El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-08-31
JOHNSON
HAS BIC JOB
To Win
California Primary Attract
ing Nationwide Attention
Just Now.
GOVERNOR WORKS TO
WIN FOR ROOSEVELT

San Francisco, Cal, Aug 81
Whether governor Hiram Johnson,
candidate for -vicepresident on the
Bull Moose ticket, is as strong a fac
tor in California politics as he was
prior to his bolt from the Republican
party will be determined st the Re
publican state primary to be held next
Tuesday, September 3.
Since his election as governor two
years ago, Johnson has had a firm grin
on the Republican organization. In
the year following his election he
strengthened this hold greatly, so that
he undoubtedly then was one of the
strongest, if not the very strongest
political leader the state ever had.
neither this strength has been
weakened by his affiliatiOn with the
third party is a debatable question.
Many newspapers which supported him
before the bolt, and many conserva-
tives of the Republican party who have
been loyal to him, have openly an
nounced their intention of supporting
president Taft. It is difficult to esti-
mate how much the loss of these sup
porters will weaken him. It is GER
tain he will gain considerable fol-
lowing from the radical element, but
whether it will be sufficient to offset
his losses can only be determined by
the actual count of ballots.
The Republican lineup at the coming
primary election will be much the same
as at the presidential preference pri-
mary on May II. The big difference
will be that senator La Toilette is now
eliminated. 1t also is predicted that
the suffrage vote will be considerably
more substantial Suffrage leaders
throughout the state have been making
an intelligent registration canvas and,
especially in the large cities, the names
of hundreds of women have been added
to the registration books.
When Roosevelt Won.
In the presidential preference pri-
mary, Col. Roosevelt won a sweeping
victory. The vote was: Roosevelt,
$4,000; Taft, $4,000; La Toilette, $4,000
1t is probable that more of the La
Toilette voters will turn to Roosevelt
than to Taft.
Looks Like johnson.
From present indications Roosevelt
and Johnson will carry California at
the November election. When Johnson
bolted the Republican party he took
over his entire state political Organi-
cation with him and practically the
entire body Of Republican prOgresSives.
Just now Johnson is straddling on
the designation of the political faith
for which he is crusading. His or
ganiZation retains the Republican name
and is seeking to keep its powerful
hold on the Republican organizations
throughout the state
came to a showdown, the Johnsonites
seized control OF the Republican coun-
ty central committee one night and
kicked out the Taft men, including
Fred G. Sanborn, chairman. a couple
of weeks later the Taft men held a
meeting of the committee and read all
the Roosevelt-Johnsonites out of the
party. Each committee has endorsed
a different set of men for congress
sional and legislative officers.
t. f. ?
ination of assemblymen. state senators
and congressman. The legislative NOM
inee. 80 assemblymen and 90 senators,
will meet in Sacramento on the fourth
Tuesday after the primary election in
a state Republican convention
This convention will choose the party
presidential electors. OF the 20 hold
over senators of the legislature. Il are
Republicans and all are Roosevelt men.
Under the law they also are members
of the state convention with the leg
isIative nominee. This gives the
Roosevelt-Johnson combination a sub
stantial lead at the start
All expectations are that major
ity of Johnson men will be nominated
for legislative offices, and that John
convention.
According to the present plans. the
Johnsonites will then name a ticket !
of Roosevelt men to go on the No
vember ballot as the regular Republi- /
can presidential electors.
The Taft men have not yet an /
how they will meet this issue /
If they are defeated for control of the !
state convention. The primary law al I
lows them to put up a ticket of pres !
idential electors by petition, and this !
being the easiest way, probably will be I
adopted unless the Taft men decide |
to give up and allow Roosevelt and |
Johnson to fight it out in California |
with woodrow Wilson-an outcome |
that is decidedly improbable owing to |
the large Republican majority in the |
state.