Los Angeles herald., 1892-09-19
The MANIA FOR NEW COUNTIES.

And now comes another candidate
into the field for county honors. Ante
lope valley has started in to carve out
large strip of territory which ia princi-
pally now in this county to make mu-
nicipal division for herself. As tenta-
lively outlined so far, the Antelope val
ley people propose to take all the terri
tory north and east of San Fernando,
and that part of Kern county which in
cludes the great ranch of General Beale.
and erect it into a county. The pre-
sumption is that they will have their
plan thoroughly prepared and present
bill for the formation of the new county
before the next legislature for its action.
We doubt whether this newly pro-
posed partition will receive much oppo-
stion from Los Angeles. Indeed this
city seems in the good-natured mood to
let the new county founders 60 ahead
without let or hindrance, as if it had
no interest whatever in the question.
Yet we ought to adopt a policy OF our
own in this matter. We should not per-
NIT our county to be carved up into new
counties without at least asserting our
selves in some manner.
The HERALD has already taken what
it conceives to be the right position
on this subject. 1t has often declared
that this city should take the stand that
whenever she cedes territory for new
counties che should do so with view
in the near future of erecting the terri
tory left into city and county, under
single municipal government. Her in
terest at the present time is therefore
to see that all new county bills which
take territory from Los Angeles shall be
so framed that they will leave to US
compact and contiguous territory suited
for city and county government. The
San Gabriel and New rivers would make
us a satisfactory boundary line on the
south; then take San Fernando and
line to the ocean as the northern bound
ary, and some point east of San Gabriel
as the eastern line. The details Of such
a subdivision would be for some repre-
sentative body of our city to determine.
Che Taxpayers union ought to take this
matter in hand, fully discuss it,, and
then outline the territory, with which
we would be satisfied. Submit this to
the divisionsts, and tell them that un-
less they conform to the lines laid down
by us, their bills will meet with our
opposition. 1t is needless to say that
they would gladly conform.
Certainly Los Angeles should not sis
supinely by and see her territory carved
up to suit outside aspirants for county
seats without insisting ON such protec-
tion of her own rights and interests as
she deems best. We have always
claimed that it would be to the benefit
of our taxpayers if we were set off in a
city and county under one government.
But in order that this may be done we
must be left with territory that is con-
sistent with the object. Distance, in
these days OF rapid communication and
with the fine system of railroads we
have, count but for very little in the Or
tory. We could hardly draw the lines
80 far away that the including territory
coulo not be effectively represented in
the city and county board of supervisors.
The great point our people wish to
attain in this erection of the territory
left US into a city and county govern
ment is to do away with double set OF
! officials, and with the cost of maintain
ing uselessly two sets of governments.
If we are to be stripped OF our territory
right and left for the purpose of crea
ting new counties, we should see to it
that we are not left to support the same
burden as we carry now, but with a
greatly diminished tax roll from which
to draw to pay for it.