Los Angeles herald., 1906-08-30
NON-PARTISANS
SEEK A LEADER
COUNTY MOVEMENT LACKS A
DIRECTING FORCE
Unless Definite Plans Are Promptly
Formulated Democrats May be
Compelled to Nominate
Straight Party Ticket

Unless influential and patriotic citi-
gems bestir themselves there will be
no non-partisan county movement.
Diligent inquiry fails to develop the
name Of any person who is actively
engaged I'm formulating the plans for
such a movement, and IL something
more material than conversation is not
quickly Forthcoming the Democrats
may be compelled to nominate a
straight party ticket.
Many people. among them those who
have announced themselves as inde-
pendent candidates for various county
offices, express the belief that a nom
partisan county ticket will be nomi-
mated, but thus far there has only
been talk.
OF this there seems to be a plentiful
amount, but thus far the necessary
leader has failed to put in an appear
ance. 1t has been repeatedly stated
that conferences were being held look
ing to the Inauguration of an inde-
pendent county movement, but no one
can be found who will acknowledge
that he is concerned in the affair to
the extent of being one Of the pro-
moters.
Is Call Back of II
It was declared most emphatically
last week that the movement would
develop the first of this week, and
the name of Attorney Joseph H. Call
was given as the prime mover in an
endeavor to place a non-partisan
county ticket in the field.
At that time Mr.. Call emphatically
denied any connection with the re-
ported movement, contrary to the be-
lief entertained by some of his close
personal and political friends.
Whether Mr.. Call since has inter-
ested himself in the movement has
not developed, and close inquiry failed
to bring into the limelight of publicity
the name of any man who will act as
a leader.
AS affairs now stand it will be neces-
sary for the Democrats to hold their
county convention as planned for
September 20 and nominate a full
ticket, and place on the ticket certain
Republicans who have shown them
selves independent of machine, if such
action is considered advisable by the
convention.
They Like Ben Ward
1t is considered certain that the
Democrats would nominate for as
SCISSOR the incumbent Ben Ward,
for whom the Republican ma
chine has no use, and who is con-
sidered sufficiently democratic in ,all
his acts, public as we'll as private, to
entitle him to be indorsed by a party
which adheres to the theory that pub
lie Office is public trust.
Mr. Ward stated in an interview
with The Herald yesterday that he
would consider il an honor to be in
dorsed by the Democratic convention,
although it was his determine ton to
run as an independent.
He said that he had been approached
on the question of running on a nom
1rtf f1I- 13,,t Alof l.,
informed by his interviewer whether
the suggestion regarding a place on the
proposed independent ticket was made
with the authority of any leader in
the movement, and, in fact, he was not
given to understand that a leader had
developed, but he presumed that some
one was taking the initiative.
Or. Lamb Is Waiting
DR.. w. A. Lamb, the anti-machne
Republican who has announced him
self al an Independent candidate for
supervisor in the Third district against
S T. Eldridge, the machine candidate,
said yesterday that while he had heard
much talk of non-partisan movement
he had not been informed that the in
itiative had been taken, nor had he
been approached on the subject of
accepting a non-partsan nomination
DR.. Lamb expressed himself as in
favor of a non-partisan movement, but
that he would appreciate an indorse-
ment should the Democrats nominate
a ticket. o
Among the rank and file of the
Democrats the concensus is that the
Democrats should hold their county
convention on the date already selected
and name Democratic ticket, but
indorse some of the announced inde-
pendents if this was considered ad-
visabe.
Democratic ranks there is plenty of
good material for county officers, that
the Democratic party as whole is
opposed to machine rule and jobbery
such as has been displayed in county
affairs by Republicans, and that there
fore the ticket could win against the
Ticket named hu Rnee Parknr