New Britain herald., 1916-11-16
JOHNSON OF CALIFORNIA
First Governor Of Golden State Who
Succeeded Himself in Office.

y d
pudgy man, clean shaver, came for
ward in California as a candidate for
governor. Although the son of a man
who, as member of congress and in
other capacities, had been and still
was the spokesman of Southern Pa
cine Railway interests, the newcomer
gave vigorous utterance to views
against that corporations domina-
ton. People were loath to believe
that the son of Grove L. Johnson
could be serious in his opposition. The
late Robert J. Burdette preached and
former paragrapher, expressed a quite
general opinion when he quoted
against the candidate the Biblical
query: Can any good come out of
Nazareth?
But Hiram w. Johnson carried on
campaign in his own way, regard
less of sneers. and made a platform
for himself in the talks that he gave
He traversed the state in an automo-
bile driven by his son and spoke at
crossroads and at any other places
where he could find listeners. AL
though having a notable command of
language and being especially effec-
tive IN caustic invective, he was no
orator IN the usual acceptation of
striking, and his gestures were most
ly conhned to a movement of the
forearm like those Of a carpenter
welding hammer. But there was
no mistaking the earnestness of the
man, and his sincerity was obvious.
Wherever he went he carried convic-
ton with him.
He promised if elected, that he
would drive the Southern Pacific out
of the domination of the state, which
had become absolute through many
years Of misrule under both republi.
can and democratic administrations.
Judges favoring that company had
sat on the bench and had given de-
cisions that had >nullified the provi-
sions of a constitution adopted at the
time Of a popular uprising against
the railroad and other corporate ty-
ranny. Prosecuting officers in many
counties were merely tools of the
railway monopoly, and officers were
It's willing agents. In the days when
the great San Joaquin valley was a
wheat-growing region, the prices the
farmers got for their yield were fixed
by the Southern Pacific. Every re-
volt against the power of the ma
chine had been failure up to the
time when Hiram w. Johnson inter
jected his personality into the fight.
BY dint Of persistent hammering
Mr.. johnson won votes and became
governor. Then, to the amazement
of those who did not know the man.
he went on to do as he had promised.
Before his term-of four years had
ended, the power of the machine was
completely broken, and iron-clad pro-
visions have been put into the con-
stitution of the state to prevent any
resumption of the old domination. At
the end of the term Mr.. Johnson
came before the people as a candidate
for reelection, basing his aspiration
on the fact that he had fulfilled the
pledges he had given. He was again
chosen, being the first governor to be
his own successor in office.
When he announced himself as a
candidate for United States senator
he flew in the face Of a precedent
that had almost the force of a law,
that the two senators should not come
from the same part of the state. The
rule had been to have one senator
from the North and the other from
the South. This was one of the ar
guments used against him at the pri-
mary, but it failed in his case. Al
though a progressive. he won at the
republican primary against regular
and popular republican opponent
from the southern part Of the state.
His election at the polls was assured
because the people of his state had
reason to trust him.
This, in brief, is the story of Hiram
w Johnson and explains why his
plurality will be near 100000 in a
state which refused it's vote to the
head of the ticket on which he ran.