Los Angeles herald., 1906-09-21
PLAIN WORDS TO THE
PEOPLE OF CALIFORNIA
Full Text Of Statement Issued by
Theodore A, Bell, Democratic
Nominee for Governor
From the Sacramento Bee
from the Sacramento Bee.

10. Ine people OF Nne state or Calt-
fornia: A great responsibility has
been placed in my hands by the
action of the conventions, but II has
come in a manner that places me in
clear light before the people Of Cali
fornia
The paramount question Isl Shall
the people be permitted to participate
in the selection of public servants, or
shall that prerogative be insolently
seized and exercised by the political
boss L once we surrender government
to any political machine, we Yield up
what it has taken centuries to win. For
after ALL is not government the
thing that men have always battled for
and desired. the most precious of all
human rights?
! The Democratic party would have
been false to every profession it has
ever made If it had failed to draw this
Issue sharp and clear, and range itself
on the side Of the people. We were
called upon to make good our oft-re-
! pcatcd declaration that we are in
! nuenced only by considerations of the
common welfare. Had we failed to
take a firm stand for good government
and a square deal we would have Justly
forfeited the respect of decent men.
The people of this state expected the
| Democratic state convention TO do
something 1t has been DONE and Ia
my judgment 1t will be ratified at the
polls. l cannct believe that the cleo
tors of California Will set their seal of
approval upon the political vandalism
that controlled the Santa Cruz conVen-
tion.
Slogan Of the Campaign
Emancipation from machine politics
and boss rule must be the slogan in
this ampaign--emancpat from
Herrin, who has defiled the Republican
party of California by seizing Its ma
chinery away from the rank and file of
that party; and emancipation from
Hearst, who would use the Democratic
party for his own selfish adVancem ent,
or destroy it in the attempt
The young men of California should
be honorably encouraged to participate
In the political movements Of the time;
they owe it to the state and nation to
lend their influence to the shaping of
political ends in order that pure gov
ernment may be assured. 1t is the duty
Of every good citizen to take a part in
politics and not permit the state to
pass into the hands of political ma
chimes and bosses.
But 1 can we'll see how men will hest.
tate, and particularly young men, to
interest themselves in political affairs,
when upon the one hand they must
D6llua lHS hllte W upOil lHG
other, to Hearst.
Hearsts lrridescent Dream
If the Herrin machine wins this time
it will perpetuate itself in power; its
control will be so despotic that few
young men with honorable political am
bition will dare to oppose it.
OF course there is no danger of
Hearst's dream being realized, and it
6naSn't enough ctranpth fn hp
termed a serious menace But it will
be to the everlasting credit of Califor-
mia if it shall succeed in destroying the
evil domination of the one and the
reckless pretensionS of the other.
If such forces as these are permitted
to mold the destinies of California, God
pity us!
The future greatness of California
will depend
First-Upon the development of
the valley and mountain communities
through the building of new railroads
both steam and electric. 1t will be
suicidal to turn the state over to a
Southern Pacific monopoly, which
will, through pure and unmitigated
selfishness, obstruct, delay, and, i'll
possible, defeat every effort to secure
gerater facilities for transportation
and competition rates.
Nor can we afford to place in hands
of the Southern Pacific or any other
railroad monopoly the power to render
the navigable rivers of California no
longer the rate regulators Of the two
great valleys Of California.
Hearst Not Labor's True Friend
Second-California's future depends
very largely upon harmonious relations
between the employer and the en-
pIoyed.
Hearst is not the true friend of the
laboring man, but an agitator cease
lessly seeking to elevate himself at the
expense of the wage-earner
Organized labor cannot afford to
abandon the high ground on which it
stands to become the plaything of any
man.
1 have an abiding faith in the high
aims and purposes of organized labor,
the main object of which is to secure
to those who create the wealth of the
country their just proportion of what
they produce. But this end is defeated
whenever the workman Is taught to
regard his employer as his enemy, and
the employer persuaded to abandon his
confidence in Workmen.
An intelligent appreciation of the
cordial relations that ought to exist
between the two has never seemed to
dawn upon the mind of Hearst.
Therefore, SO long as he stands with
a club in his hand to beat both classes
into resentment and hatred toward each
other he stands as menace to Cali
fornia's progress, and should be made
TO feel that the people will not indorse
his position.
For this reason l have drawn a line,
and neither Hearst nor Herrin shall
stand on my side of it. / shall bend
every energy to eliminate these twoI
men from California politics, and 1 be-
lieve the people will help me do it, No
quarter shall be asked or given.
If elected governor l shall endeavor
to give California a good. clean, econo-
mical administration for four years. II
shall execute the laws without fear or
favor.
l shall be free and independent. and
" hateVer strength of mind and heart
that God has given me will be devoted
to my state
THEODORE A. BELL.
Sacramento. September 49,
Love
XHyt,,t i- uo,.oo 70 oei- H.