Los Angeles herald., 1905-07-21
COUNCIL FAvORS BUSINESS
ORGANIZATIONS
REFUSES TO CONFIRM NAMES
Conference Of councIlmen Yesterday
Shows Majority Of Opinion Is
for Supporting commer-
ciaI Bodies


Of public works pass the council and
receive confirmation he will first be
under the necessity Of patching up his
difficulties with the various commercial
organizations, which assert that he has
not acted in good faith with them.
Should the mayor decide that he does
not wish to make his selection from the
names submitted by the executive COM
mittees of the chamber of commerce,
the Municipal league and the Merchants
and Manufacturers association he may
decide that the council, as a body, is a
fairly good organization to take into
his confidence before he submits his ap-
pointments to it.
In such a case the city's executive
and the legislative body may be able
to do some business. The results would
be similar to those succeeding a star
chamber session Of some Of the mayors
commissions. Everything would be car
ried out according to the vote of the
closed door meeting.
Counclmen Confer
Generally speaking, this explains the
position of the Individual members tf
the council at o'clock last night, after
little confabs which were held among
themselves throughout the day.
AS In the case of the library dispute,
the question is entirely UP to the mayor
for settlement. If he is desirous Of
gaining the i'll will Of the three most
powerful organizations in the city that
is Owen McAleer's business, say coun-
cilmen. He may pour oil on the
troubled waters by hardening to their
recommendations, or he may hold 20
the determination to sail his own ship
in any way he chooses, even If 1t be
without a rudder. He may sink, but
the council will not throw out life
line to save him.
The mayor vies with the sphinx in a
discussion of the subject. So far as the
public is concerned he has dismissed
the question from his mind.
No Recommendation Today
He will make no recommendations on
the subject today at the special meet
ing Of the council which is called for
o'clock this afternoon. Following to-
called for the next ten days, as several
members of the council have deter
mined to go to Portland on the excur-
sion and there will not be quorum in
the CITY,
1t is common opinion among devotees
of politics at the city hall that there
is long and fierce fight ahead which
may require months for settlement.
Members of the council are hopeful that
such will not be the case.
II believe the council wishes to see a
speedy settlement Of the question" said
one of the members OF that body yester-
day. "In the first place, the men who
are to be given the places should re-
ceive their appointments as soon as
possible, so that they may enter upon
their duties with full understanding
of what they are expected to do. There
should be no monkey business in this.
what have 1 to say on the ques-
tion?" said the mayor yesterday. "Well,
I have nothing to say. 1 received let
ter from the three commercial bodies
and I sat down and answered it as soon
as the letter reached me. It is now a
closed incident"
Not so, however, with the four men
who, as representatives of their Or
ganizations, called on Mayor McAleer
and held confab with him as to the
appointments he would make.
The mayors letter to them, given
publicity through the press. in which
he says when it became apparent to
me that these organizations We're maxi
ing an effort to name the board them
selves / deemed that 1 was released
from obligations to them," meets with
an emphatic denial as far as the first
statement is concerned.
]. S. Slauson, o. 7. Johnson, ]. o.
Koepfii and w. J. Washburn were the
men calling upon the mayor to ascer-
tain his plan of action and whether
or not the three big commercial organi-
cations were to see the mayor break
his pledge that their wishes would be
given a hearing.
Discusses Mayors Reply
President ]. o. Koephi of the chamber
Of commerce said yesterday after read
ing the statements made by the mayor
in the morning papers: mo one of the
gentlemen referred to tried to dictate
to the mayor as to whom he should
appoint to the board Not one or two
or three. He was not asked to furnish
number of names or select the same
by that committee"
Mr.. Washburn said the statement
made by the mayor was untrue. 1--WE
believed he had repudiated his agree
ment made months ago with the COM
mercial organizations, said Mr.. WASH
burn. I'VE called upon him because of
this fact. The mayor met Mr.. slauson
in the city attorneys Office before he
asked the commercial bodies for list
OF names and then and there Informed
him that he (the mayor had already
determined upon the three men for the