New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-11-12
JOHNSON BLAMIES
OLD LINE CHIEFS
Says They Convinced Cal
ifornia Hughes Was
ReactiOnary
rpv Telegraph 20 Ths Tribune.l

San Francisco, WV -
Of Charles +. Hughes in California was
due 10 the activity Of petty politicians
in misrepresenting the situation to tho
RonubIican candidate and in misrepre-
senting the candidate to the people OF
the state. :; III.
Tina Governor Hiram Johnson, IN DIS
frat nublic utterance since the electlou,
eynIained to-day the unexpected swing
IA President Wilson in California by
their actions these politicians. the GOV.
ernor declared, had made II appear thst
Mr. Hughes was a confirmed reactioh-
arv and thereby had afronted poth
Progressives and Repub licans aiiSe:
* few petty politicians, sald tns
Governor, $50 misused Mr.. Hughes anu
his visit to California that the injury
thew did we were unable to undo. VIZ
lam II. Croker, Francis '. heesiIns
and a small coterie MADE IL aPPeai
that Mr. Hughes was entirely reaction
or,, and neither in accord nor IN sym,
pathy with CALIFORNIA; progress anu
achievement. .LI,. -,
ut was not alone by their pubic ul-
.imatum that Mr.. Hughes would nave
nothing to do with Progresslves IN Gal-
ifornia' but il was the atmosphere they
created about our candidate.
Gratified Own Malice
"California looked aghast and un-
fortunately believed that the situatioh
created BY Croker and Messing Pr
sented and revealed the nina Oh mt'
Hughes, and that the MIND mus re-
vea1ed was what long ago Caiitolrnis
had passed by and repudlated. MI III
little politicians, doing their h'tie po'i
tics. preferred the gratlhcation ot Ino's
malice and the momentary triunIP" ~
their prejudice to the success OF tne
Penubtican Presidential candidate. ihey
not only affronted Progressiyes ana ~
nored Progressive leaders, but IN pan
Francisco. with equal stupidity, they
ignored San Franchises Mayor James
Rolnh ir. and in Los Angeles treated
In like fashion the newly appointeo
lieutenant Governor, Representatve
William d. Stevens, both OF whom were
registered Republicans. In
eRut il was not ignoring or even IN
shifting individuals that did the grea.,
EST harm; it was ignoring a state nnu
its record OF progressive and nuInan,-
tartan legislation, great coI,iionI
wealth that had broken its political
chains and escaped forever from Pc
Iitical bondage. Californians saw the
men who would return them 10 the
disgraceful conditions from when. al
fer tremendous struggle and sacrince,
thew had finally emerged, surrounding
with an impossible Gordon the res
Dental candidate, and openly proclaim
ing that none should be permitted near ,e..
who believed in the newly won pollti-
cal freedom. 1t was the achlevemen',
the progress, the accompli .hmeh'' me
POLITICAL liberty of California 'ns'
these petty politicians ignored anu q"
fronted.
nNv own contest was ended with the
urinary of August 29. Not"lthstauu-
no INV success was assured, after the
urinary | campaigned California LOT
hughes. doing my utmost TO undo lhe
injury inflicted upon Hughes.
EVEN when campaigning lot HrgnesI
such papers as The Los Angeles Zines
would give no publicity either 70 ny
meetings or my arguments IN pehais
of Mr.. Hughes. | would talk ana argus
for Hughes at night, and IN tne noiuL
ino The Times would be hlled WIN
fn,I b;lIincsgate against me. Ten days
hefore election we held record break
mo meeting in the city of Los Angeles.
II received the following morning IN
THE Tines the scantiest paragraph,
significantly headed, Loyal.
ICalifornia citizenship is proud, sen,
sitive. discriminating, Independent ana
educated. No man, no set OF men, can
deliver IL or any part or II.
Debt to Reactionaries
"a quarter of a century OF infamous
corporation rule, which could not DC
broken because of the old pollticaI
convention system, but against whlch
we were ever striving. and SIX years VI
triumph and accomplishment uhder
direct primary, had given our people
full and penetrating knowledge Oh lhe
two systems; and no matter whaI may
be their political affiliations, they WIN
never return to the old reactlonary
cornoration government of which they
nd themselves in 1910. When Hughes
6rst came to California our people saw,
frst with amazement, then with sad
ness. then with increasing indignation,
that apparently he was wholly IN
charge of those who represented the
old system.
"There are many things which might
be added, many that may still nave 70
he related, but IL is matter OF regret
that anv statement should be necessary
at this time concerning the result IN
III California has been the deciding
factor in this election, William IL.
Croker, Francis V. Keesbng, Harrison
Gray Otis, of The Los Angeles Times,
and the few acting in concert with them
have the proud distinction OF having
made a President of the United States
and Woodrow Wilson owes to them
debt that he never can repay