Los Angeles herald., 1906-11-27
SMASH THE MACHINE

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II the Los Angeles city and county
elections had occurred soon after the
Infamous work OF the Republican con-
vention at Venice. local machine poll
ties would not only have been smashed
but pulverized.
Not voice was raised nor a word
written in defense OF the civic out
rage perpetrated by the machine poll
ticians at Venice. In fact, It hardly
would have been safe, directly after
that convention. for any one to attempt
defense OF its record.
All classes Of citizens, without poiti-
cal distinction. denounced the scanda-
lous travesty on popular nominations,
excepting. of course, the managers and
benefciarles OF the machine.
But the adopts In machine politics
were not strangers to the eccentricities
of public sentiment. They knew that
storm Of popular Indignation, like a
tornado Of the middle west, is terrible
for a time but usually is of short
duration. They knew too. that 1t is
good policy to hide in the cyclone cell
lar until the storm has passed.
The political machinsts were quies-
cent for a time after the Venice in
fanny. but when the storm of popular
wrath began to- subside they resumed
business at the old stand. And when
they saw that the storm had crystal
1{,ad Il, a ,,oruio,. ,,,ox,ep,opt {p foyor of
non-partisanship in local affairs, the in
stinct of political self preservation ad-
monished them to get busy.
When the non-partisan city nomina-
tions were made the strength of the
movement was evidenced by the sub
stantial backing of the head of the
ticket by 5000 names of Los Angeles
city voters. If the city election had oc-
CURED directly after that showing, a
walkover for the whole non-partisan
ticket would have resulted. But there
was ample opportunity and plenty of
time for the manipulators of machine
politics to get in their work by familiar
methods.
Non-partisan success in the city cleo
ton meant political ruin to the groups
of professional politicians of all shades
who depend upon the public crib for
sustenance And as all in this cate
CORY saw the primary necessity of
downing" the non-partisan movement
at all hazards! a concerted attack
thereon was projected.
The question will be decided on Tues
day next whether Republican voters of
Los Angeles shall so soon forget their
just indignation caused by the outrage
at Venice. 1t will be for them to de-
termine whether they shall again
meekly submit to being rounded up in
the political corral of the very men
who perpetrated that outrage.
And it will be for Democrats to de-
eide whether they shall adhere to the
expressed sentiment of the party in
favor of n-partisanship in local af
fairs or, instead, assist the Republican
machine indirectly by voting against
the non-partisan ticket.
But little time is left now for consid-
Grafton of this subject. Every voter
presumably knows what a continuance
of machine control in local matters will
mean. If the present opportunity for
machine riddance be neglected there
will be small encouragement to attempt
a repetition of it.
If the average voter is willing to have
present conditions continue, let him at
least have the post-election consistency
in case the machine wins to abstain
from kicking when he feels
impeled to seek place of retirement
wherein to kick himself.