Los Angeles herald., 1905-07-21
DEMANDS ACTION
IN LIBRARY FUSS
COUNCILMAN HEALY ASKS FOR
INVESTIGATION
MAYOR ~sTlLL CONSIDERING"
Chief Executive Writes to the Friday
Morning Club and Municipal
League Thanking Them for
Suggestions

Mayor McAleer, after considering for
FIVE weeks the justice Of conducting a
public Investigation of the causes
which led UP to the discharge of Miss
Mary Jones as librarian of the public
library, is still considering.
He is also waiting for the co-opera-
tion of the council, as he says in let
ters sent out to two organizations yes
terday but the council in the words of
one Of that body is of the opinion that
as the mayor has made and baked his
own pie he may have the pleasure of
eating it. The council will have none
of 1t. This is with the exception of
Councilman Barney Healy, who in a
meeting of the legislative committee
yesterday morning said he was con-
vinced the mayor was trifling with the
people and with the council and he
was Of the belief that as the mayor
had refused to take action the council
should.
The two letters sent out yesterday
by the mayor dealing with the ques-
tion were addressed to H. c. Wilmer,
president of the Merchants and Man
ufacturers' association, and to Mrs.
B. S. Widmer, secretary of the Friday
Morning club.
Letter to Wilmer
They were little notes thanking the
two organizations for the interest
each has manifested in the library ir-
ha fnI
lowing: yours of the 18th inst,
relative to the library matter received
and desire to thank your association
for the interest manifested.
IT am receiving quite a number of
communications on this subject, all of
which will be given careful considera-
ton"
The letter to Mrs. Widmer went
more into details.
referring to your favor of even
date" wrote the mayor, requesting
acknowledgment of petition sent me
by your club in connection with Miss
Jones. beg to advise that delay has
been occasioned by my desire to Sc
cure the cooperation of the council in
determining the proper course to pur-
sue. but up to the present time 1 have
been unable to do so.
my reason for this is simply that
whatever action is taken they as well
same.
"Thanking your club for the interest
manifested and regretting that I am
unable to give you a decision at thel
present moment, but assuring you that
the question is receiving my earnest
and careful consideration. beg to re-
main, sincerely yours,
"OWEN McALEER."
Up to Mayor
While the mayor was debating these
letters to his stenographer the legisla-
tive committee of the council in an ad-
Joining room was making out major
ity report that the mayor was fully
competent to handle the question by
himself.
The mayors letter to the secretary
of the Friday Morning club was written
in answer to a communication asking
why he had not replied to a previous
query on the library subject
The action of the legislative COM
mittee of the council came as a result
of bulky petition bearing the sigma
lures OF many of the most prominent
city and asking that the council take
up the investigation.
II move that the petition be
granted" came from the usually silent
representative of the Eighth ward.
"The council has no jurisdiction in
this dispute. Mr.. Healy," replied Coun-
Gilman Smith. "and anyway in a talk
I had with the mayor the other day he
said he was about to make the investi-
cation. If the investigation should be
held and should result in report ask
ing for the removal of the library
board would sustain him, and think
the council will vote unanimously IN
favor of the proposition. / believe we
would be willing to adopt the mayors
recommendation"
Inc mayor is lrlnlng with the peo-
pie and with the council as we'll, and
move that we grant the petition" was
the reply of Councilman Healy. but his
motion received no second
After some discussion it was decided
that the committee report should refer
the petition to the mayor without
recommendation, Councilman Healy
submitting a minority report favoring
action by the council.