Los Angeles herald., 1908-10-15


The editorial on the subject whicl
appeared in the Express of yesterda,
is as follows:
Takes Its Stand
Mayor Harper has begun the first of
what he and his official family claim
will be a series of libel suits against the
Express and City Prosecutor Woolwine.
The basis of the suit against the Ex-
press is the charge made that Mayor
Harper has violated the law by protect
ing vice in this city The basis of that
charge, as reiterated in the Express is
Mayor Harpers own statement to the
effect that he advocated the policy of
segregating the redlight district, that he
and the police commission, after con-
sidering the matter, had adopted that
policy and had, in effect, given it Of
fetal sanction.
If this was true, then, as stated in the
articles which form the basis of this
suit, the mayor and those who aided
and abetted him in this course. were
guilty, by his own admission, Of pro-
tecting vice in direct violation of the
state statute.
While we do not invite libel suits,
and, in fact, endeavor, so far our
duty TO the public viii permit. to avoid
them, in this instance we feel that the
suit in question is one that can result
only in good both to the Express and
to the public. 1t will afford oppor-
tunity for a thorough investigation into
every phase of the present city admin
istration's attitude toward vice and its
suppression in the city of Los Angeles,
and however much City Prosecutor
Woolwine may ba hampered in his eff
forts to present the facts to the grand
jury, there will be nothing to prevent
a full fair and complete investigation
by us, and the presentation to the
courts, and through the courts to the
public, of the actual facts as they exist
In this connection, however, we wish
it distinctly understood that the EX-
press has not now and has never had
any malice toward any individual, but
that the stand it has taken in this
controversy was taken solely with the
desire to expose civic vice If 1t existed.
and uphold the hands of those who
were seeking to better the administra-
ton of our city affairs and to expose
relentlessly official misconduct, if there
is any.
We do not know of course, all of the
motives back of the institution of these
libel suits. but it has been pertinently
suggested that, coming they do at
this critical time, they may be intended
to influence the grand jury in its con-
sideration of the charges made by Mr.
Woolwinc and that they probably would
have some effect upon the alleged pur-
pose of District Attorney Fredericks TO
appoint Mr.. Woolwine to continue the
investigation of these charges before
: the grand jury.
That our position may not be mis-
understood in this matter, we desire to
say, as we have said before, that our
criticism of the mayor and of the police
commission as it existed when. in the
language of the mayor, lit became
necessary to move the women from the
rooming houses on Commercial street.
west of Alameda on account Of the de-
mands of commerce." was based upon
the mayors own statements made to
the Examiner in the latter part of last
month and in connection with this con-
troversy with Mr.. Woolwine. We had
no intention at any time TO include, or
to have it understood that we included
Commissioner Tufts in our structures,
for as clearly from all that has been
said on the subject the actions critl-
elsed all occurred before his appoint
ment to office. and we took occasion
when he was appointed to express our
satisfaction that a man of his standing
in the community should accept so
important a position.
Let us say again, in conclusion, that,
= while we do not court litigation. this
particular litigation will afford the Ex-
press an opportunity to place before the
people the real situation in regard to
the city administration dealings with
the various vicious elements in our
community.