Los Angeles herald., 1906-05-17
VOTE FOR THE BOND ISSUE

Citizens Of Los Angeles are asked to
vote today for or against series of
propositions authorizing the issuance
OF Si,t50,000 of per cent city bonds
to build certain bridges. sewers storm
drains, small parks and for the ex-
tension Of the police and fire depart
ment service.
Objection has been made to the fire
and police section on the ground that
the support and expansion Of those de-
partments should come wholly within
the general revenue.
objection is also made in some quar-
ters to the bridges section because Mr.
Huntington or the Los Angeles railway
may obtain a 1.-THE of benefit where the
people will receive the most.
There are other objections, as for
instance that the voting Of these bonds
will so add to the Outstanding indebted
ness that not sufficient space will be
left for financing the Owens river prop
ositlon-the most important Of all.
Without replying to these objections
seriatim, let us look at the PROPOSE
tion from different standpoint,
namely:
Los Angeles is confronted with con-
dition not of its own seeking, It's own
choosing, or its own making. The whole
of California has been more or less in
jured temporarily by the San Fran
cisco disaster. Los Angeles may be
injured unless 1t rises to the remark
able occasion In which 1t Is placed. 1t
is now the first and greatest city ON
the Pacific coast. 1t must extend its
trade and commerce in q short period Of
time where 1t had expected to win
only after weary years of contest. It's
rivals and outside enemies are busy
knocking and working to show that Los
Angeles is already irreparably injured
and that it cannot meet the emergency.
What are we going to do about IL"
Sit down and argue out a few good
points of law or policy-which at other
times would be stronger go ahead and
improve the city to the utmost limit of
effort?
Now is the time to set everybody to
working. Now is the time to build the
bridges that are desired for the city's
expansion, to construct sewers, open
small parks, build storm drains and
perfect and expand the fire and police
protection service.
What If it does increase taxes a few
cents? What If it does cost little
money? We cannot expect any good
thing without effort, and this is the
greatest opportunity Los Angeles ever
had to prove to the world that she has
not been injured by the San Francisco
disaster; that she is not cheap or q
fake town, but on the contrary, she
can meet any emergency and weather
any storm; in short, that she Is, in fact
as well as in name, prosperous, SUBJ
stantial and progressive. The next
proposed issue may be reasonably
argued and perhaps defeated, If it is
not an Owens river proposition, but not
this one.
Now, as to the Owens river enter
prise and the effect the present proposed
bond issue may have upon 1t. That is
serious but not a hopeless question.
The bonds which are now proposed will
cut small figure in the project, but
If it should so happen that by some |
reason more bonds will be needed for
the Owens river than may be issued |
under the law limiting the bonded in
debtedness of municipality, city GER
tificates might be issued for the sum
required, based upon the income from |
the sale of power. This course has
been successfully pursued in some east
ern cities and lawyers say it could be
done in Los Angeles. We haven't |
reached the limit of our possibilities or
our opportunities yet, by long jump, |
and we must not sit down now and
wait for results.
Los Angeles prosperity and wealth is
one Of the substantial things of South
ern California, and to show our faith
in it, and to demonstrate it, let us vote
today for the whole bond issue of ST.
100000 as proposed.