The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-08-02
CIVIC COMMON SENSE.

rlVlC COm niON OGhS-'
A brief dispatch announced that the
citizens of Los Angeles county, Call
fnrnia. had voted four TO one in favor
of a bond issue of $4,000 for the con-
struction and Improvement of high
ways. This comes on top Of a bond is
sue of S29. 600 900 for the owens river
water system, which is to bring river
over 100 miles for the city of Los An
geles. Both proposition carried by I'M
mense majorities. Neither was dis
cussed at all as a political issue, but
each carried on it's merits as business
undertaking.
In all this country no city has made
such rapid Roadway in population,
wealth and all that goes to make life
attractive. The climate alone would
not count for such phenomenal growth
nor would the opportunities for making
money explain why so many men or
wealth and position have chosen to
make their homes in and around Los
Angeles The secret of its success Is
very simple Every citizen is bent on
doing his utmost to promote the well
fare of the city; the obstructionist, the
cautious critic find it extremely I'M
pleasant there. The first question when
any improvement is suggested is. Will
IL help Los Angeles? No one asks
whether a political party is back OF
bond issue, or whether any one party
will get an advantage from 1t. If 1t is
good for Los Angeles. ii goes through
with very little opposition
There are political parties and pea
nut politicians in the California town,
inst as there are everywhere; but they
don't dare to oppose municipal benefits
with politics. The result is that the
whole community is united in COM
mon purpose, and it is getting tremen-
dous dement's from its enterprise, its
public spirit and its willingness 10
spend money as an investment The
owens river water project is one OF the
largest undertakings OF its kind in the
world. The millions involved will be a
heavy drain on the resources of the
people; but they know the completion
of the scheme will add greatly to the
value of property, will serve TO attract
population of a desirable kind and Will
eventually repay its cost many times
over.
Likewise, the investment of s3,5O0,00O
by the county in good roads, while it
looks like a large sum, Will prove a
splendid investment. Already the roads
of southern California have proved a
source of revenue by attracting visitors
with their automobiles in thousands
every winter. They are people Of means
and spend money freely, and they con-
tribute to the income OF the section
hundreds OF thousands of dollars an
nualiy Salt Lake alone spent in and
around Los Angeles last winter in the
neighborhood of 100000 through tour
lists from here; and Salt Like is only
one of number of cities that recog-
nizes the attractiveness of the region
in winter.
The moral of all this to Salt Lake is
so obvious as to need no special en-
phasis. AS city 1t has made enormous
strides in public Improvements as well
as in public spirit, but the politicians
still persist in regarding every civic
question as matter for political man
ipulation. The truth is that an over
whelming majority of the people here
are awake to the value of undermining
the city and would gladly see the small
politicians eliminated in matters that
involve the welfare of the city and
work together for the common good in
such matters. Similarly. the residents
of the state outside of the cities are
awake TO the practical benefit of good
roads and other public conveniences.
This.has been demonstrated most forci-
bly, by the enthusiasm with which the
good roads movement has been re-
ceived.
Gradually. but very surely, it is
dawning on the people here that they
have everything to gain by working to-
gether in matters OF common public
concern outside of real political issues;
and this feeling will eventually crys-
tallize into organization OF some def
aite kind. The city and state have al
most infinite possibilities and resources,
and when these are utilized as Los An
geles utilizes her opportunities, the
same gratifying results viii be
achieved