Los Angeles herald., 1909-03-07
BOSTON WARMLY
FAvORS RECALL
BUSINESS MEN UNANIMOUS
FOR ITS ADOPTION
Prominent Member of Hubs Charter
Revision Committee Regards Pro-
vision as Necessary Safe
guard for Public

"At joint meeting of the appointed
committees of the Boston chamber of
commerce and the Boston Merchants
dustrial organizations of that city, held
to consider the purposes of a new city
charter, as recommended by the city
finance commission, it was unanimous
ly voted to favor the recall clause"
said E,dric Eldridge, senior member of
the firm of Eldridge, Baker & Co.,
wholesale grocers of Boston, Mass, to
a Herald reporter yesterday in discuss
ing the recall issue in Los Angeles.
According to Mr. Eldridge, every in
huential business man of Boston who
has the welfare of the city at heart is
strongly in favor of the recall, and Mr.
Eldridge who is at the Angelus, is
deeply interested in the outcome of the
mayor who has shown by his actions
that personal gain is paramount to his
desire to give Los Angeles clean and
businesslike administration.
That Boston will adopt the recall
| measure is the opinion of Mr.. Eldridge.
He considers it a proper provision for
| unexpected eXigencies, such as are
bound to happen in the conducting of
municipal affairs.
During the recent mayoralty term of
Mayor John F. Fitzgerald of Boston
the affairs of the city became in such
condition that an attempt was made
to have the state legislature govern
the affairs of the city, and, according
to Mr.. Eldridge, if the recall measure
had been a law in Massachusetts at
the time it doubtless would have been
applied.
As it was, the only remedy was the
action of the Boston finance commits
sion, a body composed of the most in
fluential business men of the CITY,
which appointed committee to revise
the charter. The committee, of which
Mr.. Eldridge is a member, was unani-
nous in declaring for the recall clause.
Another clause in the proposed char
ter revision was the abolition of party
nominations in municipal affairs.
All Favored Recall
While the recall movement was &C.
cepted without dissent, the abolition of
party nominations prior to municipal
elections met with some opposition.
Mr. Eldridge, who is as strongly OPP
posed to party nominations as he is in
favor of the recall, hopes that the Mas
sachusetts legislature will embody this
provision when it takes final action on
the new city charter
Mr.. Eldridge believes Los Angeles is
one of the greatest cities in the United
States, and says the present recall
movement has aroused favorable com
ment in the east and thinks himself
fortunate in being in Los Angeles at
this time, as the information which he
is seeking will be valuable in the re-
vision of the Boston city charter.
THAT The Herald is doing Valu-
able public service is evident" said Mr..
Eldridge, land the results of such a
4
will have lasting effects and should be
a warning to public grafters in the fu-
ture The recall idea is new to the
east, but when the advantages of 1t
We're seen the finance commission of
Boston unanimously voted to have it
incorporated in the new city charter
THE charter, in it's revised condition,
must be accepted by the legislature
before it goes into effect. AT present
the city council of Boston consists of
eighty-eight men, but the idea of the
new charter is to reduce this number
to nine, three to be elected every year,
beginning with three members for three
years, three for two years and three
for one year. In this manner the city
government will be much in the same
position as are the Los Angeles super
visors. In fact our city charter will
be copied in a great measure after the
charter of Los Angeles. I am not in a
position to give much information re-
garding the recall, for ] am looking for
information myself, and 1 think you
Westerners are far in advance of our
people in the east.
"The idea that the recall movement
will bring ridicule on Los Angeles is
incorrect, as the special election will be
closely watched by every city. The
stand taken by The Herald cannot be
praised too highly.
mot being in close touch with theI
politics OF Los Angeles, / can only say
that / sincerely hope the recall will be
successfully conducted, If there has
been mismanagement in conducting the
business of the city the expression OF
the voters will be lasting and will have
great influence in the future conduct
of the mayoralty office"