Los Angeles herald., 1910-11-03

In an article published in yesterday
mornings Examiner A. M. Norton,
chairman of the Democratic county
central committee, is reported as haV-
ing made certain statements concern
ing 7. E. Gibbon and two of the leaders
of the Lincoln Roosevelt movement IN
this state which are entirely unfounded
in fact. And inasmuch as Mr.. Norton
was offered an opportunity OF denying
these statements through the columns
of The Herald and refused to avail
himslf of that offer Mr.. Gibbon feels
called on to make the following state
ment:
Mr.. Norton is quoted in the article
in the Examiner as saying:
" On one of the evenings of the state
conference held in Los Angeles during
April last Mr. Gibbon, in the presence
of Theodore Bell Tim Spellacy, Martin
Betkouski and others stated he had
been promised by E. 7. Earl and Meyer
Lissner that in the event of deadlock k
in the state Legislature in 1911, so that
the election of John d. works as
United States senator was impossible,
Earl and Lissner would deliver the vote
of the Lincoln Roosevelt members OF
the Legislature to Gibbon, provided the
Democratic members of the legislature
would support him. Mr.. Gibbon re-
iterated this statement at least dozen
times thereafter, and several times in
the presenc of the campaign committee
of fifteen which I had appointed to rec
ommend suitable candidates for county
Offices
SAYS 1T is NOT TRUE
ut is not true that [ ever stated at
the conference referred to by Mr. Nor
ton, or at any other time, to Mr.. Nor
ton or to any other person or persons,
that Mr.. Earl and Mr.. Lissner, or
either of them, had ever promised me
his support for United States senator.
On the contrary, at a conference which
was held between some of the Demo-
cratic leaders, including Mr.. Bell, Mr.
Murray, the secretary of the state
Democratic executive committee, and
myself, at the Hollenbeck on the even
ing of the day when the Democratic
congress adjourned, [ made the state
ment that at that time | could not ana
would not announce myself as a candi-
date for United States seiator; that IL
conditions continued to exist as they
then were 1 could not under any cir
cumstances accept the position II, as
was of course not probable and hardly
possible the place were offered to me-
I stated, however, that L was very
anxious to see some good DeHlocrdI
chosen for that position, and l hoped
that if the reform element OF the Re-
publican party in the legislature was
not sufficiently strong to elect United
States senator it might be possible to
date for United States senator; that II
would be better to elect a Democrat
who was a recognized opponent of the
Southern Pacific machine in this state,
rather than to elect a Southern racine
machine Republican. At no time then
or afterward was any statement ever
made by men to the effect that Mr.:
Lissner or Mr. Earl had ever promised
their support to me or to any other
Democrat for that position.
QUOTATION Is DENIED
"Mr. Norton is further represented
in that interview as stating that IN
furtheranee of the plan to elect me as
United States senator | sent to hlm a
resolution to be introduced in the coun-
ty conference at Long Beach. and In
quotation marks in Mr. Norton's in
terview Is what purports to be an ex-
cerpt from that resolution as follows:
That the conference of Democrats as
sembled deemed 1t unwise for any
Democrat to enter the field as a can
didate at the primaries for United
States senator, inasmuch as there was
a possibility of combination of anti
machine legislators at the session or
someone not acceptable to the Lincoln
Roosevelt leaders secure the primary
Endorsement at the hands of the DEM
ocratic party for United states senator,
this combination could not be erected.
This pretended quotation from the
resolution does not represent any part
of 1t correctly, and the reference con-
tanned in 1T to the Lincoln Roosevelt
leaders is absolutely false, as is shown
by the full text of the resolution pre-
pared by me and adopted by the Demo-
cratic conference held at Long Beach,
which is as follows:
HERE Is THE RESOLUTION
Whereas, In the judgment of this
conference it appears highly probable
that as q result of the coming election
a majority of the candidates for the
legislature opposed to the domination
of the Southern Pacific political ma
chine in this state will be elected; and
Whereas, 1t further appears PROB
able that a combination may be ar
ranged between those members of the
legislature who are independent of and
opposed to this machine, by which a
United States senator free from ma
chine influences may be elected by the
legislature; and
Whereas, 1t will be impossible to
decide on Nthe strongest and most fit
man for United States senator upon
Whom such combination can be made
until after the members of the legis-
lature are elected, and the composition
of the legislature shall become known,
and for that reason the Democratic
members of the legislature should, in
our judgment be left free to decide on
the best man for the position after the
legislature is elected; therefore
"Be it resolved, that this conference
does not believe it wise or expedient
that any Democrat should announce
himself as candidate for the United
States senate before the primaries, or
seek in any way to pledge the De-
mocracy of the state to his support
previous to the election of members
of the legislature"
"Mr Norton is represented further
as saying:
"T only know what l have herein
stated and what Mr.. Gibbon told at