Los Angeles herald., 1907-02-18
BATTLE OVER
CONSOLIDATION
WAKES WARM
Franchise Question Is
Involved
Senator savage's Bill to BE Intro-
dueed Tuesday Would Knock Out
Twenty-one Year Limit and
Other Features

The lines are drawn for what promises
to be one of the keenest fights among
n wide diversity of interests ever seen
in the city of Los Angeles on the San
Pedro consolidation issue. A sudden
unexpected twist has been given to the
affair by Senator Savages plan TO
knock out the proposed enabling act
consolidation and bring about union
OF the two cities by taking away their
charters and Incorporating them
under the municipal corporations act.
Savage has bill to this effect which
he will introduce into the senate Tues
day.
There are wheels within wheels In the
plan, but out of the confusion few
definite lines of cleavage have appeared.
While general opinion among city Of
flcials and business men seems 10 set
against Senator Savage's plan, especial =
ly in it's proposal to take away the
freeholders' charter. several provisions
of it promise to win the ready assent
of the more responsible class of local
business men.
No Limit to Franchises
These palliative features are In the
form of several amendments intended
to lop off some of the fungi which cling
to the present body polite" 1t says
the initiative, referendum and recall
must go and that there must be no IL
year limit on franchises. The council
would be required to pass on expendi-
lures of the board of public works.
The certainty of another election, pro-
viding the consolidation scheme goes
through. has left all officeholders and
other interested persons In an eX-
tremely sensitive condition concerning
the situation, and councilmen and other
city officials interviewed yesterday
seemed to have an almost touching In
terest in the welfare or their constitu-
tents.
"Of course" said one, 'I would be
doing my constituents a great injustice
if l discussed a proposition like this
now, and owe II to them to learn some-
thing of their attitude before 1 give an
indication of what my position will be
on the matter"
Men who usually talk volubly on
most any subject mentioned developed
extraordinary conservatism, so grave is
the danger of doing the constituents an
injustice.
Need Railroads, Says Mayor
So great has been the sentiment in
the city during the last few months IN
favor of giving a freer hand to the rail-
roads that it is thought that the
franchise amendment possibly may
overbalance the obnoxious proposal to
take away the charter and draw enough
local petitioners to give the bill the
necessary support.
Mayor Harper, while he has not yet
allied himself with either faction, has
given an indication of his position in
an admission that I'VE certainly need
railroads, and the temporary charter
would only last a year or two" The
mayor urged the Importance of acquir-
ing San Pedro and of guarding care
f,1Ix, . ;,,+
1--WE need the town badly" he said,
"and we should be willing to make some
sacrifice to get It,"
Councilman A. ]. Wallace of the
Fifth ward was one who zealously
shielded his constituents from any pos.
sible injury through an expression of
opinion on his part.
Hewitt Objects to Compromise
Have you any opinion on the aspect
of the consolidation pan?" he was
asked.
II can't say" was the reply.
Have you any opinion on any aspect
of Senator Savage's bill?"
II can't say"
And then, in a burst of confidence,
he added: II will be very open when
the time comes"
City Attorney Hewitt, strong in the
security of an mistaken political pres
tige, expressed himself definitely and
decidedly against the compromise bill.
I'VE don't want to lose our charter"
he said, land we can't afford to take
any chances of losing it. Whatever the
real interests back of the compromise
bill are the excuse for the attack on
the enabling act plan, that is, that San
Pedro would be done an injustice, is in
sufficient. Under the arrangement, as
it now stands, San Pedro would get
I, 4,
would be done anyone. / know Senator
Savage says San Pedro would get moth
ing out of it, but San Pedro would get
fully as much out of the one scheme as
the other"
Favors Longer Franchises
Councilman e. l.. Blanchard of the
Ninth ward was unprepared to discuss
the charter proposition, but he fore
shadowed his position by declaring that
he was lin favor of removing some of
the burdens from the railroads.
we are in need of railroads." he
said, "and to induce them to build am
strongly in favor of longer franchises"
The opinion seemed to prevail thar
Senator Savage had other motives than
the apparent one of rescuing San Pedro
from injustice in introducing the bill,
and one city official was unkind enough
to say that he believed the senator was
representing his San Pedro and South
ern Pacific constituents considerably
more than those of Los Angeles The
senator is more indebted to Los An
geles than to San Pedro, as he owes his
election to the nineteen Los Angeles
precincts. 1t was only the saving
amendments to his bill or the bill for
which he is sponsor that saved him from
severe criticism.
A conference of Mayor Harper. City
Attorney Hewitt and President Butler
was held yesterday and another meet.
ing Is planned for today, President
butler is known to oppose the compro-
mise scheme on the grounds that the
danger of losing the charter would more
thah oVerbalance any possible benefits
from obtaining San Pedro.
Natural Conclusion
Doctor-People with elongated pail
ate9 are Anf IN ba tho ,,,oa4 -, ~