The herald., 1896-07-17
FUR MUNICIPAL REFORM
Movement for a Better
City Government
The MEETING HELD At MUSIC HALL
Speeches by Professional and
Business Men
MACHINE POLITICS TO Go
This Is Absolutely Necessary to Secure
Anything Like Real Reform
The City Affairs Must Be Administered on
Strictly Business Principles
Addresses by Hon. T. e. 0ibbon, Clarence A.
Miller, Ex.Mayor Hazard and Others.
Committees on Permanent Organiza-
tion and Membership Appointed
This Is Absolutely Necessary to Secure
Anything Like Real Reform
The City Affairs Must Be Administered on
Strictly Business Principles

| The movement in the interest of a
better city government was inaugurated
last evening. Invitations were sent out
| to 500 prominent citizens in every walk
of life by committee of thirty, inviting
| them to participate in the movement. OF
this number something over one-half
assembled in Music hall on Spring
street, last evening, when the prelimi-
nary steps were taken to permanently
| organize for the object stated. Much
interest was manifested, and those pres
ent seemed to be in earnest.
The meeting was called for 7:45 o'clock,
and shortly after that time Henry w.
| O'Melveny called the body to order and
briefly stated the objects of the gather
ing. O'Melveny said that the object Of
the meeting was to devise some means
by which municipal elections could be
taken out of machine politics, and the
| government run by business men on
business principles. The movement was
not inaugurated by any clique, but was
in the interest Of common good, and the
movement was one in which all good
| citizens could cooperate.
Judge H. 7. Lee was unanimously
chosen chairman and Fred l.. Allies secre-
tary.
On taking the chair Judge Lee briefly
| thanked the meeting for the honor con-
ferred upon him, and stated that they
were ready for business.
Clarence A. Miller was then called
| upon for speech. He called attention
| to the fact that in cities the people were
| in the habit of electing officers on party
lines. The cause of this, he said, was
| because the leaders of the party in mu-
nicipal affairs found machines ready
| made to their hands. He thought that
the best thing to be done was to follow
out the lines as mapped out by the old
parties, and organize a party with spec
ial reference to city government. Let
| qualification for office be the only re-
quirement.- Organize the party on these
lines, and make 1t a permanent organ
ization. He thought Los Angeles had an
advantage over most cities for the rea-
son that the election took place after
the state and national elections, when
the feeling of political rancor had
died out, and for this reason
they could get down to business PROPOSE
tions involved Mr.. Miller combated
the idea that the property owner and
the business man were the only tax
payer. Every man who rented house
was a taxpayer, or bought goods for his
own use, was taxpayer, and these men
should be enlisted in the movement. Mr..
Milier's remarks were received with ap-
plause.
Ex-Mayor Henry T. Hazard was next
| called upon and addressed the meeting.
! Mr.. Hazard differed with the previous
| sneaker on the matter of the machine in
municipal politics. He thought that the
machine in politics had brought more re-
proach upon politics than any other fac
tor Before a man could get his name
on the ticket he had to be satisfactory
to the machine. The machine did not
represent the people, and he hoped that
this organization would not adopt rules
by which they would barter off their
franchise. ~
How can you beat the machine?'
asked man in the audience.
by not delegating the power as TO
| who shall make your nominees, re-
! piled the speaker. Mr.. Hazard then
explained briefly his postal primary
! plan, saying that if this was adopted 1t
would put an end to boss rule which
was the curse of American politics
Hon. T. E.. Gibbon followed Mr.. Haz-
| ard Mr. Gibbon referred to the monu-
mental failure of the United States in
| the matter of municipal government.
| This, he said, had attracted the atten-
| tion Of business men in all cities. Mr..
| Gibbon said that it was absolutely neces-
|
| just the same as in private affairs, for
the affairs of municipal corporations
| and private business enterprises were
identically the same. Mr.. Gibbon ad-
| yocated a business administration, and
said that if this was ever brought about
it must be done by the business men.
| Mr.. Gibbon referred to the useless Off
GERS under the present charter and said
| that it was useless to expect such a re-
form on the part of the politicians. The
| business men must take this matter in
! hand, and the only way in which this
could be done was by change in the
| organic law of the city by which the re-
| sponsiblity for the actions of officers
| could be definitely fixed. The whole mat
| ter could be stated briefly, and that was
to apply to public affairs the same prin-
| ciples which prevailed in private busi-
ness enterprises.
J Dr. w. LIE Moyne Wills thought that
| the speeches should be confined to the
| advisability of organizing the non-par-
| tisan movement. The present meeting
was non partisan in it's character and it
| was necessary to organize to effect any,
| thing.
! Judge S. c. Hubbell sake against the
rule of machine politics, and gave an
| instance of the working of that system
as exemplified in the building of sewer
| by which the property-owners had to
| pay almost double what they should
have paid. He thought that an organi-
, zation should be formed at once for car
rying out the principles as outlined.
| At this point halkwas called in the
| speech making and w. l.. Bacon sug-
gested that the meeting get down to
business. To get the matter before the
meeting Mr.. Bacon moved that commit
tee of five be selected on permanent or
ganization, and named five members of
!. the original committee of thirty as a
committee to report on plan of perma-
nent organization. Mr.. Bacon named the
following as the members of such COM
mittee: Frank A. Gibson, j. r. New
berry H. w. O'Melveny, w. C. Kerck-
| hoff and Fred l.. Allies.
There did not seem to be a very clear
comprehension on the part of the men,
bers as to the powers of the committee,
and Messrs. Louis Thorne. G. W. Burton
and Charles Cassatt Davis briefly spoke.
The meeting finally prevailed, with but
few dissenting votes.
\ Mr.. KOepfii moved that committee