The herald., 1898-03-11
FOR A NEW CITY CHARTER
FIRST STEPS FOR THE FORMING
OF A NEW ONE
Thirteen Political and Representative
Bodies Will Select Qualified Free
holders for That Purpose

Some seventy representative citizens met
last night at the Southern California Mu-
sic hall for the purpose of taking steps fol
the preparation of a new city charter
Judge Wright, president of the jefferson
ian club, which has taken the initiative
in the movement, called the meeting tc
order. The list of delegates from the sew.
eral political parties, League for Better
City Government, Merchants and Manu-
facturers' association. Jeffersonian soci-
ETY., board of trade, Silver Republican
club, Council of Labor. chamber of COM
merce, was read by Secretary Fisher OF the
Jeffersonians.
w. c. Patterson and H. w. Frank were
placed in nomination for chairman, the
latter being the nominee Of the Council of
Labor. The vote was very close one, Mr.
Frank obtaining thirty and Mr.. Patterson
thirty-two. The latter was declared elected
and Immediately took charge of the meet
ing. There were several nominations for
secretary, but all nominees begged to be
excused with the exception of w. c. Petch-
ner, who was duly elected.
A communication from the School Teach
ers' alliance was read asking that they be
given recognition in the convention. On
motion of Abbot Kinney they were allowed
five delegates, to be chosen by themselves
On motion of Mr.. Hutchison a like num-
ber of citizens from the Social-Labor party
which had received an invitation. were ad-
mitted as delegates, and the Prohibition
lists, ON motion of General Forman, were
also invited to send in the names Of five
delegates.
Mr.. Conkling moved that a committee OF
five be appointed by the chair to prepare
a resolution asking the conucil to take the
necessary steps for an election of freehold.
ers, who shall be intrusted with the task
of preparing and drafting new charter
for the city of Los Angeles. Chairman
Patterson announced the composition Of
this committee as follows: Messrs. Johf
F. Humphreys, F. A. Gibson, G. G. Wright
H. w. OMelveny and w. J. Hunsaker
Resolutions in the sense suggested were
drafted by the committee and adopted by
the meeting. t
Major H. 4. Lee said that the present
body. composed as 1t was of representa-.
tives from all political parties, professions
and callings, was the most important one
he had ever seen in this city. He believed
that committee consisting of one dele.
gate from every body represented should
be appointed, and that It should be tbs
duty Of this committee to select the fifteer
qualified freeholders from the number oi
representatives in the convention. Mr.
Naftxger amended the motion 40 that eact
organization represented In the hall should
select its own committeeman. Major Lee
added that he would modify his origina
motion so that the committee to be ap.
pointed under 1t be requested to submit The
names of the selected freeholders at mex
Thursdays meeting.
| The motion as modified was adopted, A.
there were but eleven bodies Represented al
the meeting, It was suggested that the two
absent organizations, the Prohibitiohist,
and Labor Socialists, be requested to re
port the names of their candidates for free
| holders at the next meeting.
! The apprehension that the selection o
! freeholders would ultimately be entirel,
in the hands of the political parties, ex
pressed by many of the delegates, was al
layed in a few words by Abbot Kinney
who stated that the special purpose Of tn,
meeting was to have freeholdere elected
who should not be partisans, but repre-
sentative citizens.
| Chairman Patterson reappointed tn,
same committee who had drafted the reso
luton to the council to prepare another on,
pointing out to the council the defects II
the present charter and some of the mos
important notifications which are ur
gently needed. The meetin gthen ad
| tburned. --,-..