Los Angeles herald., 1906-12-24
AlL In ONE GRrAT CITY

ALL in ONE GREAT CITY
The change in sentiment as regards
consolidation, on the part Of the beach
cities, may surprise a good many who
are not conversant with the real facts
in the case, but to one who has studied
the situation lmly and sanely It is
the most natural thing in the world.
That is why the latter class has been
confident all along that consolidation
would come in due time, and has quite
contentedly awaited the opportune mo-
ment now seemingly at hand
In the first place owing to the special
legislative session, the consolidation
scheme was sprung half baked. The
beach cities had not been consulted in
the matter because the plans were not
advanced to a definite point The OPP
portunity of special legislation to ad-
vance their possibility two years was
grasped at but so incollerently that not
even the Jos Angeles legislators knew
what was wanted and Immediately
went up a cry from the adjacent towns
them in and would swallow up their
identities-thlngs never at all contem-
plated.
The defeat of special le~islation gave
time for saner thought. 1t was easily
shown that no swallowing up process
was desired: every community must
join because It saw lvantages in so
doing, and wished to come in. Its own
citizens must so express their senti-
ments. Its identity by means of the
borough system must be preserved; it
must be elf-governing in purely local
affairs, yet possess the entire powers of
the greater city when it came to muni-
cipal affairs. such as police, fire and
it share in the owens water project,
that its own supply might be forever
sufficient.
As these things became the more
plainly understood the real annexation
feeling of the outlying communities
came to the surface. The officeholders, |
real estate manipulators and agitators
generally, who had voiced themselves !
and few else-in stentorian tones, |
were drowned by the real vox populi. |
Sentiment for annexation crystallized |
on every hand, and almost every town
on the beach from Santa Monica south |
and east has made known it's desire for
full details, that consolidation may be
arranged.
The real portion of the adjacent terri |
tory which Los Angeles desires within |
her confines and under her control is |
the beach region, and the country be- |
tween, including the San Fernando val |
ley. Already San Pedro, the most |
sought of all, sees its way clear to juno
ture, as does Wilmington. The shoe
string" makes this possible, and it will |
soon be consummated. A similar |
scheme will enable the Santa Monica |
region to coalesce; in fact, intervening
territory out northwest is now knocking |
at the gates. Hollywood will follow, |
and thus the stretch of country in that |
direction will become part of the |
greater city. Long Beach. seeing that
she will not swallow up the ports, as
she expected, is anxious to join Los An
geles and thus share their benefits.
And thus the whole coast is all ready
to become amalgamated.
Even Pasadena shows signs of a re-
vulsion of feeling. A movement is now
pending to annex South Pasadena, |
which will bring the crown of the val |
ley" to the Los Angeles city limits. |
Water is already prime necessity to
Pasadena, and only by joining with Los
Angeles can she get it. Things look
favorable for her ultimate entry.
So that the dram of Los Angeles-a |
city from the mountains to the sea-
is we'll nigh a reality now. Some legis- !
lation is yet to be obtained, some vot- |
ing must be done, some machinery must |
be oiled. But a vast advance has been |
made in the last few months, and every !
friend of the movement is delighted
with its impetus