Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-12-08
A Very Live Question.

G6Q6rn NauOcNcT. NY thO ihuouoSpiO'
of his bill to divide the State, has brought
this live question very prominently to
the front not only here, but in other
parts of the State. We give elsewhere
interviews with number of representa-
tive people of Los Angeles. 1t will be seen
that the expression of opinion is very
strongly in favor of Southern California
becoming State by herself. Indeed,
we doubt very much, if the question
were submitted to a popular vote in this
end of the State, whether the opposition
to division would figure to any percepti-
BILE extent. The fact is, the great reasons
that underlie the demand for separation
are founded upon natural causes.
Southern California is not in SYM
pathy with Northern California and
never can be. Their interests are
diverse and in a great measure re-
pugnant. The difference in climate and
resources create natural division be-
tween the two sections, and there is
sufficient incompatibility of interests,
pul POSCS anu 90 Ph dtlOIo w PioSuiC q
divorce in any court of public opinion.
If at the time of the foundation of this
State Southern California had not
been ov.rriden by the great mass OF
population suddenly thrown into the
north by the discovery of gold, this sec
ton would never have consented to be-
come portion OF the new State. We
were actually forced into it against the
best judgment OF the few people who
were here at the time. The objections
advanced at that time have never been
overcome, but are as positive and
vital to-day as they were then.
The fact that it is mesalliance crops
out whenever the subject is stirred. 1t is
shown in the fact that there is no love
lost between the two sections whenever
q controversy of interest arises. The north
ern counties, having the power to do SO,
shirk their own State taxes and force
them over upon US. Whilst property in
the Northern counties is assessed at
one-third its value, here it is assessed at
nearly it's full value. We are thus
forced to pay into the State Treasury 50
to 81 of the amount paid by the north on
property of equal value. 1t is true that
this great wrong is initiated by our own
Assessor, but it is fastened upon us and
perpetuated by State Board of Equali-
zation which seems to be constituted for
the sole purpose of cinching this section
We presume that the mass meeting
which is to be held tonight at the Pavil.
ion for the pur pose of considering the
question of division will confne itself
principally to the practical part of the
subject. The best and surest way of ac-
complishing our object is the most vital
point we have now to deal with.
We have already said that we
believe that the Vandever bill
starts out wrong. If the ques-
ton of division must be submitted
to vote of the people of the whole State
before we can get the consent of Con-
gress, we are not now numerically
strong enough to carry it. But there is
no need of proceeding in this way. 1t is
not the constitutional way. Neither is it
the way laid down by analogous
precedents. The constitution only re-
quires that the consent of the
Legislature of the State having
jurisdiction over the territory desiring to
secede shall authorize the separation
for Congress to take action and give its
consent. The next Legislative appor-
tionment will place Southern California
on equal terms with the Northern
counties in the Legislature. When we
are thus armed we can compel the
passage of an act authorizing division.