Los Angeles herald., 1907-11-23
CLEAR, CRISP AND CLEAN
SEE STATES PAGE FOR ALL THE NEWS
FROM YOUR OIL HOME.
NOT A JAY TOWN

THROUGH the city council from Time
to time has eviriced disposition
II to be guided to greater or less
extent by the wishes of the better class
of citizens, as voiced by civic organiza-
tions and individuals. we fear it is too
prone, on occasions, to relegate to the
rear the principle that legislation should
be directed toward securing the great
est good for the greatest number;
rather than that it should aim at the
protection of particular class at the
expense of the whole people. This
thought is suggested by the failure of
the council to pass the traffic ordinance
at its regular session this week and the
apprehension that it's dilatory tactics
are prompted by desire on the part of
some of the councilmen to please the
owners of public vehicles, which have
been monopolizing the streets of the
city for a long time past to the him
drance of general traffic.
Several months ago the Municipal
league appointed six we'll known citi-
zens - Lieutenant Randolph Miner,
Charles D. Willard, /. L. Lownan, F.
w. King, Sheriff Hammel and Deputy
city Attorney Thomas L. Woolwine-a
committee to investigate this highly
important matter and prepare satis-
factory ordinance regulating street
traffic. With the cooperation of the
police department conclusions of
practical nature were reached and the
proposed ordinance recently was sub
mitted to the council.
Two sections of the measure are of
extreme Importance and should become
law if Los Angeles is to make its streets
accessible and easy of use by the pub
lie. One of them provides:
''It shall be unlawful for the owner
or person in charge of any hack, coach,
carriage, omnibus or automobile used in
carrying passengers for hire, to allow
any such vehicle, while awaiting en-
ployment, to stand upon any street in
the congested district of the city of Los
Angeles, unless such person shall have
procured a permit for such privilege
from the board of police commissioners
of the city of Los Angeles
The other section confers upon the
police commission authority to grant
permits of the class mentioned in the
preceding paragraph upon the written
consent of the owners or occupants of
the lands abutting upon the places des-
ignated as stations for such public
vehicles; but mot more than three such
vehicles shall be permitted to stand on
one side of such street." within any
block in the congested district. These
public vehicles must be kept at least
seventy-five feet apart The license fee
for this class is fixed at $50 per month.
The only material opposition to the
massage of the measure comes, 1t is
understood, from the men who have
hacks, automobiles and baggage wag-
ons for hire and who, in the pursuit of
their vocation, have so occupied the
streets as to monopolize certain por-
tions of the congested district, which is
outlined by the ordinance as follows:
"Spring street from First street to Sew
enth street; Broadway from First street
to Seventh street; First, Second. Third,
Fourth, Fifth, Sixth and Seventh streets
from Main to Hill street."
The demands OF these public vehicle
men are as unreasonable and selfish as
the provisions of the proposed ordi-
nance are reasonable and calculated to
expedite general traffic on the streets.
That the council or any OF it's members
should defer to the wishes of small
contingent rather than legislate for the
waIfare OF the whole city smacks of
cheap politics. Yet the failure of the
measure to pass at the last session
inspires the fear that this is exactly
what the majority in the council desires
to do. The idea that the progress of a
city OF nearly 100000 inhabitants should
be in any wise impeded through the
nachinations of handful of selfish
men ls repugnant in the highest degree.
The ordinance should be enacted at the
next session. Los Angeles is not a
jay" town