The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1921-01-11
Senator Johnson In
Declaration Of War
Against Convention
BY DAVID LAWRENCE
CoTyv.EEt by ThS .Gtell,EenCer)

Wash!ngtoa. Jan. Ex-senator Hiram
Johnson % California has declared war
again THIS time he is turning his guCs
on the forces Of reaction" which are
aiming 20 eliminate the direct primary
system and go back 20 the convention
method OF selecting party candidates.
Mr.. johnson will 10 cut on N" stump
md carry his Cause to the people d.
ceCiIy in the various states where ;hs
assault on the primary is Ereatrst,-
New York. Iowa. Indiana and Western
states
Senator johnson SroS IN the attitudc
-. Governor Miller OF New York aud
he ut,erances OF other executives &,
concerted attack on the primary System n
which ne does not intend 10 pass Uy
without a lght. lie had warm words
# praise today for the recent speech Il
Nharlcs Evans Hughes defending the
primary system
1T was i bray speech for = man
,om;nE from New York u make" said
he California S..'tiur vS hc went on 20
discuss the cj,.,i, = "c reaction" in
america and SAID ,hat IL the fight
.,GainSt the direct PRIMARY We're success
(Ui x would &c! 'r.ua;c prvSreSsiycresS
altogether IN .Nw'rican politics. With
he removal "G the direct primary SEe-
TEN and 4 return to the convention
method. Mr.. Johnson believes pohtt-
!ans will be able to do about as they
please
Unuues: lonahiy some fragrant fau.:s
aavc been f"und IN the primary sy>-
tenn especially in tho West whore the
Son-part!sar league has captured tnS
we'll advertised names of the old parties
and turned things upside down but in
ne efforts 10 cure such Il situation the
foes Of the whole primary system OF
nominations have come 20 the fore.
Modification and destruction. however.
are two different thiUgS and the
friends of ;hc primary here are uuwilI-
, .ng l. admit that It's ills are irrcmedi-
J able.
No Sudden Determination.
This IS no sudden determination ~.
he part of Hiram Johnson II" told
;h,. writer In sacramento during he
.tmpaicu that ne was far from salts
ned with the way many Of the delegates
20 the chicago convention last June
llisreEarded the instructions or the pee
pie He had very llttle comment 10
make about the way Senator HARDING
was nominated. for the California sena-
;nr was ENGAGED in the business OF help
.ng 20 defeat the pro-leaguc attitude
OF the Wilson administrator. Now
that the eleStion Is over and the Repub-
gican party is In power. Mr.. johnson
ernergss With the cause OF progressive
rcss at his bosom cl!nSing desperately
20 Il 10 be sure IN an age which ne viii
admit is tilied with powerful reaction
try tendencies.
1T may bc that reaction is so strong
hu
qgaiust il w.li not succeed. iiut in
.cud 20 d, every thing In my power 10
~~rrlnd the r"ui,c uf what the reaction
aries are trying 10 do 70 thcm.'
Senator Johnson has accepted the re-
suits ~ the last election as repudia-
;.oa OF pro-iea gu" policies and not as a
mandate OF the people To- return 20 re-
dictionary ways and j; IS this viewpoint
which he will express in congress when
questions Of TAXATION are actively unde:
consideration. n his statement today
moreover. Mr. Johnson speaks Of the
..pitte-. concerted movement against
abo-" as au accompaniment of the en-
.ieayor - take from all voters the right
u nominating their public servants
Mr.. Hardtng's Att1tude.
The California senator who is espc'
cially friendly e the cause OF labor Is
bound 60 be heard from when anti
-,r,l,. legislation comes before the sem
ate this week. The SO-Called group Of
"Irrcconcilsbles" which has remained u
4ni, in opposition may oc divided as the
conservative Eastern Republicans part
,.umpany with some OF the Western
P-ugrcssivcs but there IS 4 chance that
Senator Harding may face new bat
talon OF death" before long--and the
opening Of the night by Senator johnson
N he G!Giect primary system may be
aiken ~ an augury OF further chant
pion.uE Of progressive measures Sen
otcr Harding himself has always. been
counted a. a conservative but the word
"-om Marion both be!Urr and after the
.!ec;tyu IS that Mr. Harding himself
shows an inclinrtion toward social WEI
rarc legislation and the progresSIIs
wing uc the party on several things
which stanG-pattecs would not Who'll
heartNliy support. How far he VIII
cad toward IT,, Johnson Borah group
and how far he Will follow the way Of
rcnrose and Eastern RCpuoiicanism Is
100 early 10 conjecture But Senator
fchnSln has not waited for any cue but
starts our t. make his hght for prnGreS.
siytsur--and no has selected the direct
ha frSf