Los Angeles herald., 1892-06-28
A CONSOLIDATED LOCAL GOVERNMENT.

Senator McComas, General Wasson
and President of the Board OF Trade
Stein, all of Pomona, are in the city as
q committee for the purpose Of ofinterview-
ing leading citizens and representat' 20
bodies with view to placating o'1po-
sition hereaway to the creation III the
proposed new county of Pomona.
OF course, the fret and natdral ques-
tion that arises in considering prop.
osition of this character is. what will be
its effect upon the interests of the county
as it is? As far as the business inter-
ests of Los Angeles are concerned it
would cut no appreciable figure. Such
trade as comes from Pomona as it Ia will
come all the same, whether division oc-
ours or not. The only possible preju-
dicial effect might be in the loss of the
proposed new county for taxation pur-
poses, decreasing very materially the
tax roll and at the same time leaving us
without corresponding decrease in the
normal expenses for the support of the
machinery Of q county government.
This is the most serious aspect OF the
proposition as far as we are concerned.
But it is manifest that whenever any
considerable part Of county deems it
to it's interest to set up municipal gov
esnment for itself, and its people as a
unit desire to do 90, there can be no
logical reason set up to prevent the &C.
cession. Americans believe in the doc
trine of popular sovereignty as applied
to their local and state governments /;
and it is practically useless to resist this
doctrine when it comes to the partition
of counties, if the populations and
wealth have 80 far increased as to justify
new local autonomies within the limits
of extensive boundaries. For fifteen
years we resisted the southern part Of
Los Angeles county in it's determination
to secede; but the county of Orange be-
came fixed fact in spite of all opposi-
tiou. Los Angeles has lost nothing by
the separation, and in the light of facts
seen after the occurrence we realize that
our opposition was a mistake-for oppo-
eition to the inevitable is always mis-
take.
We have no doubt that Pomona will
succeed az Orange succeeded. In this
as in the other the movement possesses
the irresistible element of success in the
fact that the people Of the proposed
new county are united on the subject.
It is therefore the part of wisdom for us
to 60 shape the movement, If we can,
as to do us the greatest good and the
least harm when it eventuates in parti-
ton. We believe that Los Angeles,
with such tributary territory as would
give her compact and facile jurisdic-
tion, would bevery materially benefited,
both in the economical administration
Of our public affairs and in the unity
her material interests would experience
in the change, by making it consoli-
dated city and county under one munic-
ipal government, with just representa-
ton in it's legislative body from all it's
political subdivisions. The advantages
to the taxpayers OF such change are OBJ
vious. Instead of having to support
two expensive governments. with a
double roster of officers to do the same
work in the jurisdiction, we should be
called upon to only support one.
The one thing to be done to bring this
about in intelligent shape is for some
representative body to arrange upon de-
tails that would be satisfactory to all
concerned. There is an organization in
this city composed of the taxpayers.
That body could take the initiative in
such matter with a certainty that the
public would fall into line with what
ever reasonable plan it would submit to
it. Now is the time act. If we wait till
the legislature meets, nothing can be
done, and we shall lose the opportunity
of getting the cooperation of Pomona
in so adjusting the boundaries of con-
solidated city and county that we would
have the compact territory suitable for
such government.
We may rest assured that Pomona
will gain her point, if not this year,
next, or next. Why not, therefore,
cooperate and unite upon plan that
would be the best for the interests of all
concerned?