Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1909-03-08
STRAW VOTE FOR
HARPER EXPOSED
AS VAIN FIASCO
BALLOTS OF HEARST SHEET
Distributed LOOSELY
ONE MAN CIV IN FIFTY CARDS TO
MARK IN FAVOR OF A. C.
Block by Block Canvass Made by
AIexander's Supporters Reveals
Decided Sentiment for Dis.
charge of Mayor

STRAW vote which was taken
u only at local theaters last
- week under the auspices of
the Los Angeles Exmainer was
conceived by a worker of the "busi-
ness mems organization in order
to produce an effect on betting re-
garding the result of the recall cleo
| ton When the recall petitions were
started pro- Harper advocates made the
boast betting would be 10 to | in favor
of Harper's election. This soon drop
ped to to 1 and then to to 1, but at
present many Harper bettorS are ask
| ing odds, even with Walter Parker
money to wager.
Even though 1t was manipulated in
the most favorable manner, the Ex-
aminers straw vote failed even to gal
vanize any confidence and in no way
obtained the effect desired.
The manner in which the vote was
worked is indicated by an event, in
connection with the ballot" which
happened at one of the theaters early
in the week. A man was seen to ap-
proach the newspaper employe hand
ling the ballots and heard to say, after
cautiously displaying Harper is good
enough for us" button, "Give me a
bunch of them and I'll mark 'em up at
the bar for Harper" He was handed
asked the question, DO you favor re-
calling Mayor Harper?" and took them
with him as he disappeared through
the door leading into the saloon next
to the theater.
The straw vote handled by the local
Hearst paper is reminding men who
were in New York of a similar vote
taken by the Hearst sheet of that city
prior to the Hughes-C -Chanler contest
for governor. The results were daily
published as showing an overwhelming
sentiment for Chanler, but on election
day everything went the opposite way,
Hughes carrying even those localities
where Chanler was considered
strongest.
AS the block-by- block organization,
which volunteers in the recall move
ment are taking up in numerous pre-
cincts, progresses the general senti-
ment favoring the discharge of Mayor
Harper becomes more evident. The
Highland Park Alexander club has per-
fected its arrangements for securing a
personal talk with every voter in the
precincts of that section. H. w. Reed.
chairman of an Alexander club in the
Fourth ward. is securing volunteers
who are doing similar work. An Alex
ander club in the Fifth ward also is
accomplishing similar progress.
Meetings Arranged
Alexander meetings will be held fire.
quently after this week, and in addi-
tion to those arranged by the recall
campaign committee volunteer work
ers are planning neighborhood gather
ings to aid the movement. AT one
meeting of this kind last week two
machine henchmen were stationed out
side to take a list of those attending.
The men who worked up the meeting
learned this in advance, however, and
made a series of personal calls to
notify those interested that the melting
place had been changed. The two ma
chine runners stood under a tree
throughout the evening watching the
wrong house and wondering if it could
be possible there were no Alexander
sympathizers in the precinct.
Meetings definitely arranged for this
week are as follows:
Tuesday, March 9-Milers hall, 6313
Pasadena avenue, at 8 o'clock. The
speakers will be George Alexander. La
mar Harris and DR.. Phiialetha S. Mich
elsen. Music will be furnished.
Thursday. March 11--Masonic hail.
Thirty-third and Main streets. at 8
o'clock. Speakers. George Alexander
and Thomas Woolwine.
Friday. March 12-Henderson hail.
23051a South Union avenue, at o'clock
Mr.. Alexander will address this meet
ing ana other speakers whose names
will be announced later will also talk
on campaign issues.
The Municipal league in the current
issue of its monthly bulletin calls at
tention to the character of the division
of voters on the recall question in the
following statement:
while there are a good many people
who for personal or business reasons
decline to express their views, the
great majority of voters have already
declared for one side or the other and
the nature of the lineup is plainly
evident.
I'm this contest on which side is the
tough element? The machines of both
parties? The saloon loafers? The
gamblers? The sporting fraternity?
The machine reactionary newspaper?
The utility corporation political man
ayers? On which side are all these
Let any man who has doubt on this
question investigate and learn the
truth
"On the other hand. go into the resi-
dence district, among the pretty homes
of decent law-abiding people, Try 1t |
in the churches and in organizations of
citizens that are striving for the city's
moral and civic advancement Does
any one question on which side of the
battle the vast majority of people of
this sort are to be found?
I'VE are not answering these uues-
tions: we ask them and we urge the
man with q vote who is willing to in
vestigate a little to answer for himself. |
And the answer must mean some-
thing to him."