Page:The Presidents of the United States, 1789-1914, v. IV.djvu/253

WOODROW WILSON 211 new day and a new leader had arrived, the Legis lature elected Mr. Martine, who had led in the primary, giving him forty votes, while James Smith, Jr., who insisted upon becoming a candidate, when he had declared before election he would not run, received only four. It was a preliminary vic tory which greatly encouraged the new general and his soldiery for coming battles. For battles there must needs be, because not only was there Repub lican opposition to contend with but some of the old Democratic organization leaders could not soon forget the Governor s triumph in the defeat of their old leader. Governor Wilson found the Leg islature to be constituted as follows: Senate: Re publicans 12, Democrats 9; Assembly: Republicans 18, Democrats 42. The platform on which the party had won promised four vital reforms, a direct primary bill, a corrupt practices act, a public service commission with power to fix rates, and an employer s liability and workingmen s compensa tion law. Bitter opposition to these reforms de veloped, secretly even among some Democratic members who were supposed to be pledged to them. Few believed the Governor could force them through. When informed that it would be the end of the session before they could be reached, he re plied that if that were the case an extra session would be called to pass them. He invited Repub lican as well as Democratic members to call upon