Hiram W. Johnson, Senator from California, officially opened his campaign for the Republican Presidential nomination in 1924, by a speech in Cleveland. A month earlier President Coolidge had delivered his message to Congress (TIME, Dec. 17). It was regarded as "the Republican platform for 1924." But Senator Johnson is his chief opponent for that candidacy. His speech is the alternative platform for his Party next Fall. One platform or the other—in its main points—it is almost certain to be.
The Senator's speech was approximately the same length as the President's message, but it dealt with fewer subjects and at greater length with these. There is no question that it was an exceedingly able speech—direct, forceful, well organized, rhetorically polished. A condensation follows:
His Candidacy.
1) Its Justification. "I have no apologies to make for the role in which I appear here tonight. As an American, I am exercising an American's prerogative."
2) Its Spirit. "I begin this contest wholly philosophically and in entire good humor; but during its progress I shall not hesitate, as in every other political contest in which I have engaged, to express myself concerning policies with such force and emphasis as I can command."
Selection of Convention Delegates.
1) Attempts to Rectify its Abuses. "The selection of delegates from cer tain of the Southern states had become so corrupt and had created so many scandals thai finally the Republican National Convention in 1920 passed a resolution commanding within a year the Republican National Committee to adopt a 'Just and equitable basis' of representation in future national conventions. The national committee obeyed and within the year acted, and while its action did not constitute 'a just and equitable representation,' nevertheless, it reduced the delegates in Southern states where there is no Republican party."
2) Its Renewed Abuse. "This work, of the national committee solemnly done after full hearings a few days ago in Washington, under the orders of our opponents, was nullified and the scandalous and unfair representation accorded Southern states in past conventions was again given them." (TIME, Dec. 24.)
3) Its Unfairness. "Nine Southern states—Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas and Virginia—polled 489,000 votes for President Harding. These nine Southern states have 134 delegates to the Republican National Convention. Ohio polled 1,182,000 votes for President Harding, and Ohio has 51 delegates to the Republican National Convention."
The Mellon Tax-Reduction Plan.
1) Its Strategy. "I do not even criticize the other side of this contest for creating a beautiful mirage with a tax program which is designed to blind our people to everything domestic in character and obliterate the memory of our lack of foreign policy."
2) Its Inconsequence. "There can be no political issue on reduction of taxes. No one believes in high taxation. Everybody wishes low taxation and everybody believes in reduction of taxation."