Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1910-10-30
BOLTS JOHNSON TO
GIVE BELL VOTE
Here's Another Lifelong Republic
can Who Joins Great In
dependent Movement

journal in winch TO express sumo u
the convictions that have come to me
as a strictly non-partisan voter long
an ardent advocate of reform in poll
ties.
1t is the irony of fate that the orig
inators and pioneers in advocating
great reforms seldom if ever receive
the credit due them from tickle and
forgetful public for the efforts and sac
rlfices they make in working for such
reforms. The writer, now in middle
life, has never been identified with any
political organization with the single
exception of the deceased Popullst
party back in the zoos.
1t is a matter OF history that the
Populist party was the first political
organization to enunciate the prlncl-
pies of the initiative, referendum and
recall, the graduated income tax and
other advanced reforms now openly
championed by the insurgents and the
progressives of both the Republican
and Democratic parties. 1t is also
common history that these reforms
were at that time heaped with ridicule
by the press and speakers of both the
old dominant political parties, and
today those unselfsh patriots who
labored to promote those reforms which
are absolutely necessary to secure TO
our children and children's children
IIlOSC Squdnll6S VI oppOIIuully oSSulOo
us in the immortal Declaration OF
American independence are all but
forgotten.
CALLS 1T INJUSTICE
While it is a grave injustice that
credit should not be given when credit
is due, those faithful ones can take
great satisfaction in the knowledge
that the truths they first carried to the
people have at last laid hold of the
patriotic American conscience, regard
less of political utilization, and that
now all over state and nation insistent
demands are made for the enaction of
those reforms into law and for the de-
struction of the monster of special
privilege which has been for the past
half century spreading like the green
bay tree and sapping the liberties of
the people.
1t is but fair to say that of the two
dominant political parties it was the
Democratic which first acknowledged
the justice of the reform measures
urged by the Populist party and in
many localities and states joined forces
with the Populists in an effort to Sc
cure legislation embodying their prin-
ciples.
1t is needless to recite that William
Jennings Bryan was the first great
leader of either of the dominant par
ties to come forth and nationally es-
pouse the real cause of the whole peo-
pie and that had 1t not been for the
curse of party prejudice the spoils sys-
tenn and the Vaccinations of the COR
rupt Republican machine aided by an
equally corrupt branch of the Demo-
cratic machine he would undoubtedly
have won and the cause of human
rights been much further advanced
than it is today.
QUESTIONS THEIR SINCERITY
Now the progressives or insurgents
all over the land are lauding the in
dependent voter and stating that the
hope of the country is in the voters
who forget partisanship and place
principle above any party, yet it is
singular that here in our great pro-
gressive state of California, where the
Democratic party has for years been
consistently and determinedly fighting
the Southern Pacific political domina-
ton and special interests and led by
a man without a peer in the state in
point of ability and courage and with
a past record of years free from the
slightest faint of suspicion of motive
that these same progressives who urge
the voter to rise above party cannot
themselves rise above party and sup
port the only known and tried leader
in this contest, the honorable and hon.
ored Theodore A. Bell. No! They prove
their own party prejudice by creating
a new political organization known as
Lincoln Roosevelt Republicans, with a
platform from first page to last iden-
titled with the Democratic and spurn
anything with the name Democrat at
tached to it outside of municipal af-
fairs. Oh, Consistency! Thou art in
deed a jewel!
Now, l submit that it is a far cry
indeed to claim anything more time
honored or honorable about the Re-
publican party than the Democratic.
1t is the party under whose fifty years
of practically uninterrupted DONNA
ton all the colossal political crimes
Of our country have been committed
and the monster of special privilege
fostered and protected.
CREDIT GOES TO DEMOCRATS
The Democratic party, it must at
least be admitted, has been the party
always in protest and should deserve
as honorable q name as the political
party on which rests the responsibility
for so much vicious legislation.
No! The supporters of Hiram John
son are willing and anxious to con-
vince the Democratic voter that it is
his duty to rise above party prejudice
and support Hiram, but for them to
pause and think dispassionately
whether Theodore A. Bell might not
be the safer and more dependable
champion of the people. Impossible.
We are Republicans.
Now, Mr.. Voter, are you independ
ent? Just get down into your heart of
hearts and analyze yourself and see
if you have got rid of the words Re-
publican or Democrat and you will
know if you are really free from
prejudice.
Theodore A. Bell has been making
a splendid and determined fight against
s. p domination and all forms of po-
litical corruption. He is making it
today harder than ever His record
behind him proves him sincere, pa
triotic and absolutely to be trust
ed Even his enemies do not question
his rare combination of both physical
and mental strength with which to
carry forward the peoples fight.
VOTED FOR JOHNSON
What about Hiram Johnson? wish
to saw for myself that in common with
many thousands of independent voters
1 registered as a Republican last
spring and voted to give Mr.. Johnson
the Republican nomination. My pur-
pose was that I believed it necessary
to aid in disrupting the organization
controlled body and soul by the
Southern Pacific company. 1 voted
for Johnson because believed him the
best candidate in the field for the
better or as good as Bell. 1 shall vote
on the eighth day of November for
a large number Of the Lincoln-Roose-
welt nominees, but I shall not vote for
Hiram Johnson because he a man Of
middle age and undoubted ability,