Los Angeles herald., 1907-05-19
OWENS WATER BOND ISSUE

terested in 1t and have built homes
In this beautiful city, expecting tc
spend the rest of their days here. to
give good heed to the underground
and dastardly attempts to assassinate
Its municipal life. This attempt is
almost wholly a secret movement, SO
far, but for that very reason it is all
the more dangerous. And it must
be fought as one would fight snake
Ito the death.
The movement to bring Owens river
water to Los Angeles has the unquali-
fed support Of the vast majority of
citizens and voters. There can be no
question about this; the votes hereto
fore taken have plainly indicated it,
And no one can doubt that men who
voted favorably when they knew only
the outlines of the plan have not
changed their minds since the whole
magnificent project was made plain to
them. They still stand in solid phal-
anx, convinced that the very future
Of the city depends upon the success
of this great movement. Neither its
wisdom nor it's necessity is open to
discussion.
But the very certainty of the plan
and it's obvious necessity constitute
the one weakness of it in it's present
condition. The final step to insure the
completion and the carrying out of
the project will be taken next month,
and the bond election to vote s28, ,000,-
900 Of securities to pay for the conduit
work will be held. And danger to this
consists wholly in the possible neg
ligence of the voters who are almost
unanimously arrayed in favor of the
bonds. They may be so sure of the
bonds carrying that they will fail to
go to the polls and vote for them,
each thinking that his neighbor will
vote and that he need not spare the
time from his ordinary round of duties
to cast his own ballot.
While it is true that an overwhelm-
ing majority of Los Angeles freehold
ers and citizens stand pledged to the
bond issue, there is at work, covertly
and under the surface, a clique united
to defeat the issue. Headed by the
big power companies and assisted by
their followers this opposition is NOV
ing heaven and earth to accomplish
this purpose. Money is no object;
millions are at hand to pour out freely
for the success of this opposition. 1t
means much to the power companies, !
for the conduit will develop, without
a cent of cost, thousands of horse
power which the city will be enabled
to sell for a cheaper rate than the
tariff now demanded by these same
companies.
And again, if the bonds are beaten
and the project abandoned it means
that in short while these same power
companies will be in position to offer
the city the water supply that it must
have. Where they will get the water
is neither here nor there; but the fact
that they have offered to construct
the conduit and give it free If per-
mitted to utilize the power mentioned
for themselves, not only makes this
plain, but is the finest Endorsement of
the entire project that could be con-
ceived.
This attempt of the power companies
thus has two reasons for being; one
to defeat the will of the public and
enable them to save their cinch on the
electric control of the city and later
to get the contract to furnish it water;
and, second, to capture this Owens
river project for their own use; they
know it is the best that this region
offers, as is certified to by the offer
mentioned. They are therefore united
in a desperate effort to stop the citys
work, and will go to any lengths TO
defeat it.
There is only one way whereby they
may be headed off-the citizens of Los
Angeles must turn out on election day
and SO heartily indorse the plan as
now matured that the power companies
will be overwhelmingly defeated.
The voters did this once; the major
ity against the sinister influences con-
spring to bind the city and stunt it's
growth was tremendous. But that
IduBHJ LHS DOWCI tOilPetlllcb al ltSsOll
which it is feared the city did not
learn, and gave them fresh hope.
They are organized, have millions to
spend and are making the fight of
their lives. The city is rather supine;
is inclined to believe that the project
is too necessary to fail, and every
voter is looking to his neighbor to do
his duty, while he fails to appreciate
his own.
The men of Los Angeles who believe
in it's destiny and who have their own
interests here at stake must arouse
themselves and fight from today on
with every honest weapon to bring
this plan to fruition. 1t is the great
est municipal work ever undertaken
in the United States; it is project
indorsed by the highest engineering
skill; it has not one single objection.
All it needs is united, strong and Wig
orous support and every vote that can
be secured, and it will win so tre-
mendously that once for all the power
companies opposition will be put out
of business Then and not till then,