Los Angeles herald., 1909-11-13
THE PASSING OF MUsHET

enough 10 eject S6NeIdl oiiSSiS III ehiS
city, a man was elected by its influence
to the office of auditor. The position to
which this man was chosen and the
ability and experience that he had, had
he been controlled by good judgment
and right principle, would have opened
to him sphere of immense influence
for public good. That he has failed to
avail himself of the opportunities Of
fered is one Of the saddest instances of
self-destruction that The Herald has
ever witnessed in the politics of the
city.
If Mr.. Mushet had not been so lack
ing in judgment and in principle that
he permitted himself to be used by un-
worthy influences he might today have
been an honored and respected official
of the city, and a growing power for
good government whose influence it
would have been hard fully to estimate.
And he might eventually have been of
such public service as to have justified
his aspiring to any position within the
gift Of his city.
But lacking in these two prime requi-
sites of successful haracter-judgment
and principle--he has by the results of
the primary election of last wednesday
been forever eliminated as a factor in
the politics and government of the city.
How this came about furnishes so
instructive and fruitful a lesson in cit
izenship and In the discharge of official
duty that The Herald feels that it
cannot pass it by without calling at
tention to it.
Mr.. Mushet's first mistake was made
in permitting himself, through the in
fluence apparently of an egotistical de-
sire to attract public attention, to be
led into making an unworthy and un-
just attack on the good citizens and
able men in charge of the public schools
of the city as an ally of influences
which were endeavoring to work injury
to these men. We do not want to be-
lieve, and do not believe, that there was
anything corrupt in Mr.. Mushets ac-
tion in this matter. But the result,
had he succeeded, would have been
quite as injurious to the good of the
city as though it had been inspired by
corrupt influences rather than a lack
of judgment and lack of correct prin-
ciple. Having made this initial mis-
take, the errors which followed, and
which have finally eliminated him as a
force for good government in this city,
were but natural steps along the wrong
course that he had elected to take.
After making the mistake of allying
himself to influences which, to serve
their own selfish ends, were attacking
and seeking to destroy that most i'm
portant department of the city govern
ment having in charge the education of
our children, for the empty reward of
having his name exploited through the
columns of a newspaper, Mr.. Mushets
unregulated thirst for public distinc-
tion led him to offer himself to the
people of Los Angeles for the most i'm
portant Office in their gift.
He was more fortunate than he de-
served in attracting the support to his
candidacy for mayor Of many of the best
citizens of the city. Backed by a strong
array of our best business men, headed
by Mr.. NJ. H. Newmark and supported
by such fine advocates as Judge Albert
NJ. stephens and Lewis r. Works, Mr..
Mushet in his campaign, at a time
when the people of the city had become
utterly disgusted with machine gov
ernment, might have stood an excellent
chance of winning a place on the ticket
at the primaries had he not forfeited
that chance by showing that fatal
lack of principle which had before per-
mitted him to adopt a wrongful course
and yielding in the course of his cam
paign to temptations which a stronger
man would have resisted.
His first mistake was made by ac-
cepting the support of a person con-
neeted with an evening newspaper and
practically putting his candidacy in the
hands of that person for the purpose of
getting support of the paper by which
he was employed. This first and great
est mistake resulted in compromising
him by having his candidacy hawked
about the city for the support of its
worst political and social elements.
The person that undertook to furnish
him with journalistic support happens
TO be one of those who carry on politi-
cal contests upon the theory that the
political manager who can imagine and
promulgate the most falsehoods con-
cerning his opponents is likely to be
the most successful.
Mr.. Mushet so far adopted this prin-
ciple that toward the latter end of his
campaign he apparently did not hesi-
tate to indulge in any false statement
that seemed to promise temporary ad-
vantage, as witness his utterly false
and unfounded statement that he might
have had the support of the Good Gov
ernment organization upon certain con-
ditions. Any person who knows any
thing concerning that organization or Is
at all familiar with the men at its
head knows that at no time was there
any possibility of it's offering its sup
port to Mr. Mushet upon any sort OF
terms or conditions.
Another fatal departure from the
straight and honest course which a
stronger character would not have TAX
en- occurred when Mr.. Mushet attempt
cd to make interest with the evil ele-
ments in the city's life. Undeniable
evidence of this is found in the sup
port which he received from the bad
n