Imperial Valley press., 1917-01-09
vALED|CTORY Of
GOV. JOHNSON
TELLS Of MUCH
ACCOMPLISHED
In Message to Legislature
Governor Reviews His
Administration.
EXPRESSES BELIEF
IN HIS SUCCESSOR
Full Report on Activities
of His Regime Is
Delivered.
EXPRESSES BELIEF
IN HIS SUCCESSOR

Sacramento, Jan. Ex-Governor Hi
ram w. johnson delivered his valedic-
tory as a state official today.
In his biennial message read to the
legislature here today, the man who
has been executive head of the state
for six years said his farewells to
the men who have worked with him
during that period, recited the achieve
ments, hopes and aspirations of his
administration, and expressed conf
dence in the future. In few weeks
the governor will relinquish his ex-
ecutive duties here and Lieutenant
Governor William D. Stephens will oc-
cupy the governors chair.
In view of the fact that Governor
Johnson's political activities will here
after be in the national federal field,
his utterance today is regarded as
significant. Because of the part Cali
fornia played in the recent national
election, and the fact that johnson
carried the state overwhelmingly,
while Hughes lost it, attention has
been centered on the governor.
"What otherwise would be a mere
formal act of transmitting a biennial
message to you," he said in part, "be-
comes for me very solemn moment,
as l contemplate the last six years,
with the early fears, hopes and aspi-
rations as dimly-seen possibilities, the
first striving and struggle, the bar
riers, apparently insuperable, one by
one battered down and then a great
people entering the sunlight of po-
litical freedom and pressing forward
upon the path of democracy trium-
phant.
"In six years California has wit
messed complete political revolution,
an unique metamorphosis in economic
politics. To many and varied activi-
ties, new philosophy of government
has given an impetus which no reac-
ton can check"
The governor declared his purpose
in the message to recite the things
accomplished and the partially at
tanned ideals which have been vigor-
ously fought for and vigorously ad-
hered to-" He reviewed in detail the
fight his administration had six years
ago with the Southern Pacific rail-
road, which, he asserted, chad made
California one of the most backward
of states"
"Untouched were the evils which
had crowded upon us in recent years,
he said, "the evils Of unemployment,
the evils of inefficiency, the evils OF
the slums, the evils which sprung
from the misuse of economic power;
and, in short, the evils which consti-
tute the great and fundamental prob
len of poverty"
Then followed, he said, the begin.
ming of the readjustment which was
undertaken by the administration. The
reorganization OF the state railroad
commission into a body with teeth,
the work of the state board of con.
troll, civil service commission and other
similar agencies, were recited, as wei
as "the program of social and human
legislation" This latter included
workmen's compensation, woman suf
frage, child labor laws, industrial wei
fare commission, social insurance com
mission, commission of immigration
and housing.
"Six years ago." the message con
tinued, tive had a government thai
was owned and dominated, controlled
directed an manipulated by single
corporation; today this government be
longs to all the people. Six years agt
ICUNTINUED ON PAGE TWo)