The herald., 1896-10-07
WATER coMPANY's ORGAN

Therebis vital issue in the approach
Ing civic campaign. Reduced to sim
pie question, it amounts to this: Is the
city to own a water system adequate for
its necessities. or is the city to continue
to be owned by corporation known as
the City Water company? The wiles
and devices of the directorate Of the
company, in the long list of pretended
negotiations, impudent bluffs and diplo-
matte Withdrawals, have already been
dealt with in these columns. 1t is OBJ
vious to the ordinary and honest observ-
er that the city can hope for no satisfac-
ton from the company; he must realize
that it's councils have been trified with
too long, its officials corrupted too often,
and that the only salvation for the city
lies in discarding all negotiations with
the company and taking absolutely in
dependent action. The initial step in this
direction was taken by the council few
days since, but this can only be regarded
as an expiring gasp. and it will remain
for the next council to carry an inde-
pendent scheme into effect What the
best method of such action may be, it is
not the purpose of this article to inquire.
We wish now to call attention to the ex-
traordinary action, or rather, inaction,
of the local Republican press. There Is
no doubt about the supreme Importance
of the question. Popular attention Is
concentrated upon it. Every candidate
for the mayoralty has expressed an opin-
ion thereon. And yet both the Times and
the Express have not word to say
about the matter. The Times is notori-
ously not only a skillful manipulation of
falsehood, but is also of cowardly and
hypocritical character. What possible
excuse can 1t offer for maintaining a
rigid silence on the question, which
avowedly is regarded by all parties and
by all candidates for office as the para
mount issue What is the natural in
ference? What is the actual fact? AS
The Herald asserted some days since.
'The Times does not dare, the Express
does not care" to declare its hand. This
is fight of the people for the people. The
Times has never been the friend Of the
people; the character of the man at its
helm prevents such possibility. 1t has
been the hireling of the City Water COM
pany before, and cannot now afford to
discard that role. At present its manage
ment, no doubt, realizes that silence is
its only safeguard, and 1t may earn it's
miserable emolument by such discretion.
Even the Water company realizes that
an open campaign in it's favor would,
in the light of the strong feeling against
its record, be not only impolitic but fatal.
Hence, the Times holds its tongue, but
its silence gives consent to any machina-
tions Of its masters that they may de-
sign.
1t is certainly contemplate attitude
for any newspaper" to maintain, but
in this instance it is peculiarly appropri-
ate that the malodorous Hoodoo should
be consistent in endeavoring to Illustrate
the will of the people. The next move of
the Times will, no doubt, be also consis-
tent with its ill-fame. Should candidates
of either party-be selected who are
beyond suspicion of any Water COM
pany's taint, the Times may be expected
to resort to its usual foul methods of
attack, the insidious innuendo and the
dagger thrusts of cowardly knavery. No
candidate. however, need be discouraged
by such guerilla warfare, for history re-
peats itself, and 1t is the surest warranty
for the ultimate success of candidate
should he incur the malicious opposition
OF the Times. Let no man be deceived
the Los Angeles Times in the approach
Ing civic campaign will be the organ of
the City Water company.