The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1952-07-30

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~ ROGER T. LANE
SPRINGFIELD, III. N = The
striking fact about Adlai Steven
sons election rs governor in 1913
was that he polled SIS, 900 more
Illinois votes than President Tru-
man.
The President carried the state
by only 3s,sl2 Of 4.o75,0oo votes
cast. Stevenson outdistanced popu-
lar Paul H. Douglas, an easy Sen
ate winner, BY 165.000 votes.
Little less astonishing were two
other aspects Of the landslide VIC
tory: That such success crowned
his maiden political campaign and
that the Office he sought was his
second choice.
Stevenson had an eye on 4 U. S.
Senate seat when his name was
proposed BY q small group Of ar.
dent admirers to Jacob NJ. Arvey
and other Chicago Democratic
leaders.
But Arvey already was sold on
. man for that spot-Douglas, then
a University Of Chicago econom-
les professor.
Stevenson thought his experience
In the State Department and with
the U. N. better fitted him for the
Senate. Nevertheless, he was pr
suaded to run for governor against
Dwight H. Green. Republican in
cumbent seeking q third term.
IF it's true that politics is the
art Of compromise" he once said,
1--WE had Z good start. My mother
was q Republican and q Unitarian,
my father was q Democrat and
Presbyterian. ended up in his
party and her church."
He campaigned fiercely against
Green, denouncing what he called
his ''scandalous and thriftless ad-
ministration, broken promises and
cynical sale Of privilege"
After the election, he remarked
that he would have no say in shap-
ing federal policies-"But can
improve the probity, the efficiency
and morality Of state government,
or break my heart and my head
in the attempt"
An early move toward this oh.
jective was to tighten law enforce.
ment by legislation taking the
patronage realm and putting them
under . merit system.
The state police bill provided
for letting 80 cops on the solidly
Republican, 500-man force hold
their jobs. Tradition called for
sweeping all out to make room
for faithful Of his own party.
This was hard to stomach for
legislators who owed their seats
to the efficiency Of the Chicago
Democratic machine. Said one,
This governor must have been
born in Z political fairyland."
However. the disgruntled law
maker conceded that the governor
was courageous" and he voted
for the bin. along with . majority
Of colleagues.
The rejuvenated police force was
relieved Of errand boy duties like
chauffeuring politicians and soon
compiled an enviahle record for
driving overweight trucks off the
states crumbling highway net.
work and In enforcing traffic and
criminal laws.
Among other things, the police
smashed . big scale cigarette Ia,
counterfeiting operation and de.
sroyed about 800 Illegal slo. ma.
chimes.
With road.busting truckers under
control, Stevenson put over on the
second try . 100 million dollars a
year program for rebuilding the
state highway system. II is lust
now hitting its stride.
Financing was the crusial prob
lem, and lis core lay In settling
. rural-urban tug Of war on shar.
Ing receipts from q 7-cent increase
In the state gasoline tax TO a nickel
Stevenson called In the warning
groups and Induced agreement on
. formula that unraveled the snar
To make Roadway On roads. and
in virtually every other field. the
Democratic governor needed sun
port at Republicans who controlled
both legislative branches in 1915
and the Senate In 1851. He Got i.
surprisingly often.
Stevenson wanted . rexrite Job
On the states 1870 Constituted
last amended In 1901. He called /
"our ancient straispaeket."
His drive failed. but produced
. cor counter offensive he mined
to hheralise the amending process.
and pave the way for suhstan,
tive change.
Under the sovernor's leadership
sssss appropriations for eiemen,a
Try and high schools were nearly
Doubled. Un6erssassed. cyerrrs,ws