Los Angeles herald., 1906-08-20
HOUGHToN RENIGS

Can it be that our good and true, If
somewhat talkative and bombastic,
friend, doc" Houghton, has been
tanned by the corporations, his erst-
while greatest enemies? Is it possible
that, like Samson Of old. he hath
marked to the siren song of Delilah,
and that his locks have been shorn?
Verify. it looketh so!
Time was, and not so far agone,
either. when Doc Houghton was the
choicest corporation batter of EN- ALL
To mention street railway to him was
like injecting ginger into a wheezy,
wind-broken old plug race horse, and
to hint of Huntington was as the wav-
ing of a red rag to a bull. In those
times of his inability to do anything
to the local transit companies. it was
Docs habit to rant and roar and spit
fire and gnash his teeth on the slightest
provocation; to make lengthy and vi
triolic speeches" about corporate in
f1uences and the octopus and other
things of like lurid nature. And the
st. George astride his noble steed,
hunting the dragon to it's lair, and
worrying it into impotent fury even as
flea might tantalize a hippopotamus.
But a change hath seemingly come
DER the spirit of Docs dreams. For
once and only once in his career he
now has opportunity to deal with the
Huntington company with the public
back OF him; to go to it with a real
legitimate and popular demand, at the
behest of his councilmanic confreres,
with the full assurance that If the COM
pany doesn't come through" the coun-
ellis power will be invoked to compel
1t. For once Doc has full, free and
easy chance to make good" and Sc
cure for the people a real boon-some-
thing tangible, actual and necessary,
not mere chimera of political folderol
owl car service.
And does Doc rise to the occasion,
preen his plumage, whet his talons and
Enap his beak? Does he snort fire and
belch smoke and, striking terror into
mighty Huntington to his knees and
the redoubtable Billy Dunn to the kow-
tow? Does he?
Nay, nay, Pauline! He doesn't. The
Doc merely roars him as gently as any
sucking dove, coquettes with the octo-
pus, filrts with the Juggernaut, dallies
with the siren, and fondles the Delilah
while the shears snip! In plain Eng
lish. the Doc merely lays down" and
utterly and abjectly goes into the enc
mics camp to dine from the fieshpots
Of Egypt, while his fellow committee
men cool their heels in outer darkness
in wonder and amaze. The Doc renigsl
This is not nice news for the public
who have swallowed the Docs verbal
outputs whole 1t is not cheering for
the Sixth ward. whose accidental rep
resentative he is. But it is truth, as
Healy and Kern are willing to affirm.
The Doc dallies In desuetude while they
try in vain to corral him and make him
get busy on the owl car proposition.
Arise. ye. arise ye, DOC! viii ye
play poltroon and go over to the enemy
when confronting ye is the first real
chance to make good in all your hot
air oratorical career7 shame For
shamel Shake Off the tyrant's coils.
break the silken bonds. sever the shack
les; raise once more on high your tren-
chant blade and lead the hosts to bat
tie! Emblazon on your banner owl
cars or walk!" and head the hying
legions, nor cease 10 eonfict tin ye win
-or diel Arisel Arise. DOC Houshtonl