The San Francisco call., 1910-07-31

= n
An III several candidates.
xz&$/C N served To clarity
the situation for
the public eye.
Those dereIopments confirmed the
general public in its helief that the
fight fer the republican nomination for
governor was and would end a contest
between Secretary Of state Charles r
rurrse and Hiram W Johnson. and not
between either Curry or Johnson and
Alden Anderson, put into the guber-
material race by the Herrin machine !
That the pUblic.s estimate OF the
situation is shared by the mana gers of
the several glibernatoria1 campai igns
Was cenclusivelv proved last week by
the circular attack on Curry's private
and official character sent to news
papers supporting Johnson. and Phil
Stamtan's successful effort to secure
Theodore ReoseVeltis reputation of the
use Of his name as a supporter of
johnson.
ATTACK On CURRY
Tbe attack on curry. men employed
In his Office. other state officials and the
attempt to stir up snti-Jewish feeling
was Of a character that the libel laws.
II nothing else, would keep out of the
columns Of decent newspapers. II pur-
ported 10 en}anate from the Good Gov
eminent league of Los Angeles and was
mailed in the official franked envelopes
of United states Marshal Leo Y. Young
worth
The good government organization.
which is the name under which the
Lincoln Roosevelt campaign is being
made in Los Angeles, promptly entered
q disclaimer OF any knowledge Of the
origin OF the circular. Johnson dis
claimed any knowledge of the clrcu-
lar. bat declined TO express any opin-
ion OF IL a : campaign document Big,
clean editors of Johnson papers, like
Chester II. Rowell Of Fresno and Z. J.
Devlin 0f Santa Cruz. denounced the
cicHlar i'm their leading editorials and
demanded that the criminal responsi-
bic for il be brought TO book.
CURRY TO BENEFIT
BE that as it may. the followers of
all the candidates are desperately
anxious TO clear the skirts of their re-
Spectiye organizations. They fear the
evident popular resentment and they
are trying 10 decide who will suffer
tile most from the attack. The detec-
fion of the author of the circular be-
fore the urinary election would prob
-a1slv answer THAT question The queS-
ion about which there seems TO be no
division OF opinion is: Who viii benefit
l7lost from it, The answer is Curry.
An untruthful attack on any candidate.
compelled 10 abandon his personal
campaign because Of injuries received
in an accident that nearly cost several
lives would make votes for that can
dldate even if he were comparatively
unknown and had no official record
Rooseven's denial that he is sup
porting Hiram W.eJohnson for COVER
nor and that he sent Clifford Pinchot
10 ca aIifornia To advocate the nomina-
tion Of johnson was another develop
nIcnt of the week, the Importance and
effect OF which can not be estimated
even approximately. Roosevelts re-
pudiation of the misuse of his name in
the California campaign was secured
by Phil stanton of Los Angeles. VIII
Stanton,s efforts TO eliminate Roosevelt
las - Johnson card result in -advan-
1agfng stanton alone at the expense of
johnson. or viii they advantage both
Anderson and Curry as well as Stan
Ton? That Roosevelts reputation of
the use Of his name as an advocate OF
Johnson,s nomination is considered a
serious blow to. Johnson is evidenced
by the suppression by some of the
johnson newspapers of the Associated
Press dispatches containing Roosevelt s
statement, given TO the public on Fri
day.
To say that Roosevelts alleged advo-
csca.- Of Johnson did not help the league
candidate would be to mouth political
nonsense. The advocacy of Roosevelt
would help any candidate in any state
in this union. There is no room for
doubt about that Every candidate for
republican nomination for governor OF
California knew that Roosevelt's sup
port WAS real asset Phil Stanton dis
covered that the popular belief thai
d Roosevelt was for Johnson was de-
cided handicap for Phil Stanton in some
southern California communities. and
more particularly, ia Los Angeles. He
took his troubles TO Roosevelt, with the
result that the world at large was in
formed. that Roosevelt was not foI
johnson; that he was not interfering
inethe California primary fight and that
no. man had authority to use his name
5n..connection with the California fight
or. any other republican contest for
party nomination. Johnson says that
he got the impression that Roosevelt
the newspapers supporting him for
governor and from Pinchot whom he
saw only briefly.
NAME ELIMINATED
Assuming that johnson was deceived
by the newspapers advocating his NOM
inatfon and that he was not enlightened
by Pincbot.. the practical political fact
remains that. thanks to the use of
Roosevelts name in the Johnson cam
paiEn. Phil Stanton was able to secure
a reputation of such use from Roose-
welt himself. How far reaching the
effect Of Roosevelt's denial will prove
viii always be a matter of conjecture
That il viii have some adverse effect
on Johnson's vote can scarcely be
doubted. il il be admitted that Roose-
Nelts support would be valuable The
public generally may not attach per-
sonai blame to johnson for what il
considers political sharp practice. Some
men viii contend that Johnson knew
Roosevelt was not for him as against
other republicans. in any event ii
must result in discrimination of ths
afse Of Roosevelt's name in Johnson;s
behalf
Three monthsN ago when. Anderson
was boosted into the gubernatoriaI sit
ustiOn, scores Of men who had lived
always in fear Of the mysterious power
OF the machine, could see only victory
ahead Of the superintendent of banks
They considered the machine vote as Z
3 known quantity. sufficient to nominate
any respectable candidate over field
that must divide the admittedly larger
independent vote. They counted first
upon a repu blican primary vote of ap.
proximately 100000. Based upon the
averages of their experience in the
4oI, l.