Los Angeles herald., 1909-01-21
THE RECALL


from the menace Of the threatening
aspects of graft and Of craft with
which our city is confronted. The
meeting was called by the Municipal
league, which is to be congratulated on
the efficiency, public spirit, conscien-
tiousness and fearless, stout-hearted
valor with which it demonstrated it's
readiness at this critical time in the
history of Los Angeles to live up to
and to put in practice the first object
of its organization, which is 'to unite
and hold in readiness for action the
forces Of good government in this city
and to take note of the official con-
duct Of members of the city govern
ment, commencing or condemning as
public policy may require"
By the startling, remarkable and
convincing articles published in Los
Angeles Herald feeling Of disquietude
and distrust, which has existed with
regard to the administration Of the
chief executive Of this city, was con-
verted into positive conviction Of Of
fetal wrongdoing on his part. This
positive conviction of official wrong
doing on the part Of Mayor Harper has
eliminated in the civic action taken
by self-respecting, responsible citizens,
who LOVE LOS ANGELES AND
HAVE HER INTERESTS AND HER
HONOR AT THEIR VERY HEARTS
CORE. Let it be noted, this action,
which looks to the protection Of Los
Angeles from threatening influences
which seek to turn the city's program
Of vast expenditures for great public
purposes into a source Of private profit,
must not be considered as | personal
attack.
Far from being actuated by feelings
of personal i'll will toward Mr.. Harper,
those concerned in the mo rement for
his recall, which at yesterdays meet
ing took definite form and WILL BE
SUCCESSFUL, are men who were will
ing to give him the benefit Of every
doubt, to construe every circumstance
in his favor if possible, to give him
every opportunity of proving he was
indeed-as he had boasted he would
be-a business mayor, who would give
the city a business mems administra-
ton. They were men who said, "Give
him a chance" until it became obvious
that the graciously extended chance
with him meant more opportunity for
doing the things he ought not to have
done and for leaving undone those
things which he ought to have done
their country, their state and their
city as they love their very lives, and
are unwilling to stand idly by, as If
consenting, while the proud preroga-
tives of an exalted official public sta
tion are besmirched with the mire Of
corruption, bedraggled in the mud of
a slough of graft. By citizens of this
stamp was the mayor of Los Angeles
impeached. BY citizens Of this stamp
was it asserted by word and by reso-
luton that a halt must be called on
this BOGUS BUSINESS MINIS AD-
MINISTRATION, and that it must be
succeeded Immediately by a business
mans administration that will be a
reality and not a sham, and that will
have for it's object the greatest good
of the greatest number of the tax
payers and citizens of Los Angeles, and
the complete independence of the city
in every branch and in every detail of
its government from all debasing AMI
oO1-r11DtinO inHuancac nc xroI1 n G froy,
the predatory corporationism which
sees in the growth and greatness Of
Los Angeles but a fertile field for ex-
ploitation.
Predatory tyranny will not be per-
mitted to usurp power, and no public
official will be allowed to remain in
office if he should prove recreant to
his trust. Complete and absolute, now
and forever, is the independence oe
Los Angeles. This city truckles to no
interests. Why should our great NUM-
cipality, in its young prime, vigorous,
daring, purposeful and brave, cater 10
this or that power which proclaims its
ability to further or to retard her prog
ress?
Why, therefore, should our great, our
independent, our free, our enterpris-
ing, our generous and glorious city
allow for an hour beyond the discovery
Of the debasing and horrifying trea-
son any of it's public servants to
truckle and grovel and pander to any
influences or interests which Los An
geles despises?
The mayor was not without his rem
resentatives at the recall meeting.
Some men who might almost be de-
scribed as his personal agents were
present throughout the proceedings.
No discrimination was made against
them. Everybody had an opportunity
to speak. IT WAS A SQUARE DEAL,
MEETING. These personal agents and
would-be defenders, both of Harper and
Of interests with which, deplo-able to
relate, his name has become intimately
associated, could have said to him last
night, had he asked them to tell him
the unreserved truth about the recall
meeting, that some of the Oldest, dear
est, warmest, best, most steadfas st
friends of Arthur Harper the man were
compelled, with agony and tears in
their voices, to utter words of scathing
condemnation and rebuke of Arthur
Harper the mayor.
1t is not our purpose here to review
the melancholy history Of official inef-
ficiency-or worse, for surely sins of