Los Angeles herald., 1909-09-19
ate Division Campaign Is Angeles


expenditure, Northern California
would be compelled to bear it
alone, and as Southern California
pays nearly one-fourth of the taxes
levied by the state, which propor-
tion will undoubtedly be much
greater hereafter, 1t will readily be
seen that 1t is greatly to the inter-
est of the northern part of the
state to prevent the creation of a
state south of the Tehachapi.
The above are some of the argu-
ments in favor of state division.
and 1 must confess, from the
standpoint of a Southern Califor-
nlan, 1 have been unable to dis
cover any valid arguments against
state division. Only a few days
ago one of the state officials, a
resident of Oakland, while declar-
ing his unqualified opposition to
state division, admitted to me that
there were no arguments against
1t, except that of sentiment, which
to him was all-powerful and en-
tirely sufficient.
The opponents of state division.
however, have suggested that the
creation and maintenance of a new
government in the south would he
contribute our share for the sun
port of the present government
do not think this is true. OF course
1t would be necessary for a new
government to erect the necessary
state buildings, including a capi-
tol, prison and some other institu-
tions, but this expenditure, while
large, would certainly not be any
greater than we will have to con-
tribute to the rehabilitation of
state institutions in the north
which were injured or DESTROYED
by the earthquake. and the harbor
improvements deemed necessary
by the residents of San Francisco
and vicinity, and some provision
for guarding against damage by
floods in the San Joaquin and Sac
ramento valleys.
Southern Burden Heavy
The amount contributed to the
state tax fund by the nine SOUTH
ern counties for the year 1906 was
over two millions of dollars. of
whlch Los Angeles county alone
paid $1,32S,S74.63.
When we consider the vastly in
creased economy of the state ad-
mlnlstratlon by reason of the more
restricted territory, we cannot doubt
that we could maintain a state gov
ernment in Southern California with
very little, If any, greater cost to
the taxpayers than would be our
proportion for the maintenance of
the state government with its
present enormous area.
On the whole, / conclude that
Southern California would be amply
justified in frankly confessing that
while she entertains a high regard
and profound respect for her neigh
Dor of the north, she feels deep
down in her heart that she prefers
to be only a sister to him.
Admitting that the statute of
1859 Is still in force and that all that
is necessary to carry 1t into effect
is the consent of congress, there
must be back of this right the will
and the determination to enforce it.
If the people Of Southern California
desire separate state government
they must demand and insist upon
consideration of their rights by
congress.
Division Considered Feasible
If the chamber of commerce of
Los Angeles city would take hold
of this matter with the vigor and de-
termination which always charac-
terizes it's efforts there is no doubt
terize its efforts there is no doubt
consideration from the next session
of congress. 1t is a matter of his
tory (see Wizards History of Los
Angeles, page 242) that I'm 1881 a
mass meeting was held in Los An
geles at which report was drawn
up in the shape of a series of ques-
tions addressed to the leading attor-
neys Of the city, asking them what
steps were necessary to bring about
state division. The reply, signed by
eight attorneys, was to the effect
that the action taken by the legisla-
ture in 1859, followed as 1t was by q
favorable vote of the southern coun-
ties, was still in effect and that the
new territory could proceed to or
ganize and ask for admission to the
Union. A circular was then issued
calling for delegates from each
county to meet in convention at Los
Angeles, September 8, 1881. This
gathering came together on the ap-
pointed day, all of the counties
favoring state division, but 1t was
decided to take no active steps until
the population of the new district
was large enough to insure its re-
ception as a state. In 1888 the sub
ject was again called up in mass
meeting at Hazards pavilion In Los
Angeles. The meeting was
slimly attended and little enthusi-
asm was shown"
Subsequently Gen. Vandever, who
represented the Sixth congressional
district. then composing Los An
geles, Ventura, Santa Barbara and
San Luis Obispo counties, intro
duced a bill into congress, providing
for the division of the state, but the
measure, not being supported by an
enthusiastic and determined public
sentiment, received no consideration
and was never reported back from
the committee.
Inyo County Needed
But even IL we were assured Of
q favorable consideration / am not
certain that it would be for the
best interests of Southern Cali
fornia to proceed under the act OF
1859 The boundaries provided for
in that act are not what we should
ask for at this time, as they ex-
clude the county of Inyo, from
which our future water supply Is
TO Dc ODLdln6Q Wtl6H tilS OWCAS
river project is carried out, and 1t
might result in unpleasant COM
plications to have the source of our
water supply located within the
boundaries of another state.
Outside of this consideration, the
county of Inyo should be included
if the new state Is to be created
in Southern California, as it is
naturally tributary to this section,
and with the completion of the rail-
way now projected from Los An
geles into that county 1t will at
once become easily accessible,
whereas 1t can never be easily
reached from any of the business
centers of the northern part Of the
state.
If the new state is created in the
south it should include San Luis
Obispo, Kern and Inyo counties
and all of the territory lying south
of them. This would give us a