The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1896-11-13
BETTER CITY GOVERNMENT
The League Reports Satisfactory Prog
ress Being Made

The League for Better City Govern
ment has complied with the formality of
nominating it's candidates by petition as
we'll as by postal primary and conven-
ton. Certificates of nomination, signed
by not less than three per cent of the
total votes at the last preceding city
election, have been filed with the city
clerk and accepted by him as fulfilling
the legal requirements. This assures a
place on the official ballot for the nomi-
nees Of the league under a separate
heading. The campaign committee will
now set about to elect these nominees.
and will work hard to that end from now
until Dec. 7th.
Official bulletin No. 8, just issued takes
hopeful view of the situation, saying
In part:
up to- date the work of the league
has progressed satisfactorily, and nearly
all that was hoped for it has been ac-
complished. Some members of the league
have expressed regret that the organl-
cation has not taken more radical
stand in the matter of the selection of
candidates, but it Is we'll to consider tina
this is the first year of it's existence
and that by attempting too much all pos
sible advantage in the movement might
be sacrificed. An undertaking of such
magnitude as this, and involving so
many complicated and difficult CUES
tions, must be held within conservative
lines If it Is to amount to anything in the
long run.
The charter work of the league has
moved forward an important step. Tie
amendments were presented to the pres
ent city council, and that body very
wisely held that such backing as that
of the league was sufficient to Justify
them in submitting the amendments to
the people for consideration and vote.
The charter election will take place in
January. The action of council in order
ing these amendemnts printed without
change for the consideration of the
voters meets the hearty approval of all
members OF the league.
THE new charter, If carried, will go
INTO operation in about a year and a
half. 1t does no apply to the coming city
election nor to the officers elected then. -
Concerning the failure of the league
TO nominate candidate for mayor the
bulletin says:
Inere were reasons why it was i'm
practicable to undertake the nomina ton
of mayor on the Better City Govern
ment ticket. The organiza ton is only
SIX months old, and if it succeeds in Sc
curing the nomination of q good set of
counclimen (Which has been done) and
the nomination of good men for the gen
eral city offices (Which has been done)
ana prepares and has presented to the
people new charter reforming the
abuses of the present system (Which has
been done), that would appear to be
enough for the preliminaries of one cam
paign. There are men of hasty iudg
ment who. if twenty things are to be
accomplished, and one or two are left
undone, recklessly denouce the whole
business as failure. The league is
young yet and its work is only Just be-
ginning. 1t has naturally many enemies
who are anxious to make out that what
ever is done is wrong. On the question
OF the mayoralty nomination, the friends
OF good government will suspend their
judgment until the city campaign and
the charter campaign are both over,
when we believe it will be found that
the refusal to nominate was unquestion-
ably the wisest policy"