The San Francisco call., 1898-01-24
The Call Commended for Its Expose of Water Company
 COrruptiOnists
PEOPLE WIN A VICTORY.
Editor Spaldinq Vainly Pleads to Save His Hireling Journal From
 Chastisennent.
Special Dispatch to The Call

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 23.-Another signal battle in the war for complete ownership of the water works of the people, by the people and for the peo- pie has been fought and won. Incident ally the forces of those Judas sheets, the Times, Herald and Express, composing the syndicated press of Los Angeles, were ignobly routed and driven in con- fusion from the field.
 One of these misconceptions of jour nalism made a desperate and pitiful attempt to obtain a truce before the battle opened. Managing Editor Spald- ing of the Herald, fearing his position and salary were in jeopardy, cried "Peccavi." By means of two special peace commissioners he sought to withdraw his water-logged craft from the impending conflict. He agreed to metaphorically spike his guns and to hereafter cease from troubling the brave defenders of the peoples rights and to put his vicious pen at rest, at least so far as the water question was concerned.
 Editor Spa'ding's misgivings proved to be well founded. His treach- erous, venal and mendaciOus jour nal was in substance read out of the Democratic party, which it has been seeking to betray, and hand over to the papers owners, the Los Angeles City Water Company. At the same time those whom the Herald has been denouncing and abusing, including the San Francisco Call, were commended for their position and course in seek ing to prevent the people of Los An geles from being mulcted of nearly two million dollars.
 The field of battle was the Southern California Music Hall in the Bradbury building, where the Democratic City Committee met on Saturday night to consider the all-absorbing water Ques- tion.
 What little opposition there was to the general sentiment of the members of the committee was led by John w.. Mitchell, who is neither a member of the Democratic City Committee, nor a resident of the city of Los Angeles. He displayed a courage that would have been sublime had it not, under the circumstances, been ridiculous.
 This veteran and valiant defender of monopolies, true to his principles and in consonance with his apparently in- nate principles. with U proxy in his hand sophistry on his tongue, hatred, malice and treachery in his heart, shamelessly Haunted his corporation
 
 people He entered upon his task like a raging lion seeking whom he might devOur. He left the hall like a jackal who had been whipped and driven from his prey.
 AS soon as Chairman Telfair Creigh- ton issued the call for the meeting of the Democratic City Central Commit tee, the water company and all the influence, individual and corporate. that it could command was placed in the field with instructions to defeat the resolution of indorsement at all hazards and at any price. A poll of the committee demonstrated to the corporation that not only would the resolution indorsing The Call be passed but it also disclosed that a two-thirds majority was in favor of denouncing the position of the alleged Democratic organ, the Herald. on the water question, and declaring to the public that that paper in its course as to municipal ownership did not voice the sentiments of the people, and, more particularly. of the Democratic party of Los Angeles.
 This threw the water company into a state of alarm and the editor of it's mouthpiece the Herald, realized fully the position he was about to be placed - in for his treachery to the people. ' Editor Spalding dispatched a special peace embassy to Messrs. Snyder, Grl- der and others, asking them to oppose the proposition to, by resolution, de- nOunce the Herald and indorse The Call. Tn consideration of this favor Editor Spalding agreed to humiliate himself and to grovel in the very dust at the feet of the men whom. as public servants, he has denounced time with out number for their course on the water question. He was willing to promise that he would not again assail them for the stand they had taken for the people, and that in the future he would not offend.
 MT. Grider said to the Herald special pleaders that if Editor Spalding would appear before the whole Democratic city committee and admit that all that the Herald had said in denunciation of the efforts of Mayor Snyder, Council man Hutchison and himself to procure municipal ownership for the people in accordance with the pledge contained In the Democratic city platform was false and untrue, and that 1t would not be again misstated by the Herald he then would ask his friends not to con- demn the Herald.
 The peace commissioners could not agree to the terms. Editor Spalding was willing to make a private confes- sion, but his manhood is of that caliber that no one who knows him could ex- pect him to stand up and make 1t to the world. So the negotiations fell through and a last dying effort was made in the committee to carry out the water company's programme. It failed utterly.
 As early as 6:30 D. m the members or the committee, which includes over seventy Democrats. began to gather at the Southern California Music Hall q At 8:15 there were over forty members of the committee present, and some twenty more were represented by proxy. Then Chairman Creighton called the meeting to order. He made a few remarks, appealing to those pres ent to take no action that would result in marked discord. and he advised all