The herald., 1898-11-24


Nearly all the adverse comment that is heard concerning
charter relates the enlarged of the
No specific opposition, that will bear in
THE MAYORS vestigaon, made to this feature Some
POWER fear is expressed, in general way, that
the enlargement of such power will set
bad precedent will be dangerous step in the d
rection of Capitalization of municipal authority There
sound basis for any such apprehension.
casual reading of the charter shows that it
does not actually enlarge the authority of the mayor in any
great degree In features reduces his auhoy takes
away entirely certain powers that he exercises In the
main the charters bearing the functions of the
rather and better distribution of authority than
vded in the existing pan While the will be vested
with the appointment of certain officers who elected
by the people, he will to be member of commits
sion, and in the latter respect will be shorn of power.
The primary object of the charter in its bearing the
mayoray is the office purely executive it ought
to be- In this purpose its trainers had the advantage OF re
experience in certain cities For several these
cities have been leading up in efforts at municipal REFORM to
the plan of enagg the apponve of the mayor and
making him the center of responsibility to the people
In fact the charter enlarges the responsibility much
than the of the 1t makes him directly ac-
countabe to the people, and to their representatives in the
council for the official conduct of his appontees This will
make it locate the blame for any msdeed that
to public notice The plan in vogue as we have
learned by varied experience often makes it difficult to fix
blame where it properly belongs This difficulty capaly
caatured by Tom Mast in Iarpers Weekly when the Tweed
depicted standing in circle each of them pointing with
his right thumb his left shoulder toward the next
Tweed pointed Connolly he to Sweeney the latter to
Hall, who pointed to Tweed 1t effective portrayal of
the difficulty of fixing official responsibility though subsequent
developments showed that the whole four culpts
In considering the mayors enlarged authority under the
proposed charter should be remembered that powers
of much Importance vested in the council The financial
system of the city will be in the hands the legislative branch
which will also control all public works not specially the
province of commissions.
The provisions the charter respect to the
atty well in other features the lines of latter
day improvement in city Experience elsewhere
shows that the proposed change would be beneficial to Los An
gee 1t is the only of raising municipality above
the level of politics, and should fail grasp the
opportunity.
marked change of fashion has occurred in Thanksgiving
observance since the sturdy Purans naugurad the
Thanksgiving meant something in Puritan times. 1t
only event evncng gratitude for good crops and the
ention of scaps The Puritans give fervent
thanks for liberty to worship according to the dictates
their consciences and incidentally compel all
sders who within their baiwick to model religion
the Puritan PLAN In these days don't go to church
Thanksgiving day with rifle shoulder good
ans did 1t is sad to admit indeed that there many
among who utterly disregard the religious observance
the day But let hope that person in Los Angeles will
pass this day without good cheer that makes Thankgv
ing time welcome by all in this year of grace lS9s
Philadelphia anxious for the building up of the American
mercantile She instances the fact that she has thus
during the present paid foreigners SO 6O4 40 for shipment
of grain 1t singular fact that the tonnage
marine has been almost stands for nearly forty
Before the Civil war almost level with Great Brit
ain the carrying trade Our tonnage 1860
l7 while that Great Britain 57lO96s. showing
has reached that figure since 1860 and last
47e9o2o During all these thrtyeght years the tonnage
Great Britain steadily pushing ahead and year
reached l364l.llG
If there is any surprise how the mighty has fallen
in the person of the pugstc pet of San Francisco
explanation may found in the loss result
ing from Mr. Cobetts loquacy street preacher
showyawper may not be effected in this way but pug
st cannot endure without harmful results Constant agta
ton of the jaw muscular tissue drops
water stone We hope the example presented by Mr.
Corbet contreemp may be demonstrate
ors of fstc science.
There should be handsome today part of
citizens to witness the parade drill of the Seventh regiment
Agricultural park The proceeds the
ton OF monument to the members of the regiment who
their lives while in the service of their country,
listed among the heroes Patriotism personal regard
for the dead and the living soldiers make strong
will be the last opportunity for most people
enth in its entirety the musteringout will place in
few days
The council inviting bids for the Third street tunnel al
lowed only ten days between the giving the specfca
tons and the opening of proposals 1t Herald
that this is hardly time enough The work proposed large
undertaking. and be that a distance would
like figure it. From the cty STANDPOINT it is desirable
that the competition be free and the the
1t may too late for the to extend the
time for opening bids and this think done if pos
sble.
Our English cousins greatly pleased with assurance
that the United States will maintain open in the
Philippines This not strange in that Great
Britain has three times much mercantile shipping the
United States and far than all the of the
bined. wde-open door, without lock lacstrng ought
to exactly suit English shippers.