Los Angeles herald., 1892-08-23
The Twelve Dollar a Minute
Men in Council.
The Republican Central Committee
and its Doings.
A Small Array of Hangers-On Attend
the Meeting = The Dates of
the Primaries and
Convention.

met small army. The army aforesaid
comprised the Republicans who are
hankering after the flesh pots of office.
In other words, they want nice, soft
berths in the court house, and they ex.
pect to obtain them by the perpetuation
of q Republican county government,
which it costs the taxpayers of this
county $12 per minute to conduct.
The county committee met in the Lin
coin club rooms as a recognition of that
organization. The Union League was
snubbed to this extent. The growing
strength of the Lincoln club in the Re-
publican ranks demanded it. The Office
holding clique of the u. L. is all power
full within the party, but it was deemed
advisable to honor the new club by hold
ing meeting in its rooms.
WHAT THE OBJECT WAS.
The meeting of the committee was
called for the purpose of arranging for
the holding of county convention, and
naming the day when it should be held.
OF course, every candidate was inter-
ested in that question, as we'll as in the
preliminaries incident to holding a
county convention. The consequences
was that nearly every candidate was on
hand, and his friend and his friends
friend as well. The attendance was so
great that the club rooms were crowded
to their utmost capacity.
The session of the committee was in
teresting, although there were no out
ward Indications of dissatisfaction
September I'd was liked as the date for
holding the primaries, and September
9th as the date of the convention. A
request for precinct instead of ward
primaries in the city of Los Angeles was
snubbed. Polling places will therefore
be open in only the nine wards, instead
OF the forty-five precincts.
Chairman Robert j. Northam called
the committee to order promptly at 10
O'Clock. After the usual, preliminaries
there came in demand from Garvanza
for two delegates in the convention.
The demand was allowed. This action
brought out demands of similar char
acter from Acton and several other pre-
-cincts. They all wanted more repre-
sentation. Finally the demands for in
creased representation were shut off.
The members of the committee were
universally present in person. There
were only two proxies from the, city,
and not very many from the country.
KICK ON A PROXY.
But the first kick of the meeting that
came up was over proxy. Paul Vignes
presented the proxy of Leroy Ledbetter.
of the Seventh ward. Mr.. Parker, the
secretary, claimed that Ledbetter had
resigned from the committee, and that
the proxy was invalid. In substantial
tion of his statement he produced the
records to show that Ledbetter's resig-
nation had been presented and ac-
-cepted. But the written resignation of
Mr.. Ledbetter could not be found, and
the matter was referred to the execu-
tive committee.
Then Committeeman John A. Pirtle
moved that the county primaries be
held on September Sd. This immedi-
ately precipitated general row. There
was wide awake discussion, but an
amiable adjustment was finally made.
September I'd was named as primary
day. The polls will be open between
IL O'Clock noon and p. m. Then it
was decided to hold the county conven-
tion on the 9th instant.
1t was also resolved to hold Repub-
lican rally on Saturday, the Sd instant,
in which all of the clubs of the county
be in sited to participate. Governor
Markham will be asked to preside, and
Hervey Lindley will deliver the opening
address.
IT WAS QUIETLY FILED.
The demand for precinct primaries
was next sat upon with great vigor.
RIA. Marshall, one of the deputies in
County Clerk Wards Office, presented a
demand for precinct primaries. 1t was
read and quietly fled. All of the city
delegates opposed precinct primaries,
only Pasadena committeeman favoring
them.
PRECINCT PRIMARIES KNOCKED OUT.
A motion to hold precinct primaries
in the city was voted down nearly unan'
imously. Ward primaries will be held
the same as before.
The county committeeman, with the
exception of those from Pasadena, then
decided to hold their primaries the same
as before. The Pasadena committeeman
agreed upon having four precincts in
stead of one, as heretofore, for the city
of Pasadena. The Pasadena committee.
men had quite squabble in determin-
ing what to do, but finally the advocates
of four precincts triumphed.
Then came the all-important question
as to what the test should be which a
voter should be called on to take at the
primaries. Some committeeman wanted
the voter to pledge himself to support
Harrison and Reid.
QUARREL OVER THE TEST.
Then came the tug Of war. A demand
was made that the voter pledge himself
to support the county ticket. 1t was
then suggested that it would be good
deal to ask man to support lndividuale
for office who had not yet been named
So, after considerable discussion, thif
portion Of the test was left out.
Judge Savage, of San Pedro, moved
that the test be, "Will you support
Harrison, Reid and Lindley ?" This
raised more trouble. Some committee
men did not want the name of Mr.
Lindley added to the test, but it finally
was, although the vote was not unani
nous. This was certainly significant.
SECOND AND SEVENTH WARD QUARRELs.
Then came the all-important matter
Of the selection Of judges and clerks fol
the primary. The committeeman from
the several wards and precincts were re-
quested to hand them in, and did so.
In the Second ward there was very
warm fight. 1t has been alleged that
at the last primary, the ballot box al
this ward was stuffed by the judges anC
clerks. Therefore, the Second WarderI