Los Angeles herald., 1909-12-18
CHAMPIONS OF
CIVIC PURITY
AT GATHERING
GOOD GOVERNMENT FORCES
BANQUET
MAYOR ALEXANDER cHEERED TO
THE ECHO
Most Notable AssembIase In History
of City Dimes at LeVy's in
Ratification of Recent
Victory
Q1X hundred workers In the cause of

OIx hundred workers in the cause OF
good government sat down to din
~ ner last night at Levy's with city
ofTicials-elect and officers of the Good
Government organization, which won
such q superb victory December I.
The banquet was somewhat in the
nature of a jolificatiOn and ratthca-
ton of the election The highest type
of citizenship was represented. 1t was
a gathering such as has seldom been
seen in Los Angeles. 1T was an oc-
casion which brought out men who are
unafraid-the men who voted to make
and to keep Los Angeles clean and free
from machine rule.
When the names of the various can
ddates were mentioned they were
given an ovation. Martin BetkousH
and Judge John D. Works we're so
Justify cheered that they had to rise
and acknowledge the applause before
it ceased.
At the head table were, Francis ].
IIeney. the guest-speaker; officers OF
the Good Government organization,
the Municipal league. the city officials
elect, the speakers OF the evening, the
precinct workers in whose honor the
banquet was arranged and others. L.
L. Gibbon presided as toastmaster.
The banquet hall was decorated with
flags and streamers Of the national
colors, running from the four walls to
When President Meyer Lissner arose
TO call the gathering to order lie was
given an ovation. His remarks we're
punctuated with applause. Mr.. Lissner
said in part:
Meyer Lssner's Speech
It gives me pleasure to announce that
this occasion is in honor Of our newly
elected city officials and of the fol-
lowing officers of Good Government
precinct clubs:
A. n. Davidson, president; L. c.
Gates, vice president. and J. p. David
son, secretary in precinct 56, which
cast SO per cent Of its total vote for
Alexander.
c. H. Stone, president; Frank FIN
layson and George A. Webb. vice
presidents, and H. II. Huntsberger,
secretary in precinct 1876, which cast
rs per cent of its total registered vote.
e. p. Vernon, president; Charles Nc
Kenzie and w. A. Edwards, vice
presidents; II. ]. Quinn, secretary and
j. H. Geiger, treasurer in precinct 2,
which gave 332 votes for George Alex
Rnder for mayor.
This certainly is an occasion for
jubilation on the part of all lovers of
good municipal government We have
received many kilograms and letters of
congratulations, but l think one good
friend from MonroVia who wrote the
shortest letter of all came nearer eX-
pressing what was in the hearts of
most of us than anyone else heard
from. He said Dear Mr.. Lissner;
Praise God from whom all blessings
flow. Yours truly. c. n Whitaker"
We made such a clean sweep that
could not help thinking Of the story OF
the little boy whose mother called
him, saying. Johnny a little while
ago there were two apples on thai
plate in the closet and now there Is
nf
pered Johnny, "it was dark in the
closet and l didn't see the other one
If there were any offices that were not
captured by the Good Government
force it was because we did not see
them. We made a clean sweep. we
took everything in sight
The main honor for bringing about
this splendid result must be given t
the men behind the guns-the faith
full members of the Good Government
precinct clubs, thousands of them, al
over the city who labored unselfishlN
and patriotically for months, canvas
sing their precincts and doing the oth
er things necessary to bring out tltC
full Good Government vote on elec
tion day Without the hearty ant
loyal cooperation Of these men there
would be a different story to tell TO
day It is impossible to thank all o
these good workers personally, and so
on behalf of the Good Government or
ganization, 1t becomes my duty to eN
press to those of you who are here as
sembled, and through you to thost
who co-operated with you, the SINGER
thanks, citizens who appreciate faith
full public service.
The campaign iust ended was not b,
any means the whole of the war 70
good government in the city of Lo
Angeles. 1t began a little over thret
years ago, when a small but hard,
group of political amateurs tackled
monster that had grown and fattene'
at the public crib for over a genera
zion. In the first onslaught we caln'
off with some honors, but did not b,
any means capture the whole works.
We have elected three Democrats as
members of the city council and giVer
one of them MARTIN BetkOuskD sec
ond place on the cOuncilmanic ticket
In the office Of treasurer where Cap
tain Hance, a well known Democrat
was running against machine Re
publican, the Republican plurality Oi
10000 was transformed into a nom
partisan majority Of $4,000
We have won a great victory, but
the responsibility is greater than the
victory itself. The men who go into
office with the new administration will
be watched as a cat watches a mouse
The least break or mistake will be
magnified. distorted and exaggerated
Mountains will be made out Of mole
hills. Let us hope there win be no
mole hills. Every newly elected city
official should feel that the success
of the good government movement in
the city Of Los Angeles now rests
upon his shoulders.
If we give the right sort Of admin
istration that viii attract rather than
repel this class of votes-and it can
be done without sacrificing one iota
of principle-our lead in the next mu-
nicipal election can be increased 10
10000 instead of 5000
The fight we are making here in Los
Angeles county and in California is
part of the great national civic war
which is waging between the forces of
plutocracy and democracy.
We are indeed participating in a
great national conflict, and we should
be able to say to the progressive cit
izens of other states that have already
downed machines as nefarious as the
one we are fighting here that Cali
fornia may be counted to stand with
them shoulder TO shoulder until we
have re-established q peoples govern