Imperial Valley press., 1913-05-01
.EsHLEMAN IN PROSPECT
FOR JOHNSONS SUCCESSOR

/ san Diego Union: Assuming that
Governor Johnson desires TO become a
candidate for United States senator to
enter national politics as leader of the
Progressive Bull Moosers, his mantle
will fall upon the shoulders OF John NJ.
! Eshleman, president Of the state rail
: way commission. according to rumorS
which float from Sacramento and ir
the opinion Of leaders OF The Progress
sve party in san Diego. who are close
to the governor.
1t all hinges upon what the governor
intends to do or wants to do. In The
event that he decides to step out OF
| Tie governors chair-and in the entire
f, history of California, it is said, there
never has been governor who served
more than four ycars-Judge Eshleman
will he the logical choice of his party.
! for he is the chOIre of the governor
and also stands hgn with the rank and
file OF the party.
! Edgar \. Luce, one of the leading
! PrOgreSsiveS of San Diego, a close
! friend of both the governor and the
president Of the stase railway com
mission. who passed She greater part
of last week in Sacramento, said yes
| terday:
"Tbere cannot be anything definite
to a rumOr Of this kind, but it is very
probable that should Governor Johnson,
for any of many reasons, decide to
quit the race, Judge Esbleman would
be a likely man. But J doubt very
much if Mr.. Eshleman would make
the race, on account of his health. II
is certain that the railway commission
has done a great deal during Gov
ernor JOhnSOn'S administration and as
president Of the commission. Mr.. EshIe-
man has been in a position to do much
good. | know that Governor Johnson
appreciates the man and his work and
if there is anything in the governors
power to bestOw upon him, the gov
ernOr will do it,
II don't know whether the governor
intends to become a candidate for the
United STATES senate next election or
not. He is desirous of entering national
politics. but whether he will decide to
round out his career first as United
States senator is a question which only
the governor himself can answer. H.
has made no announcement as yet AMI
il is hardly probable that he will make
one before the end of the year. Al
that time | expect that he will max
annoUncempnt Of his future plans"
Should Governor Johnson decide t.
become a candidate for the Unite
States senate. it will he necessary for
him to resign as governor shortly after
the first Of the year, for under the
constitution Of California governor
cannot become candidate for thtl
office and also under the constitutional
amendment Just adopted henccfortr
must be elected by the direct vote ofl
the people the legislature having moth
ing more to do with that.
Mr.. Eshlrman is regarded by the
leaders Of the party as brilliant man
a capable man and hard worker. At
the time Imperial county was created
he was elected district attorney and
later was elected to the railway COM
mission, where his work has brought
him state wide prominence and has re-
suited in a close affiliatiOn with Gov
e"nor Johnson in the administration Of
state affairs. In fact. no denial is made
Gut that he would be the governors
Irst choice if the former decided 10
quit the gubernat0rial chair.
The same rumOr from Sacramento |
has it that five Of the eight Democratic |
senators in the upper house are also
candidates for governor. They are Sen
itors Caminetti. Cartright. Curtin. san
ford and Shannahan. Senator Sanford
j, TIE man who went part way east 10
meet Secretary OF State Bryan, who is |
now attempting automatically to settle |
the Japanese alien land bill muddle At
Sacramento
That there is considerable truth in
the rumOr that Governor Johnson in
lends either to go after the United
states SenatorShip or something big
ger in the Bull Moose party is borne
ont by conditions which seem just right
for his next move. The term OF Sen
atcr Perkins expires March 4. 1915 |
and the term Of Johnson as governor
expires January I. 1915. Both offices
mast be filled at the election in No
vcmher 1914. and both Offices are to |
Ee filled by the direct vote Of thc pc0-
pie of the state.
Friends Of Governor johnson con
tend that he is too big a man to re-
man in the governors chair and that
ne will either take the leadership Of
The national Bull Moose party or try for
the Tinted States senate.