Los Angeles herald., 1910-11-04
NATIVE SON GIVES
HISTORY OF BELL
Tells of Earlier Fights of Demo-
cratic Candidate for the
Peoples Rights
RECORD IS FREE FROM STAIN
Nominee, as Youth and Man,
Loyal and Unswerving in
Battle for Right
RECORD IS FREE FROM STAIN

Editor Herald: Permit me a few
lines in your valuable columns for a
fair report upon the present guberna-
torial situation.
l have noticed especially of late the
unfair, ungentlemanly and unreason-
able remarks, charges and differences
which Mr. Johnson is hurting at his
Democratic opponent, Theodore A. Bell.
In the spirit OF fairness, and of what
believe to be true Americanism, to-
gether with some personal knowledge
of the facts under consideration,
make this statement The same is not
composed of conjecture or imagination;
it is not fiction, but is that undenia BILE
fact, the truth.
Mr., Bell, like myself, was born and
raised. in that little northern noun
famous county of Napa. Up among
those good plain people and those old
hills he received his education. He
gathered from them the high and lofty
principles which he now maintains in
violate.
[ think that it was some fifteen years
ago when young Democrat announced
his candidacy for the office of county
prosecutor. Mr.. Bell was then, think,
but 22 years of age. At the election he
received from his fellow citizens the
office which he had sought at their
ber of Mr.. Bell at that time, and the
administration which he gave to the
people of Napa county. His office was
conducted upon such principles of fair
ness and impartiality, together with
efficiency, that when four years had
rolled by Mr. Bell was returned to the
same position by great majority. Two
years after his second election as dis
trict attorney Mr.. Bell made known his
af1a ii of 1n MI nf h
district as their representative in the
congress of the United States To this
high office of trust he was elected. He
had become by this time known far
and wide as a jealous advocate of fair
ness and justic. In congress he secured
for Mare Island the government navy
yard ON the bay of San Francisco) the
first battleship to be built under gov
ernment appropriation He stood out
firmly and squarely on all national and
political problems which concerned the
people l believe that he was the only
one of California's representatives in
congress at that time to vote in favor
of the Southern California citrus grow
er over the domination of the rail-
roads.
POPULAR AT HOME
When Mr.. Bell returned home (Napa)
from his first TRIP to congress i shall
never forget the welcome accorded him.
Up in those old hills the simple people
had recognized in Mr.. Bell they had
a true and sincere advocate of right
and justice. They turned out to the
man, and whole families came from
miles around to shake the hand of
Theodore, for he was their own boy.
Let a man go into that section of the
country today and say that Mr.. Bell
is not sincere, or that he lacks any
essential element in the makeup of
character and manhood: well. II he
did he would be taking his life in his
hands. I noticed that when Mr.. john
son saw fit to make a short speech up
among those people he left all infer
ences as to character and all mudsling-
ing in other climes of the state.
After Mr.. Bell had returned from
congress he settled down to the prac-
tice of his chosen profession, the law.
He was restless, and could not long
remain quiet. He was constantly as
serting the rights of the people, and
making attacks upon unfair and cor
rupt methods of government. Some
two years hence from this time he was
sent as a Democratic delegate to the
state convention which convened at
Sacramento in 1906. At that place Mr..
Bells friends nominated him, against
his wish, to be the standard bearer in
the ensuing election. OF his policies
and of the campaign he conducted 1
need not mention, for it is known by
all. Suffice to say that sincere, honest,
upright and courageous from the first,
he still remained so.
The present election finds the oppos-
ing candidates lined up against one an
other not so much as the leaders of
great political parties, but more as to
the quality and ability of the men.
Mr.. Johnson, the candidate of the
Lincoln Roosevelt branch of the Re
publican party. cannot seem to content
himself with waging an election of re-
form, but he must charge honest, sim
cere citizens of this state with all the
and human weaknesses
that are contained in his vocabulary
of abuse. There are still some left in
this great Golden state who shall stand
for nothing but fair play-first, last and
all the fine. When we see a fellow
citizen unrighteously and without due
cause being slandered and DETAINED in
his reputation and character, we shall
rise up in just Indignation and dis
credit the motives and sincerity of the
abuser and defamer
APPEALS TO NATIVE SONS
Let Mr.. Johnson finish this campaign
more upon what he intends to do for
it's internal development and the bet
terment of the citizens within it's bor-
ders. Let Mr.. Johnson either declare
for or against the man who tolls and
who seeks to organize protective or
for his selt-preservation.
Let Mr.. Johnson come out to the light
upon these questions, and quit his
harping upon William F. Herrin and
the Southern Pacific. There is some
thing else due the people besides the
of these evils. Let Mr..
Johnson come out plainly and openly
as to his policies upon the immigration
of the yellow peril The people of Cal
ifornia are waiting to learn and hear
his policies, not his TRADE of abuse
upon citizens whose reputation for
truth, honesty and integrity is un-
questionable.
Fellow citizens and readers. remem-
ber. those well put words of the mar
tyred president, Abraham Lincoln: Il
know of no better way of judging the
future than by the past" Shall we
turn a man down who has for more
than a decade and a half maintained
an honest and untarnished character
and reputation? Shall we turn man
down who has been fighting for years
our fights? Shall we substitute in this
mans place another who has come into
the limelight near the close of the bat
tie, only when it has become popular?