The herald., 1894-03-25
WHAT THEY THINK ABOUT IT.
Joseph Medill and J. w. Har-
mons Addresses.
On the Subject of Municipal Gov.
ernment.
Mr.. MedIII Believes In Trusting in the
Mayor, While Mr.. Harmon Tells
of BrOokIya's Political
Affairs.

The mass meeting held at the Grand
opera house last night by the Citizens
league was success in all respects.
Nearly every seat on the lower hoor and
first gallery was occupied. Among the
audience were some of the leading citi-
zens and heaviest taxpayers of the city.
1t was representative gathering and
one whose influence can be felt in the
administration OF the city's affairs.
The principal speakers of the evening
we're Hon. Joseph Medill, editor of the
Chicago Tribune, and Mr.. j. W. Har-
mon OF Brooklyn. Both of these gentle
men have been interested in the admin
istration OF municipal affairs, and their
views are well calculated to receive at
tention. Their remarks were confined
principally to their experiences in their
respective cities.
Previous to the meeting a brass band,
accompanied by signs giving notice OF
the gathering, carried by boys, marched
through the streets, and about 8 O'Clock
filed into the opera house.
After the national hymn of Mexico
had been rendered by the band. Mr.. ].
s. Saueon opened the meeting, He
stated that it WAS not a political meet
ing-it made no difference whether or
not the Democratic party was better
than the Republican party, they were
present in the interests of Los Angeles
county. He then proceeded to give
brief history OF the work done bv the
league since its organization one year
ago last December. After the first or
ganization the league examined into the
management of the county's affairs and
thought them to be too costly. The
city was found to be in fair condition.
The desire OF the league was to get
new city charter.
Mr.. Joseph Medill, principal speaker
OF the evening, was introduced. He
stated that he had complied with great
reluctance to the invitation OF the COM
mittee, but they had kept at
him with the usual perseverance, of
Californians and had their way. He
had been told, he said, that the men
who supported the county had paid an
average OF $125 in taxes. Compared
with this the average of the taxation of
chicago last year during the worlds
fair was little over $18 per head or $50
family. He naturally concluded they
were very heavily taxed here as the
people OF his city were grumbling and
complaining of high taxes. The COM
mon council OF Chicago cut down a mil
lion and quarter of dollars in their ex-
penses this year and the people desire
them to make further reductions, After
reading the Los Angeles charter he
thought that some Chicagoan had
brought along copy OF their old charter
existing before the great fire and per-
suaded the modelers OF the city to fol-
low the same lines. 1t was a singular
coincidence in the similarity of the two
charters if the trainers of the Los An
geles one had not seen copy of the
Chicago one. He had found that one of
the same fundamental principles of the
old Chicago charter ran through ours,
1t was to distrust the mayor.
One OF the articles of the present char
ter is to require the mayor to enforce all
OF the laws. But all of the work which
he should do is taken out of his hands
and placed into the hands of numerous
boards to perform. Where you estab-
lieh four or FIVE boards to perform GER
tain duties, and they make blunders.
who are you to blame? 1t cannot be
traced down, as each one endesvors to
throw it of on the other. This is iust
the way the people of Chicago were
troubled before the fire. The depart
ments we're run by Doodle, and the fire
department became demoralized by
drink. When the great fire came the
mayor was pOwerless to give an order,
and had to stand with his arms folded
while Chicago sunk into ashes and went
up in smoke. And that beautiful CITY
was lost on account of drunken fire de-
partment.
One day while he was putting up a
printing press, the speaker continued,
he was waited upon a committee of citi-
zene and told that he had been nomi-
mated by them to run for mayor. He
attended mass meeting later, and said
he would accept the position, provided
that committee be appointed to confer
with him to draw up new charter,
modelled after the United States consti.
tuition. This was done, and he was
elected. The charter has been since
amended in certain parts, but in the
main is intact. The principal thing
done was to drop all of the boards hav.
ing executive power. This was ac-
complished, and the mayor was given
the power of the executive. AS result,
II anything goes wrong the people can
go to the mayor and demand why it is so.
41O bhOukhb bAdb II lndyOE Wdb given
power and let to know that he was in a
glass house and there were responsibili-
ties upon him, be would not make anv
more mistakes than they could help.
The mayor should be trusted. The
speaker advised the league if thev
changed the charter to unity the execu-
tive power and to get rid of the boards,
The gentlemen on them were very hon.
orable but the best thing to do was to
let them go home and select the best
enc from them as mayor. The council
should be granted free power.
In Chicago the councilmen were paid
50 per session, which amounted to
about $3.50 per year. Ia Los Angeles
where there was about one-thirtieth of
Chicago's population, the councilmen
received $25 per session.
The Chicago councilmen were given
the power to fix the rates for all Of the
other officers once year, and as they
we're not paid very much themselves
they did not care to pay others very
much. The people should not think
that they would make mistake by Civ
ing the mayor full executive power ana
the council free power to act for them.
The expenses of the city government
should, furthermore, be so modelled as to
conform with the income.
Mr.. MedilPs remarks were received
with great applause, After a selection
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