The herald., 1897-01-18
THE NEW CHARTER.


To the Editor of the Los Angeles Her.
ald:-If the electors Of this city have
carefully read the provisions of the new
charter / doubt If a majority will vote
for its adoption. l meet men every day
who do not know that the mayor to be
elected under the new charter will have
the power to appoint the city clerk,
city treasurer city attorney. city audi
tor, mayors clerk. and also the build
ing, water civil service, library. health,
park. police and fire commissioners, But
the mayors power of appointment does
not cease here. All of said officials are
his appointees. and in consideration of
their becoming such he can and probably
will. dictate to the head of every depart
ment and to each and every board of
commissioners, who shall be their depu-
ties and employees, from chief deputy
down to the men who swing the pick
and shovel His power is absolute, and
his opportunities for perpetrating gil
gantic frauds, ara arNcorespondingy great
Is 1t at all surprising that the 'push"
are advocating the adoption of the new
charter? With such absolute powers
in the hands of the mayor jobbery would
run riot, and the people money squan-
dered lavishly. with but little fear of de-
lection. Dishonesty will probably be the
rule and honesty the exception.
tails, and when our chief executive once
experiences such power, he Will not be
at all reluctant about corruptly using
the army of city officials and employees
who win be his servants, to prolong his
autocratic rule.
Such Capitalization Of power Is not
only dangerous to the welfare of our
city but directly at variance with the
fundamental principles of our republi-
can institutions.
Hundreds of years Of political history
teach us the wisdom Of vesting the pow
ers of government in the hands of the
people instead Of centralizin'g them alb
solutely in one man.
But there are other objections. 1t de-
prives the citizens of ward of the
right to elect their own alderman. If
majority in this city are Democrats,
then every councilman elected under the
new charter will be Democratic. If a
majority are Republican. every coun-
Gilman will be Republican. Some wards
are now Republican and some Demo-
cratic, and by the present system We
have a fair representation in the council
of both parties, which permits most
excellent check against one party going
to extremes in extravaganza or corrup-
ton.
The League for Better City Govern
ment Is practicing deception by pub
fishing in various newspapers and In
pamphlets that the limit of taxation will
be less under the new charter than our
present charter. quote word for word
of section II, article I, of our present
charter:
ITO levy assessments upon property
to pay for the improvements of streets
and other public improvements. and to
collect the same, and to levy and col
lect taxes upon property for municipal
purposes;
provided, That the tax levied for any
one year for all municipal purposes.
other than payment Of interest on the
municipal debt and the redemption OF
bonds shall not exceed 81 on each $lOc
worth of taxable property"
The new charter contains the same
provision. word for word, and is the
only section therein that limits the rate
Of taxation. Yet the Better City Gov
ernment League is spending money law
ishly, and practicing deception upon
our citizens in relation to the limit Of
taxation, in order that the members of
the league may saddle upon our people
an autocratic government fraught with
f1unkeyism ard endless opportunities
DEMOCRAT.
Los Angeles, Jan. 18th.