Daily Los Angeles herald., 1879-08-12
A Biographical Sketch.

EDITOR HERALD: In the Evening
Journal OF recent date ! read bio
graphical sketch Of Mr.. A B.Clark,
Republican candidate for the State
Senate. 1 thought few supple.
mental facts might not be uninter-
esting to the many admirers of our
coming statesman. The sketch
above referred to gives an insight
into the true inwardness of our
statesman's character. He was for
two years proie4 6 Of the renowned
moral gymuast, Zachariah Chand.
Ter, of back salary notoriety. Zach
is u worthy teacher aud he had a
worthy pupil. The pupil, even at
his present comparatively tender
age, can turn a moral somersault
aud light on his feet every time
with all the composure OF his dis
ting uished master.
There are a few Interesting facts
connected with Mr.. C's admini-tra-
tion of the Ditch Company at Or
auge which will bear out the above
assertion in regard to his moral
agility. He was active In the for.
nation of the Santa Ana Valley II.
rigatiOn Company. A B 'ard OF
five Directors was chosen aud Mr..
Clark WAS one of them. He was
elected President of the company.
Bylaws were drawn up for the
company, and Mr.. Clark must
have known what they were when
lie alluwel hinself To be elected
President. One of those by laws
expressly declared that tho Direct
ors should receive no pay for their
services. But Mr.. Clark would
have been unworthy of his great
teacher If he had not known how
to manage case like that. After
becoming President he oonclud. d
that he could not serve the COM
pany for nothing. Did he come
forward aud tell the stockholders
so? No, sir. He was too modest
to ask the stockholders for a change
of the bylaws. He didn't wish to
trouble the dear people SO much,
aud he just had h mself paid nice
little salary of fifty dollars u
month without the trunble of alter
ing the bylaws or limiting to any
Of the outs de Stockholders that he
was appropriating any m"nry to
himself. The salary was not audit
ed as other items of expense were
until the matter had been ferreted
out. He used his position a. Presi
dent aud Director to seize upon the
money of the Company without the
knowledge of the company aud in
violation of the Company's by
laws. No name need be z ven to
the act, but it reminds one of what
certain Congressman did some
years ago after concluding that
their salaries were too sm Ill. They
raised them and paid themselves
for past services, much to the graf
lfication of their admiring constit-
uents. 1t is possible to have a rep
ititiOn of the same game at Sacra-
mentO next winter, when the MEM
bers of the Legislature conclude
that they ought to have little
more than the law allows.
Mr.. Clark understands the situa-
tion exactly aud is therefore emf
nently qualified to legislate on that
clause OF the new Constitution
which provides for the improper
use of corporate funds by the direct-
ors of corporations.
ought to state, furthermore, in
connection with the salary grab at
Orange that, when it was found
out, Mr.. Clark at once fell back on
his dignity aud declared he would
receiv- it no longer if the people
vera unwilling to pay it; thu,
showing himself to be a true and
humble servant of the dear people.
These facts can all be substantiated
by many reliable men around Or.
ange, Santa Ana and Tustin If any
one doubts them, and there are
others equally interesting which
can be had at any time. VOTER.