Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-05-05
The Charter Defended by some
0f its Makers.

oh hth
A manifesto has been published by
six members of the late Board OF Free
holders, urging the people to vote Tor
the charter submitted by that body.
As its signers are all lawyers, the pa
per is valuable as showing the opinion
OF these gentlemen upon some OF the
legal questions raised against the
instrument They have given the
only solution so far vouchsafed o.
the blunder which gives the appoint
ment OF the Board of Health to two
distinct authorities. They say that
as legal proposition the section
which gives the appointment to the
Council will control, as its provisions
are specially devoted to the functions
of the board. But they are evidently
not sure Of their position, and they
therefore suggest the expedient that
the Mayor can appoint and the Coun-
cilconfirm, and Immediately the Coun-
Gil can by separate action appoint, thus
fulfilling the requirements OF both
sections" This solution would work
very we'll if we could be assured that
the Mayor and the Council would be al
satisfied with the same men. If not
however, there would come dead
lock, or there would be two Boards
or fractions OF Boards, each claiming
to be the legally appointed members
The paper enters into defence o
the central theory of the proposed
charter, OF reducing the members o
the Council from fifteen to five, ano
giving them salary OF three thou
sand dollars year each. In justin
cation of this costly change they Say
that it is the universal experience o.
all large or growing cities that tbs
latter plan of government is founI
to work better than the former
This assertion would carry mor'
weight il we were pointed to the cite
that have proven it. They do not sat
isfactorily answer the objections rails
ed against their plan. 1t does not con
vince us that honest and. economical
government is safer in the hands @
five men than it would be with fifteen
The danger of this plan we have here
tofore pointed out. All the incentives
to lavish public expenditure will b
prevalent in this city for the mex
ten years. We have vast public i'm
provements that must be carried out
The Mayor will have much create
power than at present, and great.
increased patronage. Here, then, ar
all the conditions to invite combina
tions to raid upon the treasury. DE
signing politicians will league will
designing contractors and jobbers b
nominate in both parties candidate
for Mayor OF very different characte
from the men we have heretofor
had in that Office. Three out OF tn
five Councilmen will be sufficient, il
cooperation with the Mayor, to carr
out whatever municipal jobs may b
concocted by the inevitable ring tina
will grow up under the proposed sys
tenn. The plan leaves the city opel
to this danger, and even although W
might by good fortune escape from il
yet it is not the part OF wisdom to leav
such a door wide open. The objec
which the trainers of the charter de
sired to reach could have been al
tanned without taking away from tn
people the check which representa-
tive Council affords. The number c
members could have been retained a
fifteen, with the authority to appoin
from that number a Board OF Publ
Works, who should be in constan
session and literally paid for thei
services. In this way the check upol
al-administration would be in tn
body OF the Council, and it would b
effectual.
As we have often sail, there is
great deal of good work don
in this proposed charter. No one ha
denied that its provisions With refer
ence to steets and the machinery de