Los Angeles herald., 1908-05-06

4, fornia in hitting the domination of
~ the Southern Pacific machine in poll
tics between the eyes. As a result of
the primaries the Lincoln Roosevelt league
elected about seventy delegates out Of the
1903 to the state convention, although the
last claims at the regular Republican head
quarters that they had carried but a
scant majority. Even some disputed this
statement. But the returns, official and un-
official showed that they had unquestionably
carried three districts In Los Angeles, ali OF
Pasadena and most of the country dele-
gates.
1t will take full tabuIation of the Of
ficiaI vote to determine the exact number Of
delegates elected, as there was some scratch
ing and some known errors In the unofficial
returns.
The Democrats Joined in the revolt
against machine rule by making a strong
protest in Los Angeles. which by reason Of
late organization resulted only in the elec-
tion of three sets of delegates. One of the
conspicuous results, if the official count
Monday will sustain it, is the defeat of
Mayor Harper in the Seventieth district.
The regulars dispute his defeat.
According to the results the regular
Democrats will control the Los Angeles city
for the league. The victory of the regulars
means that Nathan Cole, jr., will be sup
ported by them for delegate at largo to the
national convention at Denver and that
Mayor Harper and State Chairman Timothy
spellacy will be the delegates from this con-
gressional district. MIR. spelIacy's known
hostility to the Southern Pacific machine
may prevent his selection, but regulars said
this would not.
Defeat for Machine
! On the whole the day was one Of slefeat
| for the machine elements and one presaging
triumph of the reform forces at the August
primaries when they will be thoroughly
ganized for the fight. As 1t was the result
is expected to minimize the harm that may
be done by O machine state convention be-
cause the machine will not want another
certificate of bad character before the
August primaries.
The primaries in Los Angeles county
were not attended by the numbers that
the registration seemed to indicate.
Out of a registration of nearly 10000
only about one-fourth participated in
all parties, and the Democratic show
ing was surprisingly small. not exceed
ing $500. Politicians were amazed at
the erratic showing of the precincts,
and explained it only by the lack OF
organization. This in measure ac-
counted for the Democratic small vote,
as there was little organization at
tempted until a few days before the
primary by either element.
The voting was marked by a number
of instances of the methods of the rail-
road machine. In some precincts work.
ers for the regulars of both parties were
accorded privileges inside the polling
places that are prohibited, and there
were many instances of the sudden dis
appearance of the tickets of the Demo-
cratic and Lincoln-R Roosevelt league
from the voting places, especially where
the workers could not always be on
the watch.
privileges at the city hall voting place.
H. j. Simon, who was watcher for the
Democratic league, says Morris was
permitted to enter the polling place and
that in one case he pasted the push"
ballot on a voters ticket.
Many instances of this character are
reported, and have been preserved with
a view to placing them in the hands of
the Purity of Elections league for ex-
animation as to criminal liability under
the primary law.
Liquor at Polls
A number of instances of the use OF
liquors at polling places were reported.
and in one instance drunkenness was
reported on the election board. Most
of the complaints, as might be expected,
came from the down town districts,
where the machine elements Of both
parties had the barfiies to work with
and where money was used to the best
advantage. In most of the residence
districts the complaints were not of this
character. but were rather of unfair
xwKt4.
asked for the tickets of either league
were frequently handed the wrong tick
cts, and in one precinct, where this was
repeated by the same official a number
of times his answer to the voter who
called attention to the mistake, was:
"Well, you can read, can't you?"
1t was desperate struggle for tho
machine in both parties. and the fall
ure of the Democratic league to carry
every district may be traced wholly to
lack of organization. In the few days
that were devoted to the practical work
lie league found enough to satisfy it
that organization is just as necessary
to the success of reform movements as
of education. They found
that though the voters agree with the
reform. they are not always prepared to
busy themselves to vote for 1t at a pri-
mary. The league considers that it's
vote was a sufficient protest against
the machine to put 1t in line for q
sweeping victory at the August pri-
rlaries The work of the league, IL not
successful in electing all its candidates.
forced the regulars to put up better
men in most precincts than they had
intended.
Leagues Valiant Fight
The work of the Lincoln Roosevelt
league was the result of Organization.
together with a long campaign of edu-
cation. The league organized in every
district and precinct. and it's clubs fur
nished much for the practical work yes
CONTINUED ON Pare Threes