Los Angeles herald., 1907-02-16
BUTLER MILDLY
REBUKES SAVAGE
CONSOLIDATION PRESIDENT
MAKES STATEMENT
Names Those Whom He Found Fight
ing the Measure and Praises
Those Who Are Aid
ing 1t

S. A. Butler, president of the con-
solidation commission, yesterday inaue
a semi-official statement or the results
of the special committees trip to Sacra-
mento this week to lobby in the inter-
ests of the bill permitting consolldation
of incorporated cities. Why the COM
mittee failed Is told in inuendo. Ihe
members of the committee We're Fresl-
dent Butler, John G. Mott, Oscar G.
Mueller, Motley H. Flint of the con-
solidation commission and e. Perne
Johnson of the chamber of commerce.
The statement follows:
AS has been frequently pubished IN
the daily press, Senator Mccartney ana
Assemblyman Harmon introduced in
the legislature a bill which PROVIDES
that two or more cities can consolidate
if they so desire by a majority vote
in each city, Senator McCartney's Dill
was referred to the committee upon
municipal corporations, Of which SEN
ator Savage is chairman. This commit
tee reported the bill to the senate with
MANY obnoxious amendments, with
recommendation that 1t do not pass.
Senators Mccartney and Garter or
Los Angeles endeavored to have the
bill sent to the committee on judiciary,
so that the law committee Of the con-
solidation commission could explain the
legal propositions involved. This was
opposed by Senator Leavitt, who, we
understand, fears the race track at
Emeryville, in which he is interested,
would suffer by the bill, and Leavitt
was backed in this opposition by Sena-
tors Savage and Bell of Los Angeles
county
In the Los Angeles county delegation
credit is due to Senators Carter and
Mccartney and Assemblymen Case,
Harmon and Pierce for their earnest
support of our measure, and we find
the following senators and assembly
men either violently fighting the meas
ure or extremely apathetic regarding
its disposition: Senators Savage and
Bell and Assemblymen Leeds, Thomp-
son, TraRsue, Stanton and r. o. Bell.
Savage and Leavitt Blamed
The frantic opposition of Senators
Savage and Leavitt (the former claim
ing that the people Of San Pedro do not
care to be annexed, and at the same
breath saying that he does not care
If they all desire consolidation, he
would oppose IT. aided and abetted by
the one great interest that has so sue
cessfully dominated politics in Cali
fornia, irrespective Of party, is suf-
fcient to prevent the passage of any
meritorious measure, Notwithstanding
the public demand. 1t is indeed strange
that two senator's with this detrimental
influence can thwart the will of practi-
cally all voters in our great city. Pub
lie sentiment was certainly represented
when the bill was indorsed by the city
council of Los Angeles, the mayor
board of supervisors, chamber of COM
merce and Merchants and Manufac-
turers' association, as we'll as all the
voters-six to one-on the annexed
strip. making it possible for a CONSOLE
dation with San Pedro and Whining
ton.
1t should also be emphasized that
over one-half of the registered voters
of San Pedro have signed the petition
asking that an election be called to de-
termine the consolidation question.
The responsibility for the holding up
of the bill should be placed where 1t
belongs, viz: upon Senators Savage
and Leavitt and vicious elements in
politics.