Los Angeles herald., 1906-07-12


IN Los Angeles. The organization is
cailed non-partisan, but more appro-
pirate name would be anti-machfne.
Not political parties but political ma
chlhes are the cause of inefficient, ex-
IraVagant and Corporation-rdden Of
hcials and government.
The machine has cogs of its wheel
located throughout the county and as
Tor that matter throughout the state.
VI late the machine has adopted the
more euphemistic name of "organiza-
uon.' 1t is a combination within the
party to name candidates that are
cogs In the wheel. The organization is
directed by few of the members, who
IN common parlance are called bosses
Inc Los Angeles committee is right in
cOnfining its efforts to city affairs. as
1t is organized for that special work
But why not have a committee to do
the same work in respect to county af-
fairs?
What are the evils to be removed and
good to be accomplished i'm this So
called non-partisan or anti-machine
| movement? They are the enactment of
| wise and just laws, to put an end to
! faVoritism to corporations and to re-
tire those who seek fat jobs and special
privileges. 1t is well known that the
! machine is supported by the votes and
| money of such, and also by the official
emoluments that it puts into the hands
OF the faithful. OF course, another OBJ
Ject is to enforce economy in the ex-
penditure of the peoples money.
A very important subject to be dealt
with is that of taxation. The first
| proposition is that no more money
| shall be taken from the people than a
sum for which they receive an euliva-
lent in benefits. The second is that the
! burden shall be fairly distributed, that
is to say that each property owner
snail pay proportionately to his hold
ings 1t must be well known that the
machine not only aids corpora tions in
gaining franchises and privileges, and
faVorites in getting enriching Jobs. but
1t seeks to put into office men who will
favor certain classes in the matter of
taxation. They are willing to put
heavy loads on the small property
holders. for they cannot afford to Sc
cure reductions. The rich corporations
are the ones who importune equalza-'
ton boards for reductions Under ma
chine rule the practice is to put a
mans load on the child's back, and the
childs load on the mans back.
The city council sits as a board of
| equalization within the municipality.
and the supervisors perform the same
function in regard to assessments in the
entire county, cities and rural dis
tr1cts. Every ann who has watched
proceedings in the past must have dis
covered that in both city and county
reductions of assessments have almost
invariably been at the behest of cor
porations and the large property own
ers. The supervisors of the county also
grant privileges as we'll as city coun-
ellis.
The Los Angeles committee will
doubtless look after the selection OF
the city assessor and some such body
should give attention to the county as
SCISSOR. What is wanted are assessors
that will ferret out all taxable prop
erty and fix values on the basis of
justice. Complaints have been made
of high Valuations but only from cor
porations and rich men. Assessor
Ward was assailed for that last year,
and the supervisors cut down the valu-
ations placed on corporation property
enormously, and on no recognized
principle The supervisors seemed to
ACT on Topsys idea, who, when charged
with stealing, said she didn't steal,
that she just took it." The superVis-
ors carried the case before the state
board Of equalization and that body
came near making a raise on Wards
valuations, and would have done so If
the time could have been extended.
High valuations ought to have the
effect to lower the rate of taxation. and
it would be so if economy wero rigidy
enforced. The trouble Is that the
authorities have been in the habit of
spending all in sight and not infre-
quently much that was not in sight.
1t should be known that no pent up
Utica" limits the power of the ma
chine-its tentacles reach out into
municipal, county and state affairs
Legislators are selected by it, and 1t is
mistake if any should not turn out to
be one of the machines cogs. It's re-
lance after nominating it's men is on
partisanism to elect them.
The spirit which moved to the organi-
zation of the Los Angeles committee
ought to extend throughout the county.
1t is a sad commentary on political
parties that it is deemed necessary to
organize outside of them in order to
secure efficient and honest government.
Such step would not be necessary if
there were no political machines.
There is no good reason why a man
cannot be just as vigilant and honest
inside as outside party and he would
be if he did not submit to the party
yoke.
1t used to be said that there must be
two parties that they may watch each
other. 1t would strike a philosopher
that had no experience in party poll
tics that a self-governing people would
not need to be watched at all-that
each man would keep watch on him
self so that he would not stray away
from the path of rectitude nor neglect
to so inform himself that he would be
able to perform his public duties in
tellgenty.
There is no reason why the regular
political parties should not make lust
as good selections for the public Of
fees as independent ones, and thew
would, but for the Intervention of the
machines. The original and sensible
idea was that when a party failed to
bring out good men and the opposite
party presented the better material,
the voters, being independent and pa
triotic, cast their votes against the
nominees of their party. That was
not deemed party crime-it was a
punishment of a party for it's de-
linquency. The process was one of
There can be no purifica
tion when the machine dominates. The
machine is a modern product, an out
growth of the policy of granting favors
to corporations, trusts and syndicates.
LIONEL A. SHELDON.
S$S
Giving parties is like washing dishes
RV the time woman thinks sh I,aa