Los Angeles herald., 1906-02-25
MUNICIPAL PARTNERSHIP

Now that the commission selected to
consider program looking to the con
solidation Of Los Angeles with q num-
Der Of its principal cities and towns
has been fully organized. It is an op-
perfume moment to call the attention
Of the people who may be Interested
to some of the facts that will be found
Of Importance to them, and to the COM
munitles in which they live.
In the first place, the name, Greater
Los Angeles" is an unfortunate desig-
nation, in that Il has tended to give
an impression that Los Angeles alone
Is to profit by the proposed consolida-
tion; that Los Angeles is by this move
ment to be lifted above its neighboring
cities and towns. and that the cities
and towns which may come into the
consolidation are TO be either wiped
out of existence or their Importance
minimized so that they will not be
heard of again. This is not true in
any sense.
The object in proposing consolida-
tlon of interests is to enable all the
neighboring cities and towns to have
at all times the necessary supply OF
water light and power. and police pro-
lection; and without this no town or
city is on a permanent basis-no town
or city can justly lay plans for It's
future development.
AS The Herald understands the prop
osition at this present stage, Los An
geles desires to extend to its municipal
neighbors an abundance of water and
power, which in a few years will be
brought into this section from the
owens river valley. This stupendous
enterprise has already been begun and
will be pushed forward to a successful
issue. This one project will give to
Los Angeles such an abundance of wa
ter and power as will enable 1t to-
supply Its municipal neighbors at small
cost, and put them on an equal, perma-
nent basis with this city. Consolida-
ton will enable our neighbors to de-
velop themselves. 1t will enable them
to do all those things which they are
now undertaking to do without ade-
duate resources and without very
large hope of success unless water and
power are brought TO their doors. In
return for this partnership. police pro-
lection should be extended throughout
the area proposed for consolidation.
Every city and town agreeing to the
consolidation will, of course, maintain
its own separate government its own
identity and to a very large
extent all the powers which 1t may
now possess.
In short all that is proposed is a
partnership. 1t is in no sense a grab.
1t is in no sense an annexation of
territory for advertising purposes. for
Los Angeles does not need that kind
of advertisement. 1t is simply a friend
ly and helpful offer on the part of Los
Angeles to the struggling and beauti-
full neighboring towns and cities, for
mutual benefit.
These facts should be understood and
taken into consideration at the outset
in order that the municipalities inter-
ested will be able to study the outcome
of the commission in a friendly spirit
and with a view of each looking after
his own interests. If this viewpoint
shall be taken and maintained The
Herald predicts that none Of the COM
munties that will be included in the
scheme of copso1idat tion will rafuea m
enter into the great and splendid
partnership that will be pro-
posed.