The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1896-11-14
The following is the official count of
the counties of the Seventh district:
CHARTER AMENDMENTS.
The Better City Government Leagues
Pet Measure

Concerning the proposed amendments
to the city charter, the latest official bull
letin Of the League for Better City Gov
eminent says:
The series of amendments to the city
charter which the league will try to
have adopted by the voters and by the
legislature will be submitted to the
voters sometime early in January, and
the prospect of their carrying is fairly
good. They will meet with determined
opposition, however, from several
sources, and the reform is not to be ac-
complished without vigorous cam
paign. The charter work will not be ac-
lively undertaken until the municipal
election is out of the way
The chief opposition to the new char
ter will come from the professional po-
litical workers, confirmed office seekers
and office holders. The civil service
plan, which forms an important feature
of the new charter, is really the basis
of the opposition, although it will be di-
rected against other clauses of the docu-
ment. For example, a great hue and
cry has been raised against an alleged
provision in the charter that all the
citys employees must wear uniform.
This is a matter which is left in the
hands of the council, and can, and will.
be arranged SO as to work no hardship
on anybody. The police and fire de-
/ partments are already uniformed, and
in many cities the street department is
uniformed with the result that men work
more faithfully, and better and more
permanent class of employees is secured.
If it is no dishonor for policemen and
firemen to wear uniforms, why should
it be for the street department, the park
employees Gas is the custom in all east
ern cities) and other departments where
there are large numbers employed al
i 40 CO. hi Hnt
men in uniform, and no one has ever
considered it dishonor 1t Is con-
venience to the public to know when
they enter city office who the officers
and deputies are; 1t brings better dis
cipline and tends to raise the standard
of the service throughout.
Another objection to the charter Is
chat it curtails the voters privileges in
reducing the number of people for whom
he is to vote. The opposite Is the case.
Under the present charter he votes for
eleven city offices; under the new char
ter he votes for seventeen.
The election of councilmen by the city
at large Zone from each ward) Is object
ed to by the practical politicians who
appreciate that it will no longer be pos
sible to put one or two bad men on the
board to assist in corrupt schemes when
all the voters in the city will have a
hand in their election.
The choice of members of the board of
education at large is objected to for the
! same reason.
| The concentration of the appointing
/ power in the hands of one person, the
mayor, is objected to by some. who be-
leve that it is more according to Ameri-
/ can political lines to have the power
spread out all over the whole city hall
/ so that nobody is responsible for any,
thing in particular. That is the present
method and the people are paying sew
! eral hundred thousand dollars q year
extra taxes for this piece of sentiment
1 A municipal corporation is business
1 affair, and it should have a head, and
that head should be the mayor. He
must bear the responsibility and, there
fore, must have the power-under suit
able check from the council. That is the
plan according to the new charter.
The League for Better City Govern
ment has many duties to accomplish in
! Los Angeles. but none more important
| than that of securing the adoption of the
new charter.