Los Angeles herald., 1892-04-23
A QUESTION ABOVE INDIVIDUALS.

The Express of yesterday was some
what plainspoken in its opposition to
Col. H. G. Otis as delegate to the
Republican national convention at Min
neapolis. 1t bases its objections to the
redoubtable occupant of the eagles
eyrie on the corner OF First and Broad
way on the ground that he has ex-
pressed, in the Times, about the Dem
ocratic estimate of Br'er Harrison.
This is little fight with which the
HERALD has no concern. ''Tyrian or
Trojan are alike to u.s. Whether the
colonel shall go to Minneapolis as q
delegate or merely as a "looker on
Vienna" which he has declared to be
his purpose in any event, is not
material, except as it concerns the
parties in interest, which are prin-
cipally that gentleman and his friends.
There is no doubt that he would make a
presentable figure in that assemblage,
and when the vote was announced that
declared Harrison the nominee of his
party, scowl of gratifying amplitude
would overspread his expressive counte-
nance. The "boss' talk of our esteemed
evening contemporary seems to have
shrunk to very diminutive proportions.
Instead of being protest against ring
rule, in the interest of the people, it
appears to be resolving itself into de-
termination ON the part of the wing of
the party led by the Express to down"
an individual.
Not with such miniied aspect of
the "boss" question does the HERALD
concern itself. This journal desires to
arouse the people of Los Angeles to the
necessity OF retiring the bosses who have
made the taxes of both city and county
something frightful to contemplate.
There is nothing personal in this mat
ter, except as it concerns every person
who pays taxes in Los Angeles.
There has grown up in this city a
large class of amiable gentlemen who
have no other aim in life than to make
their living off of the people. They
never dream of developing plan of life
which will be self-supporting and inde-
pendent. A class such as this never
devotes thought to anything but the
extension of their lines OF. patronage
and place. They add to their income
by eDlarging the e.. .oenditures Of the
several public Offices. Naturally, in
such a multitude OF place-holders, people
Gf superior enterprise and acumen
are developed. The advance OF these
worthless is r,pid. Their authority and
leadership grow until they have atteined
the power and port OF bosses.
los Angeles has suffered grievously
from shis class. Our tax rate is SO large
.nst it is not only an oppressive weight
upon the property owner but is a great
drawback to settlement. Every pru-
dent man, before becoming member
of any community, scrutinizes the tax
list very closely. We have in Office to-
day in this city and county one OF the
most cohesive and determined band of
place men ever gathered together in an
American city. If such a robust gang
of office-holders can be collected in such
short time, and if a power 30 formid-
able can be concentrated 30 soon, what
may not the hard bested taxpayer OF
Los Angeles have to encounter in the
future? II the Los Angeles bosses are
so sturdy and overmastering in the pith,
what will they be in the wood?
Truly, it is very trifing matte r
whether Colonel Otis shall 60 to the
Minneapolis convention or no. 1t is
very important, however, that the grasp
of the boss should be shaken from the
throat of the Los Angeles taxpayer.
To attain this much to be desired con-
summation it is only necessary, as the
HERALD has repeatedly shown, that. in
local matters, the people should get
together and drop the party shibboleth
for once. And that is just what they
are going to do, unless we are greatly
mistaken.