Los Angeles herald., 1906-11-04
CLOSE or THE CAMPAIGN


with rousing rallies throughout the
state the Democratic campaign in Cali
fornia closed Let night and the party
now submits its arguments. its facts
and it's appeals to the votes of the
people.
In many respects the campaign has
been a remarkable one. and It will go
down in local history as the most mag
nificent struggle for political liberty
and for the restoration Of free govern
ment ever known in the state. The be-
lief is universal that at the polls next
Tuesday the Southern Pacific bosses
and the Southern Pacific machine will
be completely overthrown but what
ever the result the Democrats have the
satisfaction Of knowing that they ex-
erted every honest effort to show to the
people of California the way out of the
wretched ENHANCEMENT by which they
had become the merest serfs of the
railroad corporation.
Six months ago the California Democ-
racy promised to make this fight for the
people, on the peoples own terms. 1t
promised, first, to reorganize and re-
form itself and to harmonize, with its
best leaders in commando it promised
second, to name clean, wholesome,
strong ticket, one that every honest
man in the state would be proud to
vote; and, third, it promised to fight
valiantly, early and late, the monstrous
machine which has been set up in
California and perpetuated by such
shameless bosses as Abe Ruef, William
F. Herrin, Walter Parker and the
Southern Pacific railway interests.
All these promises have been faith
fully and honorably fulfilled. The
Democracy at Sacramento booted Will
liam r. Hearst out of the party and
put real Democratic leaders to the
front. 1t unanimously nominated for
governor a former congressman and
native son, Theodore A. Bell, whose
to denounce Herrin and Hearst and
the whole Southern Pacific machine in
every county in the state. Mr.. Bell has
carried the war into the remotest cor
rers of California, and has conducted
himself so nobly and blamelessly as to
enable every man to say: Here is a
Californian upon whom we can depend
and in whom we can place OR trust and
confidence. He will be a governor of
whom the state need never be ashamed" /"
In all the heat and acrimony of the
campaign not a breath of suspicion has
been blown against the private life or
public character of Theodore A. Bell
He emerges from the fight, as he en-
tered it, splendid gentleman, fit to
adorn any position within the gift of his
native state.
The whole state Democratic ticket,
in fact is truly representative of the
people and not nominee thereon but
who has brought honor and respect to
the ticket.
Constant effort has been made to
keep steadily in view the one issue of
the canyass-the S. P. machine. The
Herald, IN common with every other
Democratic newspaper, has insisted, for
more than two years, that reform in the
government of California and rapid
progress in the development of the
state could not be achieved until the
shackles of the Southern Pacific ma
chine were broken and the people re-
stored to their rights and liberties.
This has been the fight. The result is
hardly a matter of doubt.
But all the labors of party and press
will cease on the morning of the cleo
ton. The responsibility of the issue
must be shifted to the individual voters
and it is for them to say whether they
will be freed from machine rule and
railroad traffic in offices. If after all
the facts presented to them, they per-
sist in bowling again to the autocracy
of Ruef and Herrin, -'arker, Hearst and
Gillett, the consequences must be upon
their own heads.
The Herald believes that the voters
are now ready to strike the final blow
at machine rule in California, and in
that belief it awaits confidently the
casting of the ballots and the announce
ment of the result.