Daily Los Angeles herald., 1878-01-26

A Famsilar Chat with our People.
The people Of Les Angeles are
now emerging from the most pre-
longed, sxasperating and far reach
ing trial to which we have ever
seen any place subjected. A mere
reference to the suspension Of the
Temple and Workman Bank,
which followed the suspension Of
the Bank Of California, two years
ago, to the smallpox epidemic Of
last year, and to the drouth which
followed that, will convey to the
observant the full significance Of
the calamitiss Of which We :prepose
to make but . glancing mention.
We have stood these aggravated
and prolonged trials infinitely bet
ter than we expected. In the or
deal We have exhibited an elastici-
ty and resources which, If we had
reflected fully upon the matter, we
should have expected, but which,
W confess, We did not look for.
However painful the experiences
Of this period, embracing fully two
years, we are now through with
them. We have como forth from
the fisry furnace AZ triumpha ntly
~ the famous three whose story is
told in the Biblical narrative. We
stand now on the threshold Of q
year Of unsxamplsd plenty. There
are certain lessons which we feel
like reading to our people as they
start on the new era Of prosperity
which will be accelerated with
cash month Of the current year.
First, we would like to say a
word to landowners: You have
passed . whole gear in which the
demand for property has been sim
ply nothing as compared with the
three preceding years. Take les.
son from the experiences Of that
woful time. Mark your prices
down to the very lowest notch, in
reason. Let your chief aim be to
encourage the settlement Of ener-
getio and progressive people.
Los Angeles county can easily
furnish homes for q population Of
two hundred thousand souls. You
should aim to attract those people
here, and one of the best induce
ments to their coming will be the
conviction that they will be lot in
on 'sbed-rock" prices for land. They
naturally desire to partake of the
enhancement which will follow in
the wake of the increased popula-
fion which is certain to come here,
and of which they themselves will
be part. 1t may ba set down as
the frozen truth that not one foot
Of ground ia now cultivated In Los
Angeles county for ten which will
be under crop, in ten years from
now, If we pursue Is judicious pol
icy.
To the City Council we have also
some suggestions: We beg to re.
mind them that the California Leg.
islature, under the existing law,
meets but once in two years. They
should make immediate arrange
ments, before the adjournment of
the present Legislature, to fund the
city debt. Fortunately this debt,
considering all 1.-THE circumstances,
10 not large. But it is in shape
just now which makes it oppressive
to the tax payers. 1t should be
funded. All the arrangements to-
wards this end should be perfected
before the present Legislature ad-
journs, or we shall have to wait for
another two years, unless the Con-
stitutional Convention should
sensibly provide for yearly sessions
OF the Legislature. Much of our
debt natures In lump sums, which
have to be provided for in the
yearly tax imposts. Tho payment
of these sums as they mature, no
sinking fund having been provided
for the purpose, gives our city the
appearance of having large yearly
tax rate. Instant measures should
be taken to get rid of this inconven-
lent feature of our municipal finan-
ces. The state of things We have
described discrsdits us abroad; and
it works, besides, as an actual OPP
preston to the tax payer who lives
within the city limits.
THIS is essentially an age and
country of sbams. There is GER
tain consistency in this whom, from
the White House down, shams are
the order of the day. William e.