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The Commoner.
SEPTBMBBB 20, 1912
5
Wilson's Brave Stand Against Bossism
Woodrow Wilson, although a candidate for
ofllco, Is not afraid to act upon the vital ques
tion affecting boss rule in New Jersey. James
Smith, jr., has announced his candidacy for the
senate and Governor Wilson has announced his
opposition to James Smith. The governor's
statement follows:
"Mr. Smith has, of course, a perfect right
to offer himself at the primaries as a candidate
for the democratic nomination for senator of
the United States. He is acting frankly and in
the spirit of the law and, if ho is preferred at
the primaries, it will be the duty of every demo
cratic member of the next legislature to vote for
liim when a senator is chosen. But I feel that
I ought to speak very frankly about the signifi
cance of his candidacy.
"It is not only my privilege as a citizen, but
my duty as the leader of my party to point out
just what is involved in this matter for the
democratic party in this state and for the party
in tho nation.
"Mr. Smith's selection as the democratic can
didate for the senate would be the most fatal
step backward that the democrats of tho state
could possibly take. It would mean his restora
tion to political leadership in New Jersey tho
moment my service as governor ended and, with
his restoration, a return to tho machine rulo
which so long kept every active democrat in tho
state in subordination to him and prevented
every progressive program conceived in tho in
terest of the people from being put into effect.
WORKING AGAINST PARTY
"I speak with knowledge in this matter, be
cause at every turn of my administration since
I became governor I have found his hand against
the new plans of the party his Influence work
ing steadily and covertly against everything that
has substituted hope and pride for discourage
ment and shame in the politics of New Jersey
during the twenty months during which I have
been permitted to serve the people of the state.
"It is of particularly sinister import that Mr.
Smith should seek to return to tho senate of tho
United States at' Mils' time. He was sent to tho
senate once before when the tariff had been
the chief issue of the national campaign and
when the democrats had, for once in a genera
tion, an opportunity to relieve the people of in
tolerable burdens and tho industry of the coun
try of the trammels which bound it like a strait
jacket. If the tariff could have been wisely re
vised then, we might have boon spared some
part, at least, of the crop of trusts and combi
nations which now rule and circumscribe our
markets.
"Mr. Smith was one of a small group of sena
tors, calling themselves democrats, who, at that
critical and hopeful juncture in our politics, ut
terly defeated the program of the party. His
election now might bring the party face to face
with a similar disaster and disgrace, and would
unquestionably render the satisfactory adminis
tration of the federal functions in New Jersey
all but impossible for a democratic president.
"These are plain words, my fellow-citizens,
but I can not permit any reluctance on my part
to speak in criticism of a fellow-citizen to stand
even for a moment in the way of my duty as tho
leader of a party pledged to the people's in
terest and now under peculiar obligations to ful
fill that pledge. If the democratic party does
not keep its promises now, It will never have
another opportunity to do so. Mr. Smith could
not and would not lend himself to any program
of genuinely progressive legislation.
"My first allegiance is to the progressive
policies, to which I have openly and solemnly
dedicated every power I possess. Everything
else must stand aside in the interest of the
country and of tho great state of which I am
governor. I have pointed out to you facts and
forces toward which you may, perhaps, have
grown indulgently indifferent in this brighter
day of New Jersey's regeneration. I know how
you will act when you are reminded of them.
We can indulge nothing when the stake is our
country's welfare and prosperity and tho honor
of our party." ,ljf . m
Mr. Smith filed his petition as a candidate for
the United States senate, on last Tuesday, the
final day given those who wished their names
to go before the people at the preferential pri
maries on September 24. The other democratic
candidates are Frank McDermltt, a lawyer of
Newark; Judge John D. Wescott, of Camden,
who nominated Governor Wilson at Baltimore;
Congressman William Hughes, of Passaic, and
State Senator William C. Gobhardt, who lives
in Hunterdon county and practices law in
Jersey City.
Westcott, Hughes and Gobhardt sot them
selves forward aB progressive candidates and
each of them is an ardent supportor of Gover
nor Wilson. McDermltt and James B. Martino
were tho only democrats who ran at tho last
primaries and Mr. Martino had the greator
number of votes. It was the first timo tho pre
ferential voto for United States senator had
been taken and it was ignored by tho bossos,
including Smith.
In tho platform on which Govornor Wilson
had run, however, tho party pledged itself to tho
direct election of United States senators. When
Mr. Smith, who had for a score of yoars been
the democratic loader, suddenly announced that
he would bo a candidate for election by the
legislature, Governor WIlBon issued a statement
in which he declared that tho party must abide
by its pledges and that tho legislature would
betray the electorate if any ono else than Mr.
Martino wero chosen.
Martino went' to the senate and the opposi
tion of Mr. Smith to tho governor continued un
abated at home. When the primaries for tho
selection of delegates at tho Baltimore conven
tion came along, tho Smith forces again fought
the aspirations of tho governor and were defeated.
A RECREANT DEMOCRAT
Evading no responsibility which his post as
"party leader in tho nation as well as in the
stato" puts upon him, Governor Wilson gives a
' reason of national Importance as well as a
reason of state importanco why James Smith, jr.,
should not be returned to the senate.
The New Jersey reason for refusing Smith this
undeserved honor is that ho is tho opponent of
tho progressive course upon which the manhood
of tho state is embarked, and that his election
would mean the return of tho machine of which
he is the humbled boss.
Tho national reason goes back to the timo
when the Wilson tarrff-revenuo bill was being
burked In the senate. Says Governor Wilson:
"Mr. Smith was ono of a small group of
senators calling themselves democrats who at
that critical and hopeful juncture In our poli
tics utterly defeated tho program of tho
party. His election now might bring the party
face to face with a similar disaster and dis
grace." Smith, Brlce and Gorman were tho malevo
lent three who, with some help from-Edward
Murphy and one or two others, botrayod their
party in tho senate. Now Jersey owes It to
democrats In other states as well as to their own
self-respect not to arm him for another betrayal.
New York World.
DEMOCRACY AND BOSSISM
Theodore Roosevelt and his political hench
men are charging that tho democracy is "sub
servient to the bosses." In order that the pre
cise nature of that "subserviency" may be gen
erally understood the Republic begs to place in
evidence tho most important document which
this campaign has thus far brought forth the
letter of Governor Wilson to New Jersey demo
crats concerning the senatorial candidacy of '
former Senator James Smith, jr.
Smith has been for many years the boss of
the New Jersey democracy. His word has been
law. When he and Governor Wilson crossed
swords on tho question of tho duty of tho legis
lature to ratify tho choico of Martine at tho pri
maries the governor won. Now the former sena
tor's late adversary has become the party's can
didate for the presidency. Every consideration
of political expediency, as "old-guard" politics
understands the phrase, would move Governor
Wilson to draw it a little easy on Mr. Smith.
DoeB he? Referring to Smith's tariff revision
record in Cleveland's second administration, the
governor says:
"Mr. Smith was one of a small group of 'sena
tors calling themselves democrats who, at that
critical and hopeful juncture in our politics
utterly defeated the programme of tho party.
His election now might bring the party face to
face with a similar disaster and disgrace, and
would unquestionably render the satisfactory
administration of tho federal functions In New
Jersey all but impossible for a democratic presi
dent." In order to get the proper perspective In view
ing this remarkable letter let us try to imagine
its llko boing written a fow yoars slnco by a
man still activo In public life. Whon Theodore
Rooaevolt was govornor of Now York Thomas
ColHor Piatt was to tho Emplro stato what James
Smith Is to Now Jorsoy. Govornor Roosovolt
did, it 1b truo, rcfuso to mnko certain appoint
ments desired by Senator Piatt, but can tho
wildest imagination picture him flinging deflanco
in tho faco of tho "easy boss," antagonizing tho
"organization" in campaign yoar?
No. In tho hour of decision Mr. Roosevelt
was always "right" with tho organization. II
had tho support of Quay, tho support of Hanna,
tho support of Piatt, tho support of Cannon, tho
support of Penroso. IIo has tho support of Por
kins and Flinn today.
In the 'nineties tho republican and democratic
parties allko wore boss-ridden. Besldo Hanna,
Piatt and Quay, wo must rango Gorman, Brlco,
III11 and Smith. Smith, who was ono of tho
"sugar senators" who kept that staplo off tho
free list of tho Wilson bill, confessed In the sena
torial inquiry that ho had speculated In sugar at
the moment when ho was aiding in holding up
tho sugar schedule
Tho republican boss domination has contlnuod
to tho present. Penrose and Barnes rulod the
republican convention at Chicago, oven as Han
na and Piatt used to rulo of old. But a now
day has corno to tho democracy and a candidate,
chosen by tho people, boldly challongos tho or
ganization leador In his own stato and calls on
all good democrats to aid In his defeat.
In tho Wilson letter on tho Smith candidacy
may be road tho spirit of present-day democ
racy. St. Louis Republic.
THE SUPPORT OP HISTORY
Tho Sioux City (la.) Journal says: Mr.
Bryan's Lincoln indictment of Theodore Roose
velt has tho support of political history. The
colonel Is moro a forager than a leador. The
Chicago platform of his party is sufllciont proof.
His speeches during tho past two years are
utterly lacking in consistency. Ho has gathored
from Mr. Bryan nnd from Mr. Dobs. His frantic
endeavor this year Is to destroy tho republican
party, no matter how.
Two years ago, as temporary chairman of tho
Now York republican stato convention, ho gave
to Taft and to his administration unequivocal
indorsement. Tho platform adopted by the
Saratoga convention had his full appjroval.
Listen to this:
"The Payne tariff law reduced tho avorage
rate of all duties 11 per cent. By Increasing the
duties on some luxuries and articles not in ordi
nary uso, making, however, no increase on any
common food product, it turned a national de
ficit Into a surplus. Under Its first year of opera
tion the value of Imports free of duty was tho
greatest In our history by $109,000,000, and the
average rate of duty was less than under tho
Wilson law. Unlike that democratic lav", its
great reductions of duty have not stopped In
dustry or deprived labor of any part of its hire.
It gives free trade with tho Philippine islands
and it establishes a customs court. Its maxi
mum and minimum rates give us for the first
time equality of opportunity with other nations
in our foreign trade."
In his speech at Sioux Falls that same year
the colonel said:
"I think that the present tariff is better than
tho last and considerably better than the one
before the last."
Turn to the speech Roosevelt made to his
excited now partyites, gathered In Des Moines:
"I have remained attached .to the doctrines
the progressives taught three years ago. I don't
believe in free trade. On the other hand, I don't
believe in a stand-pat republican tariff. I
believe there are a great many shams In the
Payne-Aldrich bill. Among the shams and hum
bugs was the tariff law."
Upon what ground aro the people to place
trust in Roosevelt? Aro they to pin faith on
what he said yesterday or upon what he may be
saying today?
IN CALIFORNIA
The San Francisco Star' reproduces an Inter
view with Senator John D. Works, progressive
republican. In this Interview Senator Works
says: "It will bo a close fight between Roose
velt and Wilson in California, and I rather think
Wilson will win.
"Not only will all tho democrat voto for
Wilson, but so will a very considerable number
of progressive republicans like myself.
"Besides that many Taft men will be for Wil
son, knowing their candidate has no chance.
"Wilson has a very good chance, I think'
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