The herald., 1897-12-12
8
!. MASS MEETING
Better City Government
League
AN ENTHUSIASTIC AUDIENCE
CITIZENS LAY BARE THEIR
VIEWS ON CORRUPTION
AN ENTHUSIASTIC AUDIENCE
A Set Of Resolutions Adopted IN
Which the Dishonest School
5 Directors Are Scored

The mass meeting of the League FOL
Better City Government at Music hall
i last night brought out large attend
ance of representative citizens to voice
the sentiment in favor of the continua-
ton and extension of the work now be-
ing carried on by the league in running
to earth municipal corruptionists. f. n
Rule called the meeting to order. HE
stated that the league was strictly non
partisan and that its aim was solely
pure and good city government. He
then introduced Charles H. Stewart, who
had been selected to act as chairman III
the place of Mr.. Naftzger, called out OF
town.
Rev. Burt Estes Howard was the first
speaker. He said that this was not an
adjourned meeting of the board of edu-
cation, but an assembly of good citizens
seeking the best mode of municipal gov
ernment The league did not possess at
all the devilishness that its petty de-
tractors have attributed to 1t. but was
formed to oppose machine politics ana
bossism. He justified the work Of the
special committee of the league, OF
which he is chairman, in connection
with the school board investigation. 1t
was not achieved for the purpose OF
defeating the bonds but in order to eX-
pose trickery and corruption The
: league had no quarrel with any individ-
ual school board director, employe or the
board as q whole. 1t was pitiful thing
to lay any criminal act at any man S
door. Should the investigation show tn
guilt of the persons now being investi-
gated there would be no eXultation on
the part of the league.
A letter from L. W. Blnn regretting
his inability to attend the meeting ow-
Ing to prior engagement was received
and read by the chairman. 1t was eulo-
CYSTIC of the league. its aims and OBJ
Jects, whose watchword is honesty"
He adjured the league to let no guilty
man escape.
Judge Hunsaker spoke about the spe-
cial committee of which the Rev. How
ard is chairman. He said that its pur-
pose was not to persecute any man. but
to investigate rumors of taking bribes,
corruption and malfeasance in office.
Against one man the proofs adduced
We're exceedingly grave, but the league
sincerely hoped that he would be able to
clear himself Of the deep cloud cast over
his reputation. The speaker said tina.
If the citizens would keep their eyes up
on the officers elected by them as much
as they did upon their own employees
there would be very little dishonesty.
Municipal corruption had existed for a
long time in this country, and will con-
tinue to exist until the people who pay
the taxes will put their shoulders to the
wheel, and then corruption will be re-
duced to a minimum. 1t was appalling to
think that the men who have charge of
the education of our children should take
bribes. 1t showed corruption. not only
on the part of the elected officials who
took bribes. but also on that of the
teachers who gave them in order to get
Or retain position. He denied that
- there was O grievance from some one
= against somebody else which had caused
the investigation in the school board.
When that was finished, he said, other
departments should be investigated Mr..
Hunsaker, next referring to the scandal
in connection with the Compton jury,
hoped that after the city hall was puri-
fed the courthouse would be placed un-
der the calcium light
John F. Francis believed that the meet
ing had been called for the purpose of
obtaining from the public an expression
Of sympathy for the leagues work. He
paid his respects to the political gangs
who can put their hands in their pockets
when it is necessary and recoup them
selves afterward by bleeding janitors.
Mr.. Francis qualified the statement
mn q m hn CT haf ha 1a1 I, Il
been organized for the political advance
ment of some Of its members as false.
He referred to the mud thrown at Mr..
Gibbon for the good work he had done
by exposing official rottenness and said
that was the only reward the energetic
attorney had received for the good work
done.
H. T. Lee was the next speaker. He
asked what should be done after all off,
cial dishonesty had been uncovered and
the rogues punished. Was it not proper
then to inquire how these evils should
be remedied? He defined what should
be done in order to run an ideal munich
pal government. We should select our
officials, he said, in the same way that
we choose our servants: we should in
quire into their integrity, their ability
and their loyalty before giving them a
chance to attend to our business. Po-
litical opinions are very we'll in national
affairs, but should cut no figure in mu-
nicipa.i affairs. It is not loyalty to the
party, but loyalty to the party bosses to
let politics influence us in city elections.
He believed that the present evils in
municipal affairs could be overcome by
the adoption of civil service rules, which
would sap the power of the bosses. He
called attention to the successful appli-
cation of these rules in the federal de-
partments and in our own fire depart
ment. The adoption of these rules would
result In the government of Los Ange-
les by the people Of Los Angeles and
for the people of Los Angeles.
Mr.. Lee then read the folloWing.
Resolved, That we, citizens of Los Ange-
les in mass meeting assembled, heartily
approve and commend the efforts now be-
ing made to purge the board Of education
of this city of all members and employees
who. after due inves tigation. shall be
found guilty Of malfeasance in office; and
especially do we commend those two mem
bers of the board through whose unwcar-
led efforts. under circumstances of great
disbursement. the evidence of malfea-
sance was gathered and the investigation
instituted. and We tender them the hearty
thanks of all good citizens. TO the League
for Better City Government. which has
assumed and undertaken on behalf of the
citizens the grave responsibility of a
searching investigation and of prosecu-