Page:The Presidents of the United States, 1789-1914, v. IV.djvu/254

212 LIVES OF THE PRESIDENTS him at his offices. If they did not come he sent for them. He won over some by his logical reason ing 1 , others by his magnetic personality. To some who were extremely stubborn he proposed canvass ing their own districts with them. Once in a message he intimated that he might be compelled to name publicly the balking members but as a matter of fact he never had to do so. He never made ugly threats but he often smilingly suggested that Jer sey public opinion was back of his arguments. In a legislative session of three months, in spite of the fact that the upper house of the legislature was of the opposite party to him, Governor Wilson fulfilled every demand of the people in securing this important legislation : (1) The reform of the election laws was achieved by a Corrupt Practices Act, which makes it impossible for any corporation to contribute in any way towards the election of any candidate, and likewise makes the use of money on elect ion- day unlawful and difficult; direct primaries for all elective state, county and municipal offices; direct primaries for United States senator and delegates to national conventions, with popular expression for choice for president ; civil service tests for elec tion officers and personal registration for all voters ; non-partisan ballots in both primaries and elections. (2) The better regulation of corporations was accomplished by a comprehensive Public Utilities