Los Angeles herald., 1907-12-22

II AHOBABBY no other state In the Union
extends to the independent press
l. such abundant opportunities for
doing good and, incidentally, for attaining
financial success, as the state of Califor-
MIA. And no other city in the state is a
more inviting field for newspapers of this
class than Los Angeles.
Independent newspapers may be divided
into three classes-those which are inde-
pendent of clique or faction of a politi-
cal party and still advocate the funda-
mental principles underlying that party,
those which are independent of party and
those which are so utterly independent Of
party and faction as to be classed as neu-
trail. There Is distinction with diff
ference between papers Of the two latter
classes, though IL requires long and
patient study of the editorial policy of
such publications to enable one to diff
ferentiate them.
While the Independent press of the
country is growing more firmly intrenched
in popular esteem In these days when
party lines are becoming DINNER, inde-
pendence alone win not insure the develop
inent Of popular confidence to the highest
degree. With independence must go truth
and fearlessness. BY this do not mean
that newspaper, to be regarded as truth
full, must tell all the truth that 1t is
able, through the services of a great
corps of newsgathers, to glean nor by
fearlessness do mean an inclination to
run amuck as 1t were to demonstrate to
the public that 1t fears nothing. The
truth should be told sparlngly, judiciously,
at all times. Fearlessness should be In
terpreted to mean that a newspaper Is
devoid of fear of consequences If, when 1t
deals with a question of grave public in
terest, either in its editorial or news
columns, 1t tells the truth, criticises or
condemns, compliments or lauds.l with due
regard to the merits of the case, regard
less of who may be hurt or who pleased
by what 1t may feel called upon to say.
Southern California undoubtedly Is one
of the best fields In the country at this
time for a newspaper which possesses
these three sterling qualities. There are
several reasons why this Is true The
first of these may be found in the
phenomenal development of the splendid
region of which Los Angeles is the
metropolis. A few years ago a city of in
consequential proportions today Los An
geles ranks among the great cities of
America. A few years ago governed In
manner BETTING provincial town, its
inhabitants caring little and knowing
less about the manner In which its affairs
were administered so important has the
city now become as to demand the
zens to the end that as the city continues
to grow bigger and bigger, weather. and
wealthier, 1t may likewise grow In civic
pride, in integrity.
One of the most noticeable results of
our rapid increase In population and the
incidental Improvement of the suburbs
has been lack of oversight of those
non-essentials to which better attention
is paid by cities of greater age and
IL i rrrI.A r.
lie office to the end that their own
purses and those of their friends may be
fattened have taken advantage of this
vast spreading out in the past here as
in every city in the land Until the city
began to assume proportions which indi-
Gated to vigilant public-spirited men the
presence of grave danger Of the building
up of a political organization, as ward
politicians are pleased to call cabal OF
spoilsmen, little attention was paid to
proposals looking to the removal of the
the city from the domain of local politics.
''Longhairs" and "cranks," as the pio-
neer defenders of the city's integrity were
called by those who strove to ridicule the
efforts of reformers to place the municipal
government on a business basis, saw their
best endeavors go almost unrewarded,
and for a time It looked as IL Los Angeles
was doomed 10 go the way OF otner clues
which had been laid waste by astute poll
ticans of the spokesman type. But finally
there was an awakening. and today the
city is alert to the danger of allowing
partisan organization to control 1t.
The Herald has stood In the past for
the highest and best type of municipal
county and state government. In the
future 1t will be its aim to assist in every
practicable and well considered effort to
advance the citys interests along these
lines. 1t is and will continue to remain
an independent paper, truthful paper,
fearless paper. 1t believes that such
paper as this is needed in Los Angeles
mot that there Is no other, but that