Los Angeles herald., 1907-02-28
STATE DIVISION
URGED BY PEASE
PRESIDENT OF COUNCIL IS
MOST DECIDED
Conditions Regarding Legislation for
Southern California, He Says,
Have Become UnbearabIe.
Secession Popular

ITO my mind 1t is the only thing for
the people of Southern California to
do said Niles Pease, president of the
city council, yesterday, when asked If
he favored the division of the state.
"I am a loyal Californian" continued
Mr.. Pease, but the conditions are such
that it is becoming absolutely neces-
sary for Southern California to seek
separation from tho northern district.
between which section and the south
ern portion of the state there never has
and never will be anything in common.
/ believe that a very large majority of
the residents of Southern California are
in favor Of the creation of the state OF
Southern California"
Mr.. Pease was informed that in 1859
the California Legislature passed by a
two thirds vote a bill providing for
state division and that the bill was rat
flied by the people of the proposed new
state by more than a two-thirds ma
jority.
Opposed to Northern Bossism
eff 1t was deemed advisable at that
time to divide the state" said Mr..
Pease, "there are reasons now which
make it a hundred times more neces-
sary that Southern California should be
permitted to control its own destinies
and not be longer compelled to be led
around by the nose, metaphor1cally
speaking, by the political bosses of the
northern portion of California.
LEGISLATURE after legislature has ig-
nored the requests Of the south for
needed legislation. but the Legislative
body now in session in Sacramento is
the worst of them all in respect to doing
Justice to Southern California, and I
believe that the limit has been
reached"
President Pease said he had heard of
no prospective concerted action look
ing to agitation of state division, but he
declared that something should be done
to start the ball rolling. He expressed
the belief that the various civic bodies,
such as the chamber of commerce, the
Merchants and Manufacturers associa-
ton and the Municipal league, should
take the initiative and devise some plan
whereby the citizens not only of Los
Angeles but of the entire southern Sec
ton could voice their sentiments on the
question.
Thomas e. Gibbon, the toastmaster
at the banquet at the Angelus hotel
Monday night and whose unexpected
remarks concerning state division
brought forth a storm of approving
cheers, said yesterday that no one could
have been more surprised than he that
his sentiments should have met with
such an instantaneous and hearty ap-
proval.
at have felt for some time that the
sentiment in favor OF state division has
been growing" continued Mr.. Gibbon,
"but I had no idea that 1t had grown
to such an extent as was shown at the
banquet Monday night. On general
principles would be opposed to state
division, but If the south must continue
to be run by politicians OF the north,
then the sooner the state is divided the
better It will be. not only for the south,
but for the north as we'll"
A. p. Ferl. one of the most promi-
nent business men of San Pedro, said in
Los Angeles yesterday that he had dis
cussed the question of state division
with hundreds of people in San Pedro
and that he had yet to find a man who
was opposed to the idea OF the crea-
ton of the state of Southern California.
Banker Urges Division
Discussing state division yesterday,
William Mead of the Central bank said:
"There are no reasons to be cited
against the proposition of state division,
but there are many in favor OF 1t.
1T have always favored 1t. The pres
ent movement has nothing to do with
my attitude. Many years ago became
convinced that Southern California
should be state by itself The two
ends of the state are divided by nature,
Their conditions are not the same; their
needs are entirely different.
"In present conditions California does
not receive from congress the considera-
ton 1t deserves. With state division we
would have four senators, two from
each half, and both north and south
would be benefited thereby. We would
have more representation at Washing
ton and therefore more strength.
"Our surroundings are quite different