The herald., 1897-01-23
AMENDMENTS ECHO.

To the Editor OF the Los Angeles
Herald: The writer voted for the amend
mentS to the charter, very heartily ap-
proving the plan Of increasing the power
and authority of the chief executive
While democracy presupposes a people
sufficiently intelligent and active in the
exercise Of their civic duties, and vigil
liant in selecting only capable and honest
representatives, yet, in practice, it is
found very difficult for the average voter
to keep himself intelligently informed
regarding the character and qualifica-
tions of the various candidates for his
suffrages. The average business man
finds 1t cheaper to pay an increased tax
| rate. to cover losses through negligent
or fraudulent mana cement Of civic af-
fairs, than to devote much time to his
duties as a citizen and voter. Hence in
our larger cities the mana cement of
civic affairs are attended to by a. "boss, !"
who. for q liberal share of the 'swag,"
Is willing to relieve the voters from the
| responsibility of exercising and perform
ing their civic duties. The party ma
chine under the direction of the 'Iboss,"
manipulateS the primaries runs the par
ty conventions and names the candi-
dates, leaving tfe voters nothing to do
but record their votes for a set of men,
mary of whom they have never heard of
before, with possibly not one name on
the ballot sheet with whose character
or qualifications for the office are they
familiar. Certainly the plan Of concen-
trating power In the hands of some cit-
zen we'll kpoWn for his probity and ca
pacity. anR holding him personally and
directly responsible for the efficient and
economical admtristra ton Of the city's
affairs, has great advantages over the
old system OF dfffused authority, or want
of authority. Nor isjit an untried exper-
irlent. New York city. Brooklyn. Buff
aio, Chicago and other cities have tried
the experiment and with unvarying sue
cess. The election of councilmen-at-
large knocks out the ward hummer and
heeler, and gives the honest voter
chance to vote for competent men in
stead of the nominee of the ward boss
The adoption of civil service methods In
the selectiOn of the mirror employees in
the city offices insures the employment
and retention of competent and careful
men, instead of the dishonest bum. or
the inefficient or careless representatives
of the push" or the gang" who too
often are benefciaries of the spoils sys-
tenn.
There was one serious error, however
made by the various committees on.
charter revision. They omitted to con-
suit or call to. their aid the representa-
tives of th> wage-earning class. This
was a serious omission. The time is
past when the producing class can be
safely ignored in such matters. Many of
their leaders and representative men
are men of ability, Of good, sound sense
and broad-mnded. They are the bone
and sinew of the country. They pro-
duoe the natGn's wealth, and from the
wealth they create is paid all the taxes
and expenses of government We could
easily dispense with the mere landlord,
or with many of the business interests"
that merely absorb wealth without Gre
ating it; but we would find 1t difficult to
dispense with the productive wage
Garner. They must be reckoned with
in the future. They are becoming very
much awake to their interests, and as
they have the ballot they will be sure
to be very much in evidence, vide the
late charter election. I woulGi suggest
that the able gentlemen who had charge
of the charter revision get together
again, and invite the various labor or
ganiZa tons to send delegates to repre-
sent them and their interests feel con-
fident if this ia DONE and the subject
thoroughly discussed on the basis of the
acknowledgment of mutual interest
that charter will be framed and form
ulated that Will comma nd the necessary
majority of the votes Of the city At any
rate, the experiment is worth trial.
w. II. STUART.
Los Angeles Ian %