Los Angeles herald., 1906-07-08
SERVANTS OF THE MACHINE

SEhNANlS - VI lHL FlNOHtlNE
Boss Walter Parker Of the Republican
Southern Pacific machine characterizes
the Independent movement i'm Los An
eeles as "a Democratic trick to get the
Offices"
The weak spot in that declaration lies
in the fact that the independent organi-
zation has not promised to nominate
any Democrats and the Democratic
party has not asked for any of the
nominations. OF course everybody un-
derstands that the independent move
ment would he strengthened largely by
nominating a few Democrats on its
ticket, but the Democracy even then
insists that they must be able, honest
and efficient men.
In other words. the Democratic party
Of Los Angeles city and county pro-
poses to step aside from it's beaten
path Of party procedure and assist tho
people in an Independent movement
that gives some hope for the election Of
honest, efficient and capable public of
dcials.
Boss Parker declares that the pres
ent county officials are honest and ef-
fcient In a way, yes They probably
haven't stolen the peoples money; no.
body has accused them Of it, and no
doubt their daily routine business is
carried forward successfully. But the
great point is that they are all crea-
% 20
cifc machine and they owe their polt-
ical allegiance to Boss Parker The
fact that they have been chosen, nom
mated and elected by the "organiza-
ton" strengthens the machine and en-
abes it to nominate and elect a rail-
road legislature which elects railroad
United states senators and conducts
the public business on railroad basis
and from railroad standpoint.
Does anybody imagine that in any
important controversy between the peo-
pie and the Southern Pacific the county
officials would stand up for the people?
Not on your life. They know their busi-
ness. The trouble is that the county
officials are merely representative of
the machine and not of public interests.
And what the people demand is city
and county officials who will represent
them and not the machine.
Moreover, the people would like to see
the books. All reports and auditings
sources, and it is required in all large
affairs that frequent expert and disin-
terestl inquiries be made in order to
prevent or correct mistakes and to as
sure the management that everything is
ship-shape. What do the people of Los
Angeles city and county really know
about their public business? So little,
in fact, that they are in absolute ig-
norance. From top to bottom, from
center to circumference, from court
house to city hall from judge and
mayor to janitor, the machine is trium-
phant.
The time has come when the people
should have an inning. Boss Parker
talks about the offices as though they
were prizes, to be ratified off to some
set OF scramhlers, and If the machine
has got them it is because the machine
made the run, got there first and is en-
titled to them. 1t is a theory, more or
less true, that public office is a public
trust; that officials are public servants,
and that the people ought to have the
right, nov and then at least, to select
their own hired hands.
The independent movement furnishes
the necessary opportunity. If the de-
cent Republicans of this community are
still so loyalty blind as to insist that
they are standing by the party of Grant
and Lincoln when they drop their bal
lots into Boss Parker's hat, they must
take the consequences. The question
is up to the Republicans who want
good government and a square deal.