Los Angeles herald., 1910-05-20

"The new direct primary law, al
though it is far from the law desired
by the voters of California, because
drafted and adopted by its enemies to
prevent the enactment of a more per-
feet primary law, insures the defeat of
the Southern Pacific machine and the
triumph of Democracy in the pending
election"
So declared Albert NJ. Norton, chair
man of the Los Angeles county Demo-
cratic central committee, in a state
ment issued to the voters of Los Ange-
les yesterday.
For several weeks there has been
manifest an exceptional spirit of OPP
timism and elation at the Democratic
Headquarters in Los Angeles. The
prophets of the party see in the dis
ruption of the Republican organization
sweeping victory for Hon. Theo-
dore A. Bell, Lorin Handley and other
Democratic candidates. Every day,
says Mr.. Norton, innumerable letters
are pouring into the state and county
headquarters in which the committees
and candidates are given the most
gratifying encouragement.
"The one and vitally important prob
lem which the Democrats now have to
face is to secure clean and competent
men for four offices in the county, for
none of which there is yet suitable
candidate.
81 refer to the offices of county clerk.
county auditor, county recorder and
county assessor. These ofhces are
among the most important to be filled,
and to insure a clean and commendable
ticket, which is all we need to win the
election, the general committee OF M
teen appointed by the county confer
ence must busy itself at once in seeing
that the right men enter the race
'"The general committee will meet at
Levy's cafe at noon Friday, May ~
and arrange it's plans for this work.
1t is extremely important that every
member of the committee be present.
We want only one man for each office,
but that man must be such as VIII
commend himself to every Democratic
voter in the county"
DEMOCRATIC HOPES BRIGHT
Mr.. Norton's statement cites numer-
| GUS reasons for his confidence IN the
success of the Democratic ticket at the
pending election. The statement con-
| tinues
"The present Democratic county or
ganization has accomplished since AUG
ust. 1908, when it assumed the control
of the Democratic party in Los Ange-
les county, what the Democrats here
| had been trying to accomplish Tor
twenty years. 1t has rid itself entlrely
of the hold which the Southern Paclhc
political (Republican) machine former
ly had on it.
up to that time the anti-machin1e
element in the Democratic party ala
not seem to he able to wrest control
from the machine forces. Contest attef
contest had been waged against the
machine forces, and while sometimes
partial victory was achieved, entlre
control was not obtained.
"The organization of the Democratic
league in the early part of 1908 was the
| forerunner of the downfall of machine
| control in the Democratic party of Los
| Angeles county. Working unanimous
lv. and with that one great purpose
| harmoniously governing its members,
| the Democrats of the county achleVed
| their first victory at the Fresno con-
yention in 1908 when r. f. Golngs ana
| Eddie Morris, two of the machlne leao-
ers of the Democratic party, were reao
| ont of the party, and so completely op-
| liberated that they have not since dared
| To show themselves at polltlcal as
| senoblage. These men have practically
gone over to the machine element OF
| fhe Republicans, where they belonged.
MACHINE KNOCKED OUT
"The good work was kept up by the
Democratic league, which later secured
control of the county convention in
August, 1908, in Los Angeles, at which
convention no fewer than seven or the
Republican machine men were thToWH
out of the convention. They, also' nave
ceased to be factors in the Democracy
of our county or city.
."This work resulted in my election as
chairman of the county central COM
nittee. and in connection with the ex-
ecutive committee, which l appointed
we have so worked in harmony that the
rest of the railroad machine element
has been completely effaced, ana at tnt
conference held last Saturday not one
4 of them dared to show his face.
"Another result has been that th'
| machine element in our party prac-
ticaIly has been forced to go over t
the Republican machine push' Where