Los Angeles herald., 1906-06-08
CITIES FAVOR
CONSOLIDATION
REPRESENTATIVE MEN JOIN IN
DISCUSSION
Harmony Relsns at Banquet Given by
Municipal League-Greater Los
Angeles Movement Finds
Hearty Support
soontInued from, Page One,


mayor, surrounded by the admnistra-
tive officers of the consolidated city,
and Is always on guard and looking out
for the interests Of his borough In
his person the spirit of the old city
survives, but is blended into grander
association.
Department Boards
Greater New York is further di-
vided into twenty-five departments
corresponding to her senatorial dis
tricts, and in each of these Is a local
board. Each Of these local boards
takes the initiative in all local i'm
provements, such as the opening, grad
ing and paving Of streets. These local
boards are charged with the duty of
maintaining good order, thus co-operat-
ing with the general police, fire de-
partment and judiciary. Should they
become derelict or incompetent the
eitizen makes known his grievance to
the general government.
Brooklyn made the same objections
to the scheme that Pasadena and Long
Beach are now making. Her autonomy
was about to be destroyed: her name
and traditions were to be lost, and she
was going to be governed by the old
and corrupt bosses of New York.
Brooklyn Won Over
But subsequent events have proved
area of siXty-fve square miles: her
population of 100000; the autonomy
which she enjoys in the collection and
disbursement of her school money her
own park money and commissions ex-
else Qicenses) and other similar mat
ters, have made her greater as a bor-
ough than she ,was as a city.
after consolidation the city and
county of Los Angeles will become one
municipal corporation, under one set of
officers. Instead of the expense and
confusion of two assessors, two tax
collectors and two treasurers, there
Will be but one uniform, system of
valuations, one place to pay taxes, and
one treasurer, and the vast horde of
duplicated deputies maps and books
VIII be done away with. There will
be a common mayor, a common council,
or board of supervisors. governing the
whole city. Each department or bor-
ough will have its own local officers and
local boards, made up from the mem
bers of the municipal assembly resi-
dent in the district.
All Powers Defined
The powers and duties of these Off
GERS and the general detail of govern
ment are to be defined by a freehold
er'S charter, which must be approved
by the people before it can become IL
law, and the method of voting upon it
can be so arranged that it shall not
become law unless satisfactory, let
us say, to San Pedro, and every other
city and town which may desire to
come into the consolidation. This
commission has no power to frame such
charter. That Will be done later by
board of freeholders, selected by the
people,"
Judge Dillon then spoke of the con-
solidation commission, explaining how
it's members were appointed and re-
viewing the work already done. He
referred to the failure of the commits
sion to induce the governor to include
in his call for an extra session of the
legislature provision for constitu-
tional amendment such as would have
advanced this movement at least two
years, and paid his respects to the
knockers" in cauStic terms.
"san Pedro Our Ally"
san Pedro is our natural ally. Her
harbor is our harbor. 1t was made pos
sible only by the people of this city,
acting through our indefatiga BILE
chamber of commerce and the great
and lamented Senator White i'm the
face of opposition which. at times,
seemed to be insurmountable. Her in
terests are our interests, and ours are
hers.
mo power OH earth can take from
San Pedro her natural advantages in
harbor frontage. The great ware
houses, lumber yards, shpbuildlng,
manufactures, smelters and all their
attendant hive of industries will grow
up and remain there. huggng the
water front as they do everywhere else
and give increase with marvellous ra-
pidity. And the dreams of our citizens
will never come true until San Pedro
becomes Port' Los Angeles
1--WE are not defeated. Our energies
Cin ttt,,t, in,
Annexation will do the business.
Greece had her Amphictyonic and
Achean leagues and Germany had her
free cities military, aristocratic and
dictatorlal-bound together for mu-
tual protection in times of war, and
for the advancement of trade and COM
Inerce in times of peace. History pre-
sents them for our consideration as the
best efforts of these great and patriotic
men of ancient times.
"But the idea of free republic, COM
posed of free states and free cities,
having strong central government,
like the heart in the human body, re-
ceiving and sending forth to all its
members, according hs they have need,
the life blood of the people, is the
glory of the age i'm which we live
"And the consolidation which we pro-
pose is one of the highest and best ex-
pressions of that idea"
Discusses Harbor Phase
Mr.. Hunsaker discussed The consoli-
dation project in it's relation to the
harbor. "rhere is no division among
the .'eople of this city" he said, 'as to
the propriety of bringing the waters
of the Owens river down here There
also is general agreemnt as to the
wisdom and value of a plan for a con-
solidated government. But we must
be careful. Legislation along this line
must be carefully considered, and the
best thought of all the cities and towns
interested must be brought to bear on
the subject. / am strongly opposed to
anything n the nature of hasty action.
'"rhere is no division of sentiment as
TO the wisdom of improving and de-
veloping free harbor at San Pedro.
Nothing could be palmer than that the
government of the harbor should be
vested in one central government The