Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-05-08
SEES TAFT VICTORY
Gen. Otis Believes California
Will Support President.
WOMAN VOTERS FOR HIM
Oppose Revolutionary Ideas in Gov
eminent, Says Pub
Usher.

"California's candidate for the republi-
can nomination will be President Taft
believe, said Gen. Harrison Gray Otis,
proprietor OF the Los Angeles Times, in
an interview today. Gen. Otis is in the
| east on business connected with his news
paper and not for political reasons.
THE Taft organization in the state is
strong and well knit together continued
Gen. Otis. 1T is led by Charles Mifiin
Hammond. brother-in-law, by the way,
of Col. Roosevelt.
Il look to the women to save Cali
fornia for Taft. There are two reasons
for this belief In the first place, the
women are taking great interest in the
campaign and are registering In large
numbers throughout the state. And in
the second place, the women of Califor-
MIA have shown themselves to be in ia
vor of solidity of government and op-
posed to revolutionary ideas. This was
true In the case Of the municipal elections
In Los Angeles last winter, when the
women voted in great numbers against
the socialist candidates, and I believe
it will be true in the presidential pref
erential primaries next Monday
Trial May Have influence.
Gen. Otis was asked If he thought the
result of the Mcnamara trial and the
confessions Of the criminals who blew up
the Los Angeles Times building would
have any influence, direct or indirect,
upon the coming elections. Gen. Otis said
that he believed the result of the trial
would make itself felt, as 1t had during
the municipal elections.
Undoubtedly Col. Roosevelt has a
strong following in California" said Gen.
Otis, among the miners, cowboys and
MI IF hot M <y lass nj Afr 0Gfrruo
character. His methods appeal to them.
But there is a great number Of solid cit-
Zens In the state who believe in con-
stitutional form Of government and in the
safeguards which the Constitution pro-
vides for all the citizens
Gen. Otis said that he had been sur
prised at the success Col Roosevelt has
had in number of states. He said that
he had believed there was a feeling
among American citizens sufficiently
strong to rebuke Roosevelt or any other
man who broke his promises and switched
his position first one way and then an
other as Roosevelt had done.
Many Men Alarmed.
There are many men Of brains and dis
cernment in this country who believe
that II Roosevelt should be elected the
result would be revolutionary. possibly
despotism. They are alarmed over the
port such revolutionary ideas as the
judicial recall, initiative and referendum.
If these policies are adopted. 1t would be
a long step backward on the part of the
United States. 1t would be nothing more
or less than a return to the old Roman
democracy, when the demagogue who
had the most persuasive tongue Influenced
the crowd to adopt this or that law, or
to throw down this or that official, no
matter how honest he might be- The
rhn fro nod a. n
stitution realized this danger, and pro-
vided for a representative form of gov
eminent and proper safeguards of life,
liberty and property.
Censure for johnson.
"The manner In which the so-called
progressives or insurgents in California
Gov. Johnson and others-betrayed La
Toilette and turned to Roosevelt reflects
the greatest discredit upon them. La
Toilette had their pledges of support. and
naturally relied upon them. His speeches
through the state, denouncing these men.
may have an important bearing on the
primaries.
Gen. Otis said that California, If for no
other reason. should support Taft because
of his coNrse in regard to the tariff.
Roosevelt, he said, had constantly side
stepped the tariff issue and had no record
whatever upon the tariff.
There are great many persons in this
country who wish a change. They don't
know what, nor for what reason. They
merely believe that a change will be bene-
fetal They forget that change may
be for the worse"
Gen. Otis said that since the women had
been given suffrage in California and had
made good use of 1t, his position in
regard to woman's suffrage had changed.
He formerly opposed the ballot for
women.
"Of course. the ultimate success of
woman's suffrage depends upon whether
the great body of good women of the
country avail themselves of the right
and duty placed upon them to vote" he
said. I'm California the women have
taken hold and have done we'll"