire in the ranks of the
Democratic organization itself, to
unhorse the Essex boss.
The first thing to carry out the
program was a visit paid to the
sick room of the Democratic boss
of the Hudson wing, Bob Davis, who
lay dangerously ill In his modest
home on Grove street, Jersey City.
The visit itself of hefgovernor- elect
to the home of the stricken boss had
a marked psychological eject in
conciliating and winning over to
our side the active party workers
in the Davis machine. To many of
the privates in the ranks the boss
was a veritable hero, and they wit
messed with pleasure the personal
visit of the new elect to
the boss at his home and looked
upon it as a genuine act of obei-
sance and Difference to their strick-
en- leader. They thought this a gen
erous and a big thing to do, and
so it naturally turned their sym
pathies to the goVernor-elect. 1t
gave further proof to them that
the man elected governor was not
"high-browish" or inclined to fight
unless he had previously laid all
his cards On the table. We also rea-
lized that to have ignored the boss
would have been to give strength
and comfort to the enemy and so
we deliberately set out to cultivate
and frank dealing.
of this plan. The meeting between
these two men-one, the governor
elect and until recently the presi-
dent of Princeton; the other, Dem
ocratic boss, old and battle-scarred-
in the little sick room of the humble
home, was a most interesting af-
fair and at times a most touching
and pathetic one. Both men were
frank in dealing with each other.
There was no formality or coldness
in the meeting. The governor elect
quickly placed the whole situation
before the boss, showing how the
Democratic party had for> many
years advocated the very system
the election of United States sena
tors by the people-that the Demo
cratic bosses of the state were now
attacking and repudiating. Briefly
he sketched the disastrous effects
upon our party and it's prestige
in the state and the nation if a
Democratic legislature should be the
first, after advocating it, to cast il
aside in order to satisfy the selfish
ambition and vanity of one of the
Old Guard.
BOSS Davis's Gauntlet
In a sincere manly fashion, sc
characteristic of him, Boss Davis
then proceeded to state his case
Briefly it was this: He had giver
his solemn promise and had enter
ed into a gentleman's agreement
with Smith to deliver to him the
twelve legislatures votes from Hud
son. He could not violate his agree
ment. Laughingly, he said to the
governor elect: N"If the pope OF
Rome, of which church I am a mem
Der, should come to this room tC
urge me to change my attitude,
would refuse to do so. I have Civ
en- my promise, and you would not
have me break it, would you, Doc
tor?" With real feeling and a show
Of appreciation of the boSs'S frank
ness and loyalty to his friends. the
governor elect quickly replied: "O1
course, I would not have you break
your promise, but you must moi
feel aggrieved if I shall find il
necessary to fight you and Smith
in the open for the Hudson votes
go on, Doctor" said the sicl
man. ct am a game sport and
am sure that with you there will
be no hitting below the belt" Anc
thus the first conference between
the governor and the political boss
ended.
Mr.. Wilson's next visit was to Sen
ator Smith himself at the senators
home in Newark, meeting entirely
friendly in character and frank ii
expressions of the unalterable de
termination of the two men-of Sen
ator Smith not to withdraw from the
race, of Dr. Wilson to oppose his
candidacy and place the issue before