Los Angeles herald., 1906-09-25

The address delivered by Hon. Theo-
dore A. Bell, Democratic nominee for
governor at Vallejo Saturday night,
stated the position of the California
Democracy so fully and plainly that
The Herald reproduCes herwlth a larg-
er and more extended report Of the
speech than was sent over the wire
at the time Of its delivery. Mr.. Bell
said:
1t is not difficult to define the issues
involved in this campaign. They are
local questions, not national Those
who have followed the proceedings of
the conventions that have been held
i'm California must be fully cognizant
of the serious matters that are pre-
sented to the electors of California for
decision. The lines are so clearly and
distinctly drawn that none should make
a mistake.
II the people Of California desire to
preserve self-rule and popular govern
ment for California they cannot i'm
justice to themselves indorse the ac-
tion of the Santa Cruz convention.
Those who would surrender the right
of the people to participate freely i'm
the selection of public servants GER
tainly cannot be in the majority, for
there is nothing dearer to the human
heart than the right Of free thought,
free sepech and a free ballot.
l know 1t is often asserted that poll
tics is distinctly a practical affair and
that the higher sentiments of morality
do not enter into it's consideration, but
this idea is one that no thinking man
can indorse once you eliminate from
our political concerns the question of
right and wrong you not only render
the state the helpless prey of political
vandalism but you SOW the seeds of
n decay that will finally sap the foun-
dations of the commonwealth.
Waving for the moment the ethical
and moral questions that confront us,
let us look into the material issues
that we squarely face. The Santa Cruz
convention was absolutely controlled
by a railroad boss. The fitness of cam
didates. even for high places in the
judiciary, received no consideration,
and Office after office was put upon the
block and auctioned off to the highest
bidder with the sole end in view of
nominating a governor satisfactory to
the Southern Pacific interests in Cali
fOrnia.
Herrin Is Toasted
No thought was given to the real
choice of the people. and the conven-
ment for carrying out a corrupt, shame
less and constituencies railroad pro-
gram. No one dreams that Boss
Herrin was moved by patriotism or
loyalty to California when he dubbed
delegate after delegate into the sup
port of his slate. None will deny that
he was impelled by purely selfish mo-
tives. His one ambition was, and is,
to render the administration Of our
state servile to his domination and
control, The interests which he rep
resents are inimical to the best inter-
ests of California, for his sordid ambi-
tion is to perpetuate a railroad monop-
oily as against the whole world.
Occupying territory like California,
with its wonderful possibilities and
resources, and with a view of eXclud-
ing every other enterprise that may
weaken that monopoly, the Southern
Pacific would ask the people of Cali
fornia to lock the doors of California
and surrender the key to Harriman's
system. The future of California de-
pends largely upon railroad expansion.
both electric and steam. With a broad
and liberal railroad policy our state
will soon become network or roads,
affording competition for communities
now at the mercy of the Southern Pa
cific and giving transportation facili-
ties to sections now without either
land or water communication. Can it
be that the people of California will
be so needless of their real interests
as to obstruct the progress and devel-
opment of California by their votes
on election day?
l believe that this election will mark
the end of railroad misrule and abuse
in this state, but if the people shall
vote to perpetuate the despotism of
the Southern Pacific and thereby de-
clare that Mr.. Hartman by a nod of
his head at a Washington banquet can
indicate the next governor of this
state, then let none complain of the
yoke he has voluntarily assumed.
Must Drive Hearst Out
Another important factor in the de-
velopment of California and the re-
building of her great metropolis is the
cordial relations that ought to exist
between labor and capital. The man
who would disturb this relation for
his own political ACKNOWLEDGMENT de-
serves summary punishment at the
hands of the people. There is no room
in California today for the demagogue
and agitator in labor matters. The
duties of employer and employe are
reciprocal and appeal to the heart and