The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1920-06-18
FOR HIRAM JOHNSON

Hailed as the man to "scourge the
last of the bosses from the temple of the
republican party" Senator Hiram john
son was formally nominated today for
the republican presidential candidacy. by
Charles S. Wheeler of California.
THE great responsibility is yours"
the speaker said to the convention dele
gates. THE American voter everywhere
is saying of CALIFORNIA; son just as
men in this country today, he is the one
with whom ! find myself in most COM
plete sympathy.
'To the enN that men and not masters
shall administer the great trusteeship
of the republican party; to the end that
this convention may make no mistake:
To the end that you who hold In your
from these halls. triumphant in the as;
surance of certain victory: To the end
that n republican administration may
once. again broadcast the nation with
that the constitution of our fathers. and
the highest traditions of the American
people shall endure: To the END ina, that
ideals OF Washington. of Lincoln. and of
Roosevelt shall live on and on and on
the sovereign state of California places
before you In formal nomination-Hiram
w. Johnson"
The orator described Senator Johnson
as the man first brought forth for prest-
Dental honor by California after seventy
troversy in recent political history un-
touched as he sketched the senator's
career.
Mr.. Wheeler attacked the argument of
political geographers against candidates
california would say to such men
that this progressive world OF ours has
mo COURSE rg Of emprs has sesd dS
pursued its westward way: that the
hand and brain of men have not only
spanned rivers and levelled hills. but
and hew highways through the Very
heavens themselves until the east and
west are one.
THE California delegation claims the
right to speak authorita1ively for the
rank and file Of the republican party. 1t
bases that claim upon the fact that 1t
was sent to this convention by the stu
pendous majority of 100000 American
citizens who in literal truth, hailed from
every nook and Granny corner of this
nation.
by every sign of the Zodiac. this
should be a republican year, the disgust
Notwithstanding all this, there has never
been a time in the history of the repub-
lican party when a failure to name the
right candidate would so surely spell
party defeat.
This proposition may be laid down
with automatic certainty; the November
election will not be won by the platform
of either political party. The personality
of the candidate-and not the party az
fil!ation-is going to elect the next presi-
dent of the United States.
1.-THE man who will enter the white
house on the fourth of March. 1921 will
be that republican or that democrat in
whom the average American voter places
the most faith.
"These voters form the great middle
class of the nation. They held the bal
ance of power, and they will not stand
for reactionary administration.
"a yellow dog is impossible and a
dark horse cannot win. If you expect
capable, nerveless, unsympathetie, bust
ness administration. They are in no
mood to take it on.
mand of this convention is candidate
whose red-blooded. fortnight Ameri-
canism transfuses its warmth to the
cookies of their hearts and whose words
of ringing righteousness bring new hope
to their troubled souls.
as it not the truth that the most i'm
portant duty that G, ntronts this conVen-
ton today is to see to it that the re-
publican party is once again returned
so you want another four years of
economic chaos? Do you want another
four years of the Wilson family in the
white house If you insist that the
father OF the dynasty shall abdicate. do
you want the people then to take up the
crown prince?
'If you do not why then gamble with
chance? Why close your eyes to the OBJ
vious? Why not admit. to yourselves
what every man of political vision knows
sweep sweep t the' country try whose nomination
will carry with it the absolute certainty
of his election?
cit may be true that our near-officer
class. the captains Of industry, the dis
bursting officers OF the primary army, and
the colonies Of the commissary who ad-
vance the sinews of war-would prefer
military leadar. But 7 am here to say
party that
1.-The plain yanks,
THAT have the votes
care calling for the son Of California.
eff you would know why it is that
American citizens by the tens Of thous-
ands have written in his name at every
free and open prim,.ary in the land; 1 hold hold
human sympathies have wireless all
their own whereby fellow heart speaks
to fellow heart. Through its unobtrusive
been passed along by average American
to average American. Men and women
everywhere have learned TO know Cali
fornia's son. and they have taken his
"They see in him a man OF action. a
great constructive executive, a leader to
whom platform promise is n SOLEMN
obligation, man who keeps the faith
who enacts his promised word into the
law of the landau executive who gave
to his own state a government so clean.
so efficient. and so uplifting that it
challenges comparison--a leader who
knows how so to WELD the cudgel of
political power that ever party knaves
are forced to play the game squarely
with the people.
"The supreme test ~ hI''~'"" ~"-~'-
neSs-the ocid +-~- -
comes only when the man is brought
face to face WIN Z ..r
the country of an CarlN and
the presence OF ambitions lurC--fOr so
runs the history of civfization-guard =
ians of the Roman granaries, brave gen.
erals who have trained a nations CO.
horts. have accepted the preferred car
riages of the favored few that they
might ride into places of power over the
many. Aye-Aye. they have permitted
themselves TO be lifted by the gilded
hands of croesus into his golden chariot.
dragged by the eXpectant stations Of
obsequious and favor hunting wealth.
'In the past few weeks the American
people have seen this son of California
brought face to face with the highest
ambition that can possess the hope OF
mortal man. They have seen him put
to the acid test. And they have seen
him return from hS great campaign
with head erect, with no blot on his
escutcheon. and with ewes that can still
look straight into the face of his fellow
countrymen.
"If you shall select this son Of Cali
fornja. remember that in tho conduct
of cappaipp he M bur