Los Angeles herald., 1910-07-24
DEMOCRATS DENY
LISSNER CLAIMS
Albert N. Norton Says Lincoln
Roosevelt Man Is Stealing
Democratic Thunder
RECALLS FIGHT MADE BY BELL
Resent Statement That Johnson
Offers Voters First Chance
to Gust S. P.
RECALLS FIGHT MADE BY BELL

ctsed Meyer Lissner, who in a news
paper interview. Friday stated that 1.-THE
people of California now have their
first opportunity to vote for a guber-
material candidate opposed to the S. p
machine"
Mr.. Lissner does not state the truth
when he says this" said Albert M
Norton, chairman of the Los Angeles
central committee, yesterday. Il must
resent the unqualified statement that
this is the first opportunity the electors
of California have had to strike a blow
at the Southern Pacific machine. Mr.
Lissner says:
The people OF California have waited
thirty years for this chance to rid them
selves of the domination in their state gov
ernment Of the political bureau OF grea
railroad corporation. It is the first timt
they have a candidate for governor aol'
and fearless. making the fight on the one
great issue In this state before which al
others pale into insignlncance. Until the
Southern Pacific political machine has beer
rendered ineffective In our state government
as it has been in tho government of the city
OF Los Angeles. other reforms are not pos
sible in state affairs.
"If the people of California want sucf
reforms as revision OF our criminal proceed
ure. direct statewide election OF United
states senators, nonpartisan judiciary
offices, direct legislation In state and county
affairs and general honesty and economy II
government administered in the interest o.
taxpayers, they have the opportunity thi'
year OF electlng men to office who can bt
depended upon TO put into effect those anc
other greatly needed reforms.
This is the first real opportunity the citi
zens of California have had to redeem the
state from political bondage. To doubt thai
they will avail themselves OF It is to doubt
their intelligence and patriotism"
Il want to call the attention OF Mr.
Lissner and OF the other Republican
leaders in this campaign that Hiram
Johnson is Waging his battle for the
gubernatorial nomination on exactly
the same issues espoused and eX-
pounded by Theodore A. Bell, our pres
ent candidate for governor, four years
ago.
Mr.. Bell made many fearless and
famously remarkable speeches all over
the state against the Southern Pa
cihc, against the Republicans and the
Democrats controlled by the railroad
push and against the pernicious activ-
ity OF the corporations in the admins
trative affairs of California.
Mr. Bell waged a stronger and
more extensive battle against the
Southern Pacific four years ago than
Mr. Johnson has. In fact, it Is a
matter of common knowledge that Mr.,
Johnson has, in the language of the
street, stolen Bells thunder
"The voters of California had the
opportunity long ago of voting against
the Southern Pacific by voting for a
Democrat, but many Of these same
Republicans who are now working to
nominate Johnson preferred to elect
a machine governor rather than an
anti-machine Democrat They voted
for Gillett in preference to Bell.
"That wasn't the only opportunity
the Republicans of California have had
to vote against the Southern Pacific,
They had a similar opportunity to de-
feat the Southern Pacific and elect
an anti-machine man when the Demo
Gratis of California put James G. Ma
gtlire into the race. What stronger or
more fearless anti-Southern Pacific
man ever sought the governorship of
this state than James Maguire-the
man who defeated the Infamous re-
funding bill, which meant a present of
$50 900, 600 to the railroad company
Why didn't they vote for Mcguire?
I'VE Democrats gave them another
opportunity when we nominated Frank
lin *. Lane for governor-the most
fearless and uncompromising enemy OF
the Southern Pacific, except Theodore
Believer put up by the people of this
state to defeat the railroad octopus
But did the Republicans vote for him
No. Neither did they support Lane
ory that a corrupt machine Republi-
q n is better than a clean anti-machine
Democrat.
THE Republicans of California are
now making Conmendable fight for
purity in politics and to rid their party
of this same Southern Pacific influence
and domination.
"That is we'll and good I am glad
of it and we Democrats wish them all
in hn rNs~II IQt1f he
Democrats of California We're the pio-
neer anti-railroad machine fighters
and we can't sit idly by and let Mr.
Lissner, nor any other Republican, say
that Hiram Johnson offers the voters
of this tate their first opportunity to
defeat the Southern Pacific. That is
not so.
"Mr. Johnson is now making all the
noise in the gubernatorial campaign
for the reason that he has to fight
and stand squarely before the people
on an anti-railroad machine plank
in order to get the Republican NOM
nation Bell, therefore. is keeping
quiet, for there is no fight on in the
Democratic party. and with a thorough
working organization. regulated to the
utmost harmony, the Democrats OF
California will nominate Theodore A
Bell without the slightest effort. fol
we recognize him as a veteran anti
machine warrior, entitled to our loya
support, which he will get.
Long before Hiram johnson
dreamed of making the fight for the
gubernatorial nomination, Theodore A
Bell was out stumping the state
against the SoIahern Pacific and It's
corrupt methods, although Bell at that
time did not deem that he stood any
chance of election. He made a more
fearless and strenuous fight although
comparatively hopeless. than johnson
has made in the last three months
with the nomination virtually assured
him. He fought for principle at g
time when such a fight seemed tc
spell political death in California, be-
cause the Southern Pacific controlled
practically every administrative office
in the state.
"Mr Bells silence at this time is
due to the fact that the general cleo
tion is yet almost four months away
and he has the nomination practically
in his hand. He does not wish tc
weary the public with too many un.
necessary speeches and too much noise
But after the primaries when the rea
campaign begins, regardless of whom
the Republicans nominate, Mr.. Bel
will resume the fight which made hin
famous-take up again the anti-ma-
chine battle which he waged four years
afo. before Johnson was considered
even a gubernatorial possibility; anC
he will continue the struggle begun by
the Democrats and waged single-hand'
ed and unsupported by the Democrats
in the face of tremendous Republican