Los Angeles herald., 1906-03-30

property. This is the conservative es-
innate placed by men of affairs on the
right granted by the council to Mr..
Gilmore to build steam railroad on
the bank of the official bed of the
Los Angeles river.
When these taxpayers realized what
the action of the council meant to
them in money they stood aghast. The
duplicity of the council assumed even
greater proportion than it had Wednes-
day. Then they felt the outrage to
their civic pride. Yesterday they
found it touched their pocketbooks.
Many taxpayers made hurried visits
to the city hall yesterday looking for
the councilman who represents the
ward in which they live, bent on de-
manding a satisfactory explanation.
But counclmen were the scarcest
things about the city hall yesterday.
Wait for Excitement to Abate
Ordinarily scarcely a day passes that
all members of the council do not
visit the city hall, for they all receive
their official mail at the committee
room. For the most part, however, the
mail remained u5Ttcuched. Even the
places of business and recreation where
members of the council can usually
be found saw but little of their pres
ence yesterday. They evidently felt
that it would be just as we'll to wait
until the excitement abated little
before resuming their daily round of
handshaking.
A quorum of the building committee
was present at the city hall yesterday
morning in response to call OF Chair
man Blanchard to act on the fire limits,
but these councilmen did not linger to
discuss yesterdays proceedings when
their committee business was con-
cluded.
The city attorneys office was be-
sieged yesterday by property owners
anxious to learn if it was true that
this franchise could have been sold in
spite of the fact that it was granted for
a steam railroad, and if so to what
use the money received from the sale
could be applied.
.., Mayor Will Veto Ordinance
- To all of these questions the city
attorney answered that there was no
doubt that the franchise could be sold,
and that if the council had asked him
he would have so advised it and told
just how it could be done. He stated
that the money received from the
franchise would have gone into the
general fund, and could have been used
for any municipal purpose desired,
either to reduce taxation or for mu-
nicipal improvements already proposed
or others that might come up in the
future.
The all-important question propound-
ed yesterday was:
"Will the council dare to pass that
ordinance over the mayors veto?"
There seemed to he no question in
the minds of any as to the Ultimate
action of the mayor on this ordinance.
He is convinced that Huntington and
Hartman are the real benefactors
through the action of the council and,
consistent with all his former actions
where these two railway magnates
have been prOfted, it is believed he
would veto the ordinance on that
ground alone if there We're not every
other consideration to influence his ac-
ton.
viii Say Pointed Things
The ordinance will be taken to the
mayor today by City Clerk Leande in
person, who has held it in his possess
sion since the minute the council acted
on it Wednesday. Mayor McAleer has
not definitely stated that he will veto
the measure, but has come as close 10
saying so as he ever does in advance
of similar actions. To all questions
yesterday he answered that he had not
received the ordinance and that when
he did he would take it under consid-
Grafton.
Taking it under consideration with
Mayor McAleer has almost invariably
meant that he would hold it for tie
full ten days allowed him by law and
then return it to the council with his
veto and a message in which some
very pointed things are frequently |
said.
The council can do one of two things:
sustain the mayors veto or pass it in |
spite of his negative. To do the latter
will require seven votes. Eight coun-
cilmen voted on the proposition We'd |
nesday. When it next comes up for
consideration there will be nine to act.
May Pass Measure Over Veto
Councilman Smith voted against it, !
and as he has hopes of the mayoralty
on the Republican machine ticket ii is |
probable he will stand by his mega |
tive.
Councilman summerland has dis
creetly remained in the background
and processes to know nothing at all
of the measure. His action is prob
lematical.
But there are seven council members
who voted for the franchise grab We'd !
nesday and if they stand pat" it will
be sufficient number to pass the or-
dinance Notwithstanding the mayors
Veto Several members of the council
yesterday admitted their action on the
veto would depend very largely on the
expression of public opinion between
now and the time they are called on
for further action
well, 1 suppose McAleer will veto
the ordinance" said Councilman Ford
yesterday. But it looks like a good
thing to me, or ] wouldn't have voted
for it. I don't know just what 1 will
do in case of a veto.
Is Looking for Trouble
my constituents don't appear to he
very indignant at the way [ voted. I've
been i'm all the worst places L could
find today looking for trouble, but
none has come my way, probably be-
cause they know I'm hunting it,
Dock Houghton was reached over the
telephone and seemed to have expert
enced a change of heart over night.
But Houghton has switched around on
this question so frequently and rapid
ly that his constituents declare they
do not know how to take him.
"The morning papers print a tele-
gram from Gould saying that he was