Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-08-19
why They oppose the Sewers.

why They oppose the sewers.
The advocates of the Ballona route TO
the sewers are doing q good deal of
special pleading and using many unfair
arguments to carry their plans. The
smallest tricks of the ward workers who try
to influence the minds of less reasonable
classes of the people are being resorted
to. Representations are made that or
CARNATIONS are favorable to voting the
bonds, when in fact the contrary is
nearer the truth. When meeting was
held, by those who oppose the present
plan, and it was most enthusiastic af.
fair, attended by large numbers of the
most progressive people OF Los Angeles,
it was reported in the organ of the
Bailona route as failure, and those who
were present were branded as "moss-
backs" "obstructionists" and silurians.
These tactics will not work in the pres
ent instance. Those who oppose the
plans now before the people do so in the
true interests of progress. There are
thousands of voters who will use their
suffrage against the bonds because they
want the sewer. The Councils obstiu-
acy in forcing the issue as it lie, has
aw akened the suspicion of the people. 1t
is more than likely, it is certain, that the
moment movement ia made to build
that sewer, Santa Monica will come into
the courts with a prayer for an injunc-
ton. The best legal talent OF the city
will be employed to press this. We all
know what that means. 1t means de-
lay of years. The Council has been sp.
pealed to that the programme might be
80 modified as to allow the people
to vote for the inside sewer as a separate
proposition from the outfall. An appeal
was also made not to tie the city to a too
rigid proposition to 60 by the Ballona
route, but to leave the plan little fsxi-
BILE, so that in case of an injunction suit
an effort to 60 elsewhere might be possi-
BILE. The Council turned a deaf ear to
both propositions. With them it was
outfall or nothing, and it was Ballona or
nowhere. 1t looks to many thoughtful
people as il a "tie-up" was what was de-
sired. For this reason thousands of citi-
zens intend to vote down the present
proposition. in order that q new pro-
gramme may be formulated which will
separate the inside system from the out
fall, and that will not commit the city to
run into certain injunction suit. They
will vote no on the proposed plan, because
they wish to be sure of getting a sewer
system begun within the next five years
They want a, beginning made at once.
There is another reason why many o
the most progressive men in the city will
vote against these bonds. The taxpay'
ers' interests have been ignored at al
points, and the "boodle" interest seem,
to have been never lost sight of. Hat
economy and the interests of the tax
payers cut any figure in the plans, pro
vision would have been made to sell thu
bonds in blocks of say $100,00(
at time, as the money nigh
be needed. 1t is we'll known tha
to build the inner system and tn,
outfsll sewer will require at least thre,
years time it may take five years to dt
the work. Yet the city will be payinl
interest on 1850, 900 for all that time
while the bulk Of the money will remain
idle and unproductive SO far as the city il
concerned, for years. The bonds should
be sold only as they are needed. Ifthey
are put on the market this fall they viii
encounter the closest money marke
known in this country in the curren
decade. Two years ago the New Yorl
banks held nearly 500. 100000 reserves
above the legal 25 per cent. limit. Las
8 Saturday the reserves above that limi
were less than half million dollars.
The meeting of last Saturday was at
tended by hundreds of the most progress
i've citizens of Los Angeles, men tina
have done more by one hundred time
over to build up the city, than have thos
who stupidity and falsely denounce then
as "mossbacks." They will put their vet
at the polls on this unpopular and dan
gerous scheme to jeopardize for years th,
building of any sewers, and which woult
take over SIC, 0,oO0,00e OF the taxpayers
money and turn it over low usuiruc
for someone else's benefit for years
And reasonably thoughtful workingmei
will do well to be sure they are votin!
for job when they only vote the city il
tedious litigation which will stop all pub
1ic uorks for half a dnoada