Los Angeles herald., 1905-02-28
REORGANIZATION
FOR SAN PEDRO
SPIRITED ELECTION SETTLES
QUESTION
Action Taken at the Polls Yesterday
Will Necessltate the Election
of New Set Of City
Officials

An election in San Pedro without a
struggle would so unnerve the inhabi-
tants of that thriving seaport that
they would lose all future interest in
things political.
Yesterday was the day of days in
San Pedro. There was no noticeable
change in the weather, but there was
surely something doing from 1aybreak
until dark. 1t was election day, and
by the narrow margin of seventeen
votes San Pedro was raised" from
city of the sixth class to one of the
fifth class.
Few towns in Southern California
have held as spirited an election as
that which held the attention of the
harbor city's residents yesterday 1t
was a fight to a finish, and now those
who went down in defeat are crying
revengfully: 1T is the finish!"
Anyone who knows San Pedro
couldn't help but take an interest in
an election there. It's a treat to on
outsider; it's hard work for an in
slider.
Much at Stake
There was a whole lot at stake in
the San Pedro election. The action
taken at the polls will necessitate the
election of new board of city trus-
tees and that will, indeed. be a sor-
rowful turn to the powers that be.
But the edict has gone forth and now
must prevail.
AS in former elections every avail
able vehicle in San Pedro was rushed
into service yesterday. Express wagons
were even worked overtime, and the
banners that covered the horses draw
ing them were many and of various
descriptions. Reorganization" was a
sore spot to scores of citizens; Let
we'll enough alone" seemed dangerous
to others. And so it was, after a des-
parate struggle, that the former finally
carried.
But back of it all is a story of gem
it is dubbed Clever politics." AS is
the case in all small towns where large
interests are at stake, those who are
in the saddle seek refuge in distant
parts. They are not afraid to face
the music; Oh no, such would be be-
meath them! They prefer, however, to
so arrange their business affairs as to
be absent for the day. In San Pedro
business is conducted in the same
manner as in other places, only that
policy" is considered a very wise
prescription for emergency cases. This
is applied on election days, especially
when commercial interests are endan-
gered by expressions of opinion, and
so when the roll was called yesterday
there were quite few absentees.
Mixers to Front
There are those in San Pedro who do
like to mix in occasionally, however
and no time seems more appropriate
for this than when some question az
fecting the city government is at issue
For instance, Judge Henry c. Down
ing is always to the front as well as
Luke Kelly of waterfront-bath-h house
fame: Ed Mahar the quiet but shrewd;
Ed Bautzer, the handsome postmaster;
John Logan, the railroad magnate;
Billy Wickersham, the youthful legis-
lator; Henry Stieglitz and numerous
other local lights. Sometimes they all
program together; oftertimes this is
not the case.
There is another set in San Pedro.
This includes George Peck the banker
and local realty king; McDermott, the
politician; Frank Burns and few
Others, who are public spirited enough
and ever ready to Ego to the bat" in
affairs conservative" but who prefer
to keep out of factional fights" They
are good manipulators, in other words.
judging from what their fellow towns
men say.
Notwithstanding the rivalry that ex-
listed at the polls yesterday when the
votes were counted the losers mani |
Tested spirit of gameness, and to-
morrow they will commence prepara-
tions for the next election.