The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1894-01-26
THE BALLOT WAS A SECRET ONE,
The School Boards Election
Of President.
1t Is Claimed to Be Illegal Under
the City Charter.
The Boards Bright Action in Giving
Director Plat n Ninety Days
Leave of Absence-What
the Charter Says.

1t looks very much as il the city
board OF education has got itself into
snarl thus early in the new year.
At its mast ing two weeks ago the
board reelected Dr. @. I. Pepper presi-
dent.
This election was by ballot, and was a
secret ballot, each member writing the
person OF his choice on a slip of paper
and putting it in hat.
The ballots were then counted by
tellers appointed by the presiding officer
OF course the identity OF the ballots
was lost, all that could be announced in
the result being the number of votes
received by each person voted for.
DR.. Pepper received five votes, and
was declared elected.
The question has been raised that this
election was illegal. If it should prove
to be 30, and the work has to be done
over again, it will disarrange the care
fully laid plans of the solid six, by
which the important committees have
been fixed for them to handle easily,
and DR.. Wills and Mrs. Hughes buried
where they cannot do anything.
The reason given for the statement
that DR.. Peppers reelection was illegal
ia found in the new city charter, the
section referred to reading as follows:
Sec. 8. In all voting upon the APP
pointment, confirmation, suspension
and removal of officers, the members OF
| the council or other body appointing,
confirming, suspending or removing,
/ oh 70 hxtO hal oil 0f
and the ballot or vote of each member
shall be spread upon the minutes.
The secret ballot by which the cleo
ton was characterized, it is claimed, in
validates it, and it 10 believed that it
will be necessary for the solid six to do
their work over again.
The board has also written itself
down in very peculiar manner in con-
nection with the journey of one OF the
solid six, Director Plat, to San Frau
cisco.
At its Monday night meeting Mr..
Plat asked for leave of absence, and
announced that he was going to San
Francisco, having secured a lucrative
i position in the midwinter fair.
He asked, and was granted, 80
DAYS leave of absence bv the board.
The board evidently did not look at
the city charter when they took this
action, and the lawyer on the board had
evidently forgotten some of its pro.
visions.
The attention of Dummer Kiah Trask
aud his confreres is called to the follow
ing section of the city charter:
Section s, If any elective officer shall
die or remove from the city, or absent
himself from the city for more than &c
days, or shall fail to qualify by taking
the oath of office and filing his official
bond, as required, within 10 days from
the time he receives his certificate o.
election or appointment, or if he shall
resign, or be convicted of felony, OF
adjudged insane, or shall absent himself
from his Office for more than five days
without the consent of the council, his
Office may be declared vacant by the
council, and it shall thereupon fill the
vacancy.
Mr.. Platt went away Tuesday, 30 thai
he has been away now nearly the five
davs mentioned by the city charter
without consent of the council. His offic,
may be declared vacant next Monday
by the council, unless they grant con
sent to his absence. The leave canno
be beyond 80 days with consent.
Mr.. Plstt thinks the solid six are COINS
to have fat time this year, he haC
better look out for his position.