The herald., 1896-03-30

the choice Of the people and three different
boards of government experts, men of ac-
knowledged integrity and professional
ability. Santa Monica harbor is the choice
of c. P. Huntington and his private ex-
perts, with no professional reputation ex-
cept that based on the fact that they are in
Mr. Huntington's employ.
The interest felt in the battle between
the people of Southern California and Mr..
Huntington's tireless "pull," outside of
this part of the state, is evidenced by the
attention which the San Francisco Ex-
aminer has given the subject.
That great journalistic champion OF the
peoples rights is not so much engrossed
in the tremendous fight it is making
against the pernicious effort to refund the
Central and Union Pacific railroads. in
debtedness as to lose sight of Huntington's
harbor designs. In its issue of Saturday
last the Examiner gave more than three
columns to the subject of the eminent lob
byist's 100000 Santa Monica job. More
than two columns consisted of a special
dispatch embracing the denunciatory opn-
ions of representative Los Angeles citizens.
1t remains to be seen whether Mr.. Hun
ferent tenor gathered and telegraphed to
the Washington Post. or some other organ
of the Solthern Pacific. Editorially the
Examiner speaks thus:
Mr.. Hunsington's mysterious "pull" at
Washington is startlingly illustrated by
the report that the committee on rivers
and harbors has decided to recommend an
appropriation of 100000 for beginning
tho improvement of the harbor at Santa
Monica, and nothing for San Pedro. There
is absolutely no public reason for such
course. All the army engineers that have
investigated the subject have agreed that
San Pedro is the proper place for the inn
provement. The people of Southern CAL
ifornia want il there. Their congressman
have shown again and again that that is
where it should be. Nature has created
harbor at San Pedro, and it needs only to
be improved. There is nothing at Santa
Monica but an open roadstead, and the
harbor would have to be created by the
government.
But the water front of San Pedro has the
disadvantage, in MIR. Huntington's eyes,
of being beyond his control. At Santa
Monica he and his associates have q cinch
on the whole shore. If that were made the
principal seaport of Los Angeles they
would monopolize the business Is that
the consideration that has led the COM
mittee on rivers and harbors to take the
unprecedented course of going squareiy
against the recommendations both of the
army engineers and of the people most
nearly interested, and following the ad-
vice of a single man living 5000 miles
away?
1t is not conceivable that the house can
sustain this job when it's iniquity is pointed
out on the floor. We have no fear that
the Santa Monica scheme will go through
our only apprehension is that it may
bring San Pedro down with it. Indeed, that
is practically certain so far as the house is
concerned, for it is impossible TO insert in
the river and harbor bill new item not
approved by the committee. The only
hope for San Pedro, if the committees
action has been correctly described, is in
the senate. Senators White and Perkins
understand the situation, and they may be
able to have the bill amended in the direc-
ton desired by the people of the south.