Los Angeles herald., 1909-11-07

ideals of citizenship that you can fine
embodied in any charter, whether state
or municipal, in this country.
Il stated in the beginning that our
fight was against this organized po-
litical bureau which is a great and
large number of interests, powerful
and great, able TO subsdize, able 10
purchase the best of talent, able to
keep men on the job, able to do all
those things that would bring together
an organized force of citizenship for
their particular political interests. Now
the question that is before us is How
are the citizens to meet that problem? p
Ouly a fool knows that that is a prob
lem knows that that is the fight in
this city; knows that we have got to
fight in our city if we are to main
tain our rights as free citizens. And
therefore some of us have asserted at
times that the direct primary law was
the sufficient relief and safeguard Of
the people. To be sure it is a necessary
institution but it has been said before,
and ii has been truly said, that the
primary law will not cure these evils
unless the people make use of that law
which is their great opportunity.
Now there is little difference be-
tween the boss-ruled convention and
our present nominating convention sof
the whole city in but one point that
is worth consideration and that is this:
In the convention you had no chance
at all. In the direct primary you have
every chance you need. But it will be
no better unless you go to the polls
and have your neighbors go to the
polls and register your opinion as to
the men that should administer the
affairs of this city.
Not a Trial
Il want to say to you. and it has
been said by others of this city before
the direct primary law is not on trial
on next Wednesday, but it is the citi-
zanship of Los Angeles. It is a ques-
tion of your intelligence; it is a ques-
tion of your civic pride and your pa
triotism-your interest in this whole
city and your home and the homes of
your fellOWmen, whether you care
enough to go to the polls and to vote,
and TO vote intelligenly. 1 believe that
I state the truth that if this is a failure
the failure is not Of the law but it
is an indictment Of the intelligence OF
our citizenship.
"But the primary law is not enough.
1t is a foolish thing for us to anticipate
that we can face that organized power
in a helter- skelter mob-like manner.
There must be organization. I believe
that a great many people have mis-
Construed the purposes of the Good
organization. They got
q notion that the direct primary law
ruled out all organizations and that
any attempt TO get people together in
p concerted action was contrary to
the laW-the letter and the spirit of
that law. Gentlemen, that is a tre-
nenduus blunder If that were true
that we We're not PERMITTED under
hat Jaw to get those who We're inter
7ted i'm a common cause to organ
ze ana work and labor and stand to-
5"thor and fight for that cause we
would have to annihilate that primary
.". There were two things that were
intended in that law The first was
his. that national partisanship should
be ruled out of the city so that the is
sues should fail on local problems, but
not on the tariff, election of United
states senator's or bank guarantees, !
Or what not.
Eliminates Parties
III was for the ruling out of ma
.lohdl partisanship that this primary
law was brought about, and conse- |
!uently 1t was to do away with the |
ooss- ruled convention and give the /
people a chance to vote at the polls. |
All the organizations of this city to- |