The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1898-12-07
Mr.. Wiltshire Tells How


The defeat of the charter should be fresh
lesson to certain we'll intentioned but de-
luded gentlemen of the impossibility of i'm
posing upon the people Of Los Angeles a
charter based upon autocratic theories.
1t is the second attempt, and l hope the
lesson is now at last learned.
The people of this city do want new
charter and they do want business-like
one, but they do not propose giving up the
irrevocable right OF guiding their own des-
TIMES for four years to any mayor or coun-
Gil, no matter how glorifed they may be in
character or attainments.
Ny own idea of the perfect charter is ex-
ceedingly simple. l would run this city ex-
actly as the private corporations are man
aged. | would have board Of councilmen
elected who would be supreme in the man
agement of our civic affairs, exactly as are
the board of directors of a bank or railway.
They should hold office for certain term,
but always subject to retirement either as
a body or as individuals, upon the casting
OF popular vote in favor of such retire
ment. The stockholders of private cor
poration can call a vote of the stock any
time and within two weeks depose their
board of directors and elect new board.
This is right that is very rarely exercised
by them, it is true and for that very reason
we may by analogy say that it is improbable
that the citizens of a public corporation
will be continually shifting their council
men. However, if they wish to shift and
change it is their own choice, and it is no.
body's right to bid them no.
II probo hly, would ha Oood nrOv sim
that no repetition of vote upon the recall
of councilman should be taken within one
year Of a previously unsuccessful vote for
such recall. The people should also have the
right to propose legislation. Any ordinance
the passage of which is signified as desired
by petition of per cent of the voters must
be submitted to the popular vote within
sixty days, and if a majority vote affirma-
lively then it becomes valid.
Again, to prevent too frequent elections,
it should be provided that any proposal
once voted down should not be again sub
mitted for one year.
Not only should the initiative be inserted
in new charter, but also the referendum.
No ordinance affecting public franchise,
nor of any broad character, should become O
law until sixty days after its passage, and if
in the interim a petition of per cent OF
the voters signify their desire to see the
stamp of popular approval on the new or
dinance then vote must be taken, and il
majority favor the law it Shall become
valid.
All these provisions are simply what is the
rule as to private corporations and are
found necessary to protect the stockholders
interests. If they have proved necessary
and successful in the management of pri-
vate corporations, why should they not for
public corporations?
l would have no mayor, in the ordinary
sense of the word He should simply be the
presiding officer of the council, with no pow.
ers except those granted by the council
itself, which should be such as are usually
given a presiding officer. He should hold
his office at their pleasure. In fact, he
would be in exactly the same position as the
president Of the board of directors of Q
bank or a railroad. 1t would be matter OIL
expediency as to whether he should have
large or small powers, to be determined by
the council itself. They are responsible for
his acts, he is their agent. If he acts badly
or incompetently, then it rests with the
council to retire him; if the council persists
in retaining an incompetent in office, then
the people have the power to remove him by
retiring the council itself.
This system Of giving complete control to
a single board has not only proved itself
successful in the management of private
corporations in this country and In every
other country, but it is also the sole and
exclusive method prevailing in all the Eng.
ligh and continental cities. 1t is matter
Of common remark that the European cities
are all infinitely better managed than Amer
lean cities.
1t is no untried experiment I am adNo.
eating for Los Angeles; it is a system in
completely successful operation all over the
world. 1t is true that it is not our prevail
ing mode of municipal management in
America, and it is un-American to this ex-
ent. But the rottenness Of our
American municipalities is proverbial.
The only argument that can be urged
in favor of the present charter or the de-
feated charter is that they are American -
They are rotten, but as long as they are
American" they are used in preference to
an imported method, notwithstanding the
foreign article is better. Lovely Chinese
this!
1 could go into this theory of the neces.
sity of having mayor with large executive
powers, because We have president of the
United States with large powers, if space
would permit.
can only say shortly that the institution
is a logical sequence of our colonial DAYS.
when the king appointed the governors who
were his vice-regents. We blindly followed
this precedent in drawing up our antiquated
Federal constitution. AT the time when
England was abolshing the royal veto and
curtailing his executive powers to zero, we,
not noticing the change, manufactured an
elected king and called him president.
1t now happens that England has no king,
in the true sense of the word, and both her
national and municipal government is
on the widest democratic basis and most
responsive to the POPULAR will; while we in
America have enrolled ourselves in Eng
lands cast-off feudal garments.
England practically dethroned her king
at the very time we were enthroning ouI
president. She has copied her system Of
national government for her cities and made
a success; we in turn copy our system OF
national government for our cities and con
TESS failure. We'have broken down in oul
management of cities and unless we change
our system of national government there is
no question that the trials now upon us in
the management of our new colonies will
break it down as WELL