Los Angeles herald., 1907-02-11
NO WORK. NO PAY, SAYS THE
COURT
"sunny Jim" Pendersast, Who Is So
Iourning In Southern California,
Says It viii Come Out
All Right
JUSTICE mike ROSS of Kansas

JUSTICE mike" ROSS of Kansas
| City, who has been helping Sun
~ ny Jim" Pendergast, alderman
and Democratic boss, enjoy himself I'm
Southern California for the last two
weeks, started for home last night
| 1t appears that since the Democratic
boss and the justice left Kansas City
some of their political adversaries have
been trying to frame up nice little
stew for the justice, and week ago
when Clerk John George of Justice
Ross court made application for war
rant for Justice Mikes" salary for the
month of January the court announced
i l"When you don't earn your salary, why
you needn't come round"
! The county court declared that the
court could see no reason why JUS
tice should be paid his salary while
! that Justice was gracefully reclining
in the shade of the sheltering palms OF
Southern California.
The court, not content with this re-
form blow told Clerk George that the
court could not see how George could
earn his salary If Justice Mike was
not there, and the disappointed clerk
had to walk out of the court room with
his salary still reposing in the countys
strong box.
When Boss Pendergast, resting COM
fortably in his room at the Hollenbeck,
heard the news he said something very
| like "Oh, HI" Then he laughed
great, big hearty laugh, and ever since
then he has been laughing.
Justice Is Troubled
Justice Mike" frowned and sat ST.
! lent. The justice was frankly troubled
and he would say very little.
"Is that their little game?" said Jim,
and then forgot about it except to
laugh.
Justice Mike" was not to be so
easily appeased and last night he
started for Kansas City, leaving Sun
ny Jim" to absorb a little more suns
shine before going back to WELD the
big stick on all who attempt reforms
| in his absence.
mike will get his salary. all right,
| There is not a doubt about that said
Boss Jim last night.
"I have been in the council for six
teen years and Mike has been justice
for eight years, and there never has
been any objection to any justice TAX
| ing q little vacation. At this time of
year there is not very much doing
which could not be done just as well
without Mike He came out here with
me last year and not a word was said.
1t is just because he is a Democrat
and there is new Republican judge
up little.
No Kick on Republicans
"The Republican justices have always
been allowed to go and nothing was
ever said about their salaries. There
are some folks that are mighty anxious
to get their names in the papers and
they have to have a chance like this to
do it. 1t will not amount to anything.
am going to stay out here for while
! longer, for I don't intend to have my
good time spoiled by any new judges.
! Mike is going back, but then. any
way, he did not intend to stay all the
time
Jim Pendergast has been the Demo-
cratic boss of Kansas City for sixteen
years, and he will probably continue to
be as long as he desires. He is rotund
man of decidedly Celtic proclivities and
countenance, and his red face and
| bristling mustache are topped by
pair of kindly eyes, which betoken the
size of the heart within him-which is
as big as all outdoors. For Jim rules
| by love, not by fear, and his followers
are as many as his ward-the First
has voters. Often he has carried it by
majorities of AIS out of 500, and some
times even by more.
Changes Ward Lines
The First ward in Kansas City is the
river district, which lies between the
west bluffs and the Kansas state line.
| 1t is largely given up to wholesale
houses and packing houses, with the
stock yards spreading its smell like
| blanket over all. 1t isn't pleasant
place to live, yet Pendergast made his
home there for many years. Finally
with wealth-for Jim has two highly
prosperous saloons and is interested in
many another enterpriSe-came the de-
sire for a more palatial home. He could
not move out of the ward and he
couldn't we'll build in it. So he appealed
to his colleagues. And the lines of the
"foist" We're stretched in night to
take in just that little bit of the west
| bluffs whereon Jim erected his domicile.
This region had formerly been good
strong Republican territory, but the
shifting of the ward lines shifted the
politics, too, and the Democratic ma
jority suffered not a whit by the
change.
Pendergast's philanthropy is of that
silent, quiet sort which seldom finds it's
way into print. People used to wonder
| at his remarkable hold on his ward till
the big flood came in 1903. Then Jim's
entire ward was under water from five
to twenty-five feet deep, and his con-
nstnuents were all compelled to flee to
high ground. They were poor these peo-
pie, and rehabilitation meant very
much to them. A huge fund was raised,
but pro rata. 1t amounted to little.
Plays Good Angel
AS soon as the waters receded-even
before-Jim, in his boots and raincoat,
was plodding about among the
wretched people Here and there he
found a home where fire, loaf of
bread and pot of coffee or bucket of
beer would make life worth living.
Down into his jeans went Jim's hand
and many 500 bill found it's way into
begrimed workers exchequer, to be
received with tears of gratitude and to
be met with Jims ooh, hell; don't mem
tion 1t t. amy wan" That's Jim Pen
dergast's way; and that's why he holds
the "Foist" i'm the hollow of his hand