Evening star., 1905-09-06
DEPOSING AN OFFICIAL
PROVISION FOR HIS "RECALL'
TO PRIVATE LIFE.
Work of Improving the Government
of the City-Proposed Increase
of the Water Supply.
BY WILLIAM f. CURTIS.
Special Correspondence Of The Star and the Chicago
Record Herald.

n.
Special Correspondence Of The Star and the Chicago
Record Herald
LOS ANGELES, August %, 1905.
The municipal government of Los Angeles
has some peculiar features, the most
unique being provision in its charter for
what Is called 'the recall" Since it's trial
here the plan has been incorporated in the
charters of several other cities, where 1t
Is also proving satisfactory. 1t is a pro-
vision whereby. If twenty-five per cent of
the constituency of an elective officer are
dissatisfied with his official conduct, they
may petition for his removal or recall
to private life. Upon this petition an cleo
ton is held, at which he may be candidate
against all corners. If he Is reelected and
thus receives a popular vindication, he
serves out his term; If a majority votes
against him. he retires from office. This
project was placed in the charter by tax
payers who had suffered from the insolence
and indifference of officeholders, and in
vented it as means of discipllne-a method
of making officials submit to public sentt-
ment and Furnishing those who defy the
wishes and rights of their constituents.
Use of the Recall.
Although the recall has been in exist
ence about three years in Los Angeles it
has never been used but once. The city
advertising, amounting to about $4,000
year was awarded to the Los Angeles
Times under circumstances which provoked
a great deal of criticism, and one of the
councilmen, who voted for the contract, was
selected for discipline, an example to the
others. The necessary number of sigma
lures was secured and an election was held
which resulted in his defeat by vote of
nearly two to one. The taxpayers of the
city took part without political bias or In
terests, and the vote was not only rebuke
to the individual official who had betrayed
the interests of his constituents. but was a
condemnation of the advertising contract
and a warning which the common council
has since needed.
It might be supposed that so radical an
arrangement would tend to disturb the sta
bility of the government, that personal and
poluIcal enemies of officeholderS would be
necessarily at work, starting recall peti-
tions and that a timid administration would
be hampered by dread of popular inter-
ference. All this was predicted by the op-
ponents of the policy, but nothing of the
kind has come to pass in Los Angeles. No
one has taken unreasonable advantage OF
the provision, and the case cited was a
popular movement without personal or po-
iticaI inspiration. Nevertheless, conserva-
tive citizens still regard 1.-The recall as an
experiment and are not certain that future
experience will confirm its apparent USE
fulness.
Features of the City Charter.
According to the opinion of the members
of the Municipal League, the work OF
Strengthening out the city government OF
Los Angeles and putting it upon modern
and model basis Is about half done, Cal
ifornia is one of five states that allow
home rule in their cities the others being
Missouri. Washington, Minnesota and Col
| orado. Every two years the charter OF
Los Angeles is open to amendment. The
council has the power to propose changes
or the people may do so by petition. Since
the Municipal League came into existence
1t has presented petitions for a series OF
amendments at each election. and has Sc
cured considerable revision of the charter,
including the adoption of the merit system
| In all departments. the Initiative and
referendum" for local legislation: 1.-THE
recall which l have just described; the
| transfer of the appointing power from the
council to the mayor, the reorganization OF
| the public works department on a business
| basis. a reduction In the numbers of the
board of education. and the election of all
| its members by vote Of the people at
large, instead of by wards as formerly
| The leaders in municipal reform here be-
| lieve that these alterations have improved
the government and have put Los Angeles
| into the class of municipalities that are
governed under correct principles. The In
| itiative has been used Sut twice-once to
| decide whether packing houses should be
| driven from the city, and again whether
| saloons should be suppressed Both propo-
| sitions We're defeated.
Los Angeles has no political boss, and al
| though there is republican machine it is
practically powerless in the face of public
sentiment and the influence of the civic and
commercial organizations AT national
| elections the republicans have normal
majority of about COO which is consider
| ably over 2 to 1. At the last election the
machine renOminated certain city official
whose record was not satisfactory to the
people. The Municipal League indorsed his
democratic opponent and elected him. after
a spirited campaign. by majority of near
ly 10000, thus changing 22.OO0 votes. At
the last city election IL also elected an in
dependent. non partisan board of education
by majority of 5000 against the straight
republican nominees. After next year there
will be change in the tenure of city Off
cials so that the municipal elections will
hereafter occur on different years from the
national elections. and a special effort will
be made to secure candidates representing
the highest type of efficiency and citizen
ship.
To Get Greater Water Supply.
Just now there is great ado over a plan
to secure an increased water supply. 1t is
proposed to unite Pasadena, San Pedro,
Santa Monica, Ocean Park and other SUBJ
| urban towns in Greater Los Angeles. -
which will bring the population up to a
quarter or million or more and bring down
! from the Sierras, a distance of 24O miles,
enough water for irrigation and ordinary
purposes for population of O00. 600 peo-
pie or more. The present supply, which
! comes from the Los Angeles river Is only
! sufficient for necessities and not for lux
| urles. 1t will not permit Of the develop
! ment OF park system and other plans to
| beautify the city, and the extension of the
orange industry in the surrounding dis
! tricts is retarded for the same reason
When Los Angeles was founded, in 1851.
| by Don Felipe de Neve the Spanish govern
| ment bestowed upon the pueblo all the
/ water which should originate in the Los
| Angeles river. and this right was confirmed
| by the United States. 1t differs essentially
| from the ordinary riparian law which allows
| land owner to draw from a river only as
| much water as he actually needs And the
| people have about reached the limit of the
possibilities OF the Los Angeles river in
| years of average rainfall. This has been
| apparent for some time. 1t is evident that
| while present facilities might possibly