Los Angeles herald., 1906-02-22
INDEPENDENT CITY ELECTION
Herald's Attitude Commended and
Encouraged by One of
Its Readers

Los ANGELES. Feb. 21.-Editor
Herald: l have this morning read with
q great degree of interest your article
III Saturdays issue in which you adj
Vocate' the determination on the part
OF all the citizens who have at heart
tne growth and prosperity of the city
70 unite in an independent movement
that Will cut out the politicians, the
polltical bosses, the grafters and the
machine from municipal affairs.
rms article appeals to me as being
the best cause that has been advocated
by the press of this city in some time
congratulate you, therefore. not
alone on the wisdom of the article, but
upon your good judgment in forgetting
party ties where the interest of the
city is at stake.
1 concur with you that our city poll
tics should be divorced from our state
and national politics. 1t is well known
that our present public officials are
dependent on and are in the power
of the machine element. The theory is
that they are dependent on the citi-'
zens and under the control of the citl-
zens.
The fact is that the power supposed
to be in the hands of the citizens is
really in the hands of the leaders
from time to time-of the election
armies; men who are not selected by
the people. who are not controlled by
the people and as the records of the
present administration divulge, do not
represent the best interest of the peo-
pie.
Is there any remedy? Can we not
get some substantial gain? Can we
not make things somewhat better than
they now are? Has not our political
experience of the past two years, an
experience so new and rich, taught us
something? Is government the only
thing in which we are to make no inn
provement? But what are we to do?
How are we to work out in practice
this idea of government by the peo-
ple?" We have not accomplished 1t yet,
Few men in this city will be ready to
admit, after careful consideration, that
they are satisfied with the present re-
suits of this machine element in Los
Angeles which as time goes on will, un-
less their schemes are nipped in the
bud. place this city in the same cate
CORY as Philadelphia was and San
Francisco now is.
The question then is one of organiza-
ton Cor as you have termed it, inde-
pendent movement). The first point to
be ascertained is what are the chief
ends, the chief practical results that
must be accomplished, made actual ac-
cOrnplished facts by any city govern
ment that deserves the name "demo-
cratic" The chief end is, it seems to
me, to secure the most full, free and
healthy political action on the part Of
the individual citizen. Taking it as a
practical question my reason fog in
sisting on the fullest measure of prac-
teal political action for the individual
citizen is that it Is the best practical
way to get the best results in the adj
ministration of public affairs, as wen
as the best way to secure the healthy
development of the citizen and the
city.
L think it can be done in the inde-
pendent movement but whichever
way 1t is to be done now is the proper
time to get busy and oust the machine
elements which are making tremen-
dous strides to place the city govern
ment under machine rule, which, If
allowed to continue Will ultimately re-
suit in complete control, the upshot of
which can only work a detriment to
the progress and prosperity OF our
fair city.
Once more I congrat tulate you on
this noble step to protect the fair
name, the purity and the progress and
prosperity of a city whose admirers
and we'll wishers number into the
millions, whose confidence this city
cannot afford to abuse.
THOMAS B. LEDDY,
932 GeorEia street,