Los Angeles herald., 1907-02-05


stands today and has never been de-
MED.
"A city councilman made this charge
himself. standing on the floor of the
council chamber.
Corporations Behind Charter
"A large number Of the big corpora
tions have notified their men that they
VIII be laid off on full pay to work for
the charter Electric and water COM
panies have done this and It Is thought
that the railroads are also interested
TO q similar extent. Why do they do
this? Surely not for their own amuse-
ment or because they think their men
should have the rest.
1T has been a well-known fact that
the Pacific Electric company has APP
preached friends of the charter, en-
couraged them and urged them to do
all they could to ward Off the consoli-
dation OF Long Beach with Los Angeles,
because the company would have to
make reduction In fares. The voters
should take this into consideration
when they cast their ballots. Would
they like to have cheaper fares TO Los
Angeles or not? Then vote down the
charter"
viii Not Defeat Conso lidation
Frank T.. Stmng, another well-known
real estate man, who owns also 5000, 900
worth of property In this city, said
tonight that the charter promoters
have been using consolidation with Los
Angeles as n club over the heads of the
voters. Said Mr.. Strong:
1.-THE people of Long Beach should
know that 1t makes no difference
whether they vote for the charter or
not as far as consolidation with any
other town Is concerned. 1t is more
than certain that the present leglsla-
ture will pass n bill allowing charter
cities to consolidate. I mention this
simply so that voters will not be fooled
into voting for q charter that Is better
fitted for Chicago than for Long Beach.
"The Los Angeles papers have been
accused of interfering in the affairs of
Long Beach in the interest of Los An
geles. This has been the chief argu-
ment Of the politicians and press Of
Long Beach and they say that Los
Angeles will gobble us up n we don't
vote for the charter.
1.-THE only possible way the taxpayers
and people opposed to the charter had
of explaining 1t to their friends,
showing its merits and demerits, was
through the Los Angeles press.
"If the charter carries 1t will be be-
cause the small taxpayers and wage
earners do not understand what they
are voting for"
Among those who are opposed, and
bitterly so, to the proposed charter are
some of the wealthiest residents and
the earliest settlers Jotham Bixby, the
richest man Long Beach ever claimed,
fights 1t; w. l.. Porterfield fights 1t; w.
l.. Campbell, former city trustee, is
against it; so are j. V. Barlow, e. j.
Starr, George G. Flint M. L. Kenyon
II. II. Holloway. ]. S. Brown, J. C.
Bledsoe, William Slack, ]. e. Counts,
H. M. e. Schroeder and c. P. Patter-
son; so are William H. Buffers, presi-
dent of the Inner Land and Harbor
company, which gave $4,000 toward the
Craig Shipbuling company, and G. H.
Hoag, a prominent director in the Los
Angeles Dock and Terminal company,
which Is building the new harbor.
Harry Barndollar, vice president of the
State bank, is counted among the enc
mics of the charter One of the city
trustees, 1t Is said, has been fighting
the charter from the start and will lead
many votes against 1t.
The two polls will be the city hall
and the boys gymnasium, the former
at Second and Pacific, the latter at
Fifth street and Locust avenue.
In discussing the charter election at
Long Beach S. A. Butler. president of
the consolidation commission, said:
"It seems that the parties in interest
who are determined to force a free
holders charter upon Long Beach and
who are opposed to the consolidation
of the two cities and to the work of
the consolidation commission are resort
ing to methods that Ill becomes the
patriotic citizens of that city, and that
they have circulated the repOrt from