Los Angeles herald., 1909-08-04
SOLID TRIO

I GNORING the wishes Of the people,
riding roughshod over remon-
l. strances the board of supervisors
yesterday DECLINED to subln1. the
names Of Martin c. Marsh and J. w.
Calvert to the advisory committee for
confirmation as members Of the comfy
highway commission. and reappoin-ed
George H. BiNby as the third member.
Eldridge, NeHis and McCabe, the
Solid Three, acted like a unit
EIdridgc, Nellis and McCabe, the
Solid Three, outvoted AIessrs. Manning
and Pridham and forbade the submis-
sion Of the names of Marsh and Calvert
to tho advisory board for approval
Eldridge NIcCabe and Neuis. the Solid
Three, outyoted Messrs. Manning and
Pridham, and reappointed George H.
Bixby of Long Beach to the highway
commission.
The Solid Three forbade the board cf
Supervisors to submit to the advisory
committee the names Of Martin c..
Marsh Of Los Angeles, J. W. Calvert Of
Azusa and George H Bixby Of Long
Beach. the new highway commission.
The Solid Three refused to adopt the
suggestion Of the district attorney that
the board and the committee consult
together freely and publicly on all mat
ters coming within the scope Of the res
olution adopted by the supervisors. The
Solid Three showed absolute, outright
undeniable, unmitigated, fragrant and
shameless contempt for public opinion.
They showed utter disregard Of the
wishes Of the people. They acted as if
the public of Los Angeles did not exist;
as if It had nothing whatever to do
with the good roads, or bond issue or
anything else.
Not since old Vanderbilt said The
public be damned" has any public body
or any individual expressed such frank,
enthusiastic. hearty contempt of the
people and their wishes, their powers,
their plans as was expressed by the
Solid Three yesterday. when they spat
on the public and proceeded to carry
out the designs they have formed.
But the public attitude is as decided
and as frank as that Of the Solid Three.
Good roads honestly built viii be the
slogan Of the people The supervisors
may have refused to take advice. They
may have welchod on the promises
made when they were elected. They
may have left undone all the things
they ought to have done, and they may
be preparing to do all things they
should leave undone. But forewarned
is forearmed, and the public cannot be
| disarmed,
The people viii act as auxiliary ad-
visory committee to the board of super
visors. Public attention will be focused
on every act. Every transaction will be
scanned. One point we make, and have
no doubt the people viii insist on It.:
every meeting of the board Of supervis-
ors must be public. Every meeting Of
the board of supervisors must he re-
ported in the newspapers. There must
be no executive sessions. The Solid
Three cannot be t"usted to bold eXccu-
tive sessions
Every step must be taken under the
scrutinizing eyes of the people. Every
supervisor must De prepared dI any
time to give complete, detailed ac-
count of his stewardship. The public
has right to ask questions. The pub
lie should not hesitate to address
Inquiries to the supervisors on any
subject with regard to which informa-
tion may be desired, and the letters in
which requests for information are
made should be read in public and an
swered in public. Publicity, publicity
publicity must characterize everything
done in connection with the administra-
ton and expenditure of the good roads
bonds money.
Moreover the public should make d
point of attending the meetings Of the
board of supervisors. At every meeting
the public should be well represented
and the taxpayers who attend the meet
ings should interrogate the supervisors
on every point on which public infor-
nation may be desirable Complete
stenographic accounts of all the pro-