Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1921-01-29
HON. HENRY LINCOLN
JOHNSON'S TESTIMONY
II Fearless and Vivid Description of the
Political Situation i'm &c 0r6ia.
Caused zSensat10n by His Oufspoken Utterances
Would Make the Same Statement i'm His
Home State.

ership as the people themselves have
confidence in.
The Chairman. You take the prim-
AIRY away from them, and where do
they have any chance? ,.--
Mr.. Johnson. Now,the primary III
some other way, If it will BIO reduc.
cd to matter Of focal leadership,
Senator, think that should be done.
The Chairman. OF course, there Is
an effort all over the country now by
the political bosses to get away from
the primary and ! hope you are not go
ing to join that movement.
Mr.. Johnson. Don't you think,
Senator that If the primary in
State were conferred upon some local
mani mean the primary so far as
the direct primary for tho presidency
is conccrned-that that is all right,
but where there are lot of names and
candidates the people don't know, and
don't have confidence in, it is not so
good. Now, where people have conf
Gencc in a particular man there you
have good results with the primary,
and there it ought to be had.
The Chairman. Where you have Il
Long list Of men to nominate there
may be faults in that; people may
not know who they are; but YOU
would not take the primary away for
the nomination For President or Sen
ator or governor, or in cases OF that
kind?
Mr.. Johnson. Not the presidential
primary; no. l thought your ques-
ton related to the primary itself.
That gets the thing all mixed up. l
think the people like Ito repose some
trust and judgment in their nccredit
ed leaders. l am Of that abundant
opinion--it may be III error-but
do believe hhat even today, Senator,
under the enlightenment that we all
have, TINT the people themselves still
wish TO repose some confidence and
trust in their public servants.
The Chairman. Well, I hope for
the sake of your people that you will
not join IN this movement to get rid
OF the primaries in this country.
Mr.. Johnson. Well, now, that is
the presidential primary, Senator. I
don't want to see the presidential pri
mary taken away. .....
can have presidential primary and
vote a1l over the United States on the
same day and have some limitation
o. expenses, though not m unreason
able limitation, for there has got to
be II lot of money spent-a lot of 1T
hut in legitimate ways?
Mr.. Johnson. Senator, I don't SEQ
how that will be. 1t would not leave
anything for the election In Novem-
Der. There Is no use of having two
elections then.
The Chairman. Well, you merely
choose within your party. OF course,
In the South the Democrats control.
Mr.. Johnson. I agree with the Sen
ator's views lin regard to the prcsi-
denttal primary, but tin q State, with
IN the State, where the neighDors OF
man know him and have respect
Tor ana Conscience in him, let tho
party put that man forward and
trust him to go to convention and
to do the square thing for all the
people.
Tho Chairman. The primary Will
do that, won't it?
MT. Johnson. Well, now Senator,
you got 1t MD mixed up and tangled.
The Chairman. I know; know. I
am just against this campaign that
IL going on all over this country to
get rid of the primary. 1t Is the pc.
litical bosses who are doing it, and
apparently may have Some success
with it. but it will be done after q
fight.
Mr.. Johnson. We'll, Ut may be de-
vised so they can go to the mon in
the State and leave it to their judg-
mcnt and leave them some dis
crot1on as to leadership; then
l think it will be all right.
The Chairman. Well, let us get
back here now to something else. We
agree pretty we'll On most things.
When Mr.. Karnes was before us he
gave us what he claimed was the
Hitchcock plan in the South
Mr.. Johnson. Yes.
The Chairman. That is, to get con
troll Of these delegates.
Mr. Johnson. That is what it was,
Senator.
The Chairman. And finance them,
but without being for any particu.
lar candidate.
Mr.. Johnson. That Is why I told
you about the Dublin business when
You asked me whether Clark Grier
was for Gen. Wood. There was a
group of men--you take Mr.. Bean,
Of florida, national committeeman
from Florida, and Capt. Henry Blum
OF Savannah, Ca, and Mr.. Sidney
Hieber, Of Washington, formerly mem
Der of the national committee, dis.
trict Columbia; Cole, former assis.
tant postmaster at Atlanta, Ca, un.
der Gen. IIitchcock-now those men
ga not care anything about Gen.
Wood or anybody else. They Just
said: I'VE VIII just get a delegation
over here and turn 1t over TO Gen,
Hitchcock and let him manage Il
and run it,"
The Chairman. Mr.. Cole ts the
gentleman referred to as having con
siderable money by Mr.. Karnes.
Nr. Johnson. Yes.
The Chairman. Now, that wes tho