Los Angeles daily herald., 1890-03-06
THURsDAY, MARCH 6, 1890.
Vote ON the Sewer Bonds.
One week from today the vote will |

Vote ON the Sewer Bonds.
One week from today the vote will be
cast on the interior sewer system for
this city. The next day there will be an
election to vote nearly twice as much
money for the storm-wate~ drains, and
on the following day thirS election
will be held to vote nearly as mucE for an
outfall sewer as for the storm-~' ster
drains. The total sum at stake in the
three elections is about one and a-half
million dollars. This debt is to be paid
off in Fenty years, and to do this will in
crease the taxes of the city by about
$150.000. To put the property in con-
nection with this system Of sewerage will
cost about $75 per lot.
The first reflection pertinent to these
propositions IS that none of them ought to
90 by default. 30 tar as tie friends of
the scheme 60 there is no fear OF any
such result. It is very evident that
those who pay no taxes will vote for all
these bonds at all hazards in the hope of
benefiting their own interests. 1t will
not require any argument to prove
to these people that they will benefit by
the expenditure of the money. They
know they cannot lose anything and
will take all the chances on making
something.
It is therefore incumbent on the tax.
payers, large and small, to express their
will at the polls. Every man who has a
vote should cast it. To do this requires
registration; and if any voter is,not on
the great register he should 60 on it at
once. Another thing the taxpayers
should do is to organize so as to take
care oftheir interests. They should hold
a meeting and appoint strong commit
tee to take such steps as may be thought
desirable.
As to the merits of the several schemes
there is pretty widespread idea that
the interior system per Sc is matter that
needs attention. 1t is also conceded
that the present time would not be
a bad one to make beginning as gen.
eral proposition. But when the friends
of this interior system come to look over
the plans, many who would vote Eyes"
on the proposition find the proposed sys-
tenn 80 tied to the outfall sewer that they
are inclined to insist on getting such
changes made as will permit of the dis
position Of the sewage otherwise. There
is another very considerable class who
are not disposed to permit the ring in
power to handle 30 large sum of money
They look at their tax receipts and find
the valuation run up by the millions, and
the rates run up higher and higher in
spite of the increase in the value of the
taxable property. Then they turn to the
city and find, in spite OF these inn
mense taxes, the streets badly cared for
the police force cut down, the street de
partment curtailed in its efficiency, ane
thousand signs of mingled extrava
gance and incompetency on all sides
Yet they see these same officials resist
ing by every legal technicality the letting
of the city funds out on interest 80 as t,
relieve the city of some of these burdens
In fact they see ring of unpatrioti
politicians bent more on privat
gain than public good. They Sc
these things and swear by "the min
gods of Latium" that those who repre-
sent the city shall go out of Office mex
fall. They will vote down the bonds i
order to have the sewer money spent b
a more patriotic and a more competer
Council.
As to the merits of the other tw
schemes, the idea is very widesprea
that there is no merit but much demer
in them, and that they ought to be
must be and shall be voted down. Thi
is 30 plain proposition that there is n
need of argument except to get out th
vote. If the second and third election
carry it will be because the opponents {
storm drains and outfall sewer are to
confdent and stay at home. Too muc
confidence is always fatal in any contest
We therefore seriously urge all to vote O
Friday and Saturday against the storm
drain and outfall sewer bonds.