Los Angeles herald., 1909-02-04
RECALL MAYOR HARPER

WI E are glad to learn the Recall
wv will be on a fighting basis by
the end Of this week, because
the decks are cleared for action and
that action should be vigorous, siren
uous and rigorous. The movement for
the Recall is being supported by all
citizens, irrespective Of politics. Those
who are putting up signs which read
Mayor Harper Is Good Enough for
U.s. are welcome to him, and perhaps
after the smoke of battle has cleared
away they may retreat to the hills and
start up a new city which they may
run wide open in manner to suit
their tastes. But we are convinced an
overwhelming majority of citizens will
say Mayor Harper-as a mayors not
good enough for them and is not a fit
and proper chief executive or repre-
sentative of our great, progressive,
clean metropolis. It must not be for
United States, is known and regarded
as THE representative citizen Of Los
Angeles. By his character and conduct
the people Of the nation judge the
character and conduct Of all our citi-
zens, since they are responsible for
him. We do not believe Mayor Har-
per's official sayings and doings repre-
sent the character, conduct, sentiments
and general makeup Of the majority Of
the citizens Of Los Angeles.
We think the people Of this city may
be roughly divided into two classes
ing, progressive business men, to whom
the city is deeply indebted for its pros
perity, and the equally capable and
conscientious '1ntellectuals," the rep
resentatives of professional classes,
who have been and are being attracted
to Los Angeles in great and in ever
increasing numbers. The Herald has
stated before, and it is1one Of the car
dinal articles Of our Los Angeles creed,
that this city is destined to be the
literary, educational, artistic and mu-
steal metropolis of the western world.
Now while citizens engaged in pro-
fessional and artistic pursuits may not
always U0 TSu1dThdDlG 1OI W1ldI 10
called business sense" they have
enough of that quality to enable them
to appreciate thoroughly the difference
between a good business administra-
ton of the affairs Of Los Angeles and
bad or unbusinesslike administration
They know it is to their interest to
have a high grade, clean, irreproach-
able business man at the head Of af-
fairs Of this city, and that is why
they hope and expect they will have
the pleasure of voting for William D.
Stephens for mayor.
Los Angeles possesses and is proud
of a body of brilliant men who are
engaged in manufacturing, industrial
and commercial pursuits, and these are
the men who are supplying the "sinews
Of war; and making the city a power
full and efficient business factor and
force in the nation. A city may be
regarded as a business proposition. 1t
is susceptible to business methods Of
treatment in the administration of it's
affairs, responding promptly, by prog
ress and prosperity, to sound, honest
business methods and as promptly, by
interruption of progress or by stagna-
ton, to bad or unbusinesslike methods.
This city cannot afford to run the
risk of either interruption Of progress
or of stagnation. This is a critical
time in her history. Great enterprises
have been undertaken. In connection
with these enterprises vast sums of
money must be handled and disbursed
by city officials. Therefore it is evil
dent our city officials must be business
men. We may respect and esteem
artists and literary men and we know
they are contributing greatly to the
prestige Of this city. But in our choice
of all Of the city officials, with the
possible exception of the board of ed
ucation, on which we believe there
should be professional as we'll as busi-
ness representation, for obvious rea-
sons, we are in practice and by Gus
tom restricted to business men and to
lawyers who are well acquainted with