Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1911-12-15

sideration, and which the people OF
all the United States are learning
must be the first consideration OF
goyernment-they forgot the people
The time has gone by certainly in
California and | believe in most of
the states of the union, when petty
politicians can deny the great mass
of the electorate a voice in govern
ment and hope for ultimate success.
And it is just this thing, with those
who are doing politics in the fashion
that we are in California who be-
lieye in the rule of the people and in
the right of the people to participate
in recalling, as well as electing, can
didates for office, that makes impos-
sible Mr. Taft the candidate of this
system
In October last while had under
consideration the question of a pres
idential preference primary, 1 wrote
to Senator LaFollette advising him
that the progressives of California
had determined that such a primary
should be held, and explained fully
the situation in California, the possi-
bility that fictitious issues might be
injected into the campaign, and that
we would be foregoing a political
certainty because of principle.
81 received from him the following
letter, which l quote without COM
ment:
La FOllette'S Letter.
Washington, D. c., Nov. 3, 1911.
Hiram w. Johnson, Sacramento, Cal.
My Dear Governor Johnson: Your
letter of October 26 is just at hand
and presents clearly the situation.
"If you omit the presidential
preference law from the subjects to
be considered by the legislature at
the extra session which you are about
to convene, you will practically con-
troll the selection of the delegates to
the national convention in 1912, and
they will all be progressives.
Would Aid Standpatters.
"It would be a great thing to have
California leading the roll call for
the progressives in the next conven-
ton. If you pasr presidential
preference primary law the stand
patters may carry San Francisco
and some adjoining territory on the
exposition issue, and some of the
counties in the southern part of the
state on the lemon tariff and Taft
possibly will, without reason have
their support on both issues. This
would be very harmful 1t would go
all over the country that California
is progressive in everything, leading
the older states on most issues, and
will support Taft in whole or in part
II will appear that we are divided in
our strongholds and greatly weaken
rs II will be a very hard blow II
will come at a time when it may
turn the tide. You know how the
influence of early conventions and
elections count, and we cannot stand
# to lose an inch Of ground in many
Of the progressive states and hope ia
win. The stand pat organism under
stands this, and Hitchcock secures
an endorsement for Taft every time
state central committee assemblies
for any purpose.
But II Is Right.
."But. Governor, hard as 1t will be
there is lust one thing that ought tC
he and would be harder and indeed
more harmful for US, aad that would
he TO throw our principles to the
dogs whenever an opportunity OFFERS
to gain a temporary advantage by sc
doing. If it enabled US to contro
the next national convention anC
nomination for the presidency WI
could not afford to do it-and w
could not afford to have you DO II
even If you we're willing.
"You have gone the straight ui