Los Angeles herald., 1909-12-10
HARMONY WILL
REIGN IN NEW
ADMINISTRATION
ALL DEPARTMENTS OF CITY
TO BE IN ACCORD
WORKS FAVORED FOR PRESIDENT
OF THE COUNCIL
When Good Government Officials Take
Positions Affairs viii Be Con-
Quoted in BusinessIike
Manner
NOR probably the first time in the

EHOR probably the nfSt time IN lne
n history of Los Angeles as a mu-
N nicipality of importance, every
dominant department of the city will
be in perfect harmony and good gov
ernment is assured as a result, when
the new officers take their places the
first of the year.
1t has been many years since the
mayor and the council could work to-
gether with full assurance that the
executive department would support
the legislative branch and that legis-
lation would be of the character Of
which a conscientious executive could
approve.
The new council presents the best
material for committees that could be
selected 1t seems to be conceded that
Judge j. d. Works will be elected pres
ident Of the council and he will have
the appointment of the committees
! Had there been mixed council a
strong fight would have been made by
the machine councilmen against the
election of Works as president, Lyon,
| Healy and Yonkin declaring, before
election, they would not support him
for the place. But the sentiment of
the good government council was eX-
pressed by Martin Betkouski before
the election when he said:
''If Judge Works receives the high
est number of votes 1 will deem 1t my
duty to vote for him for president"
Will Be Businesslike
with the gavel in Judge Works
hand it is a foregone conclusion that
the council business will be conducted
in a businesslike manner, which is
something that has not happened in
the council chamber for five years at
least.
Some former presidents of the coun
ell would loll back in their big deep
chairs and let things go the way they
would. There was a well-grounded
suspicion that some were asleep half
the time. Others were willing to en-
force council rules, but were too mild
hammered and tried to preserve order
by gentle pleading. This method has
not worked effectually with the out
going council
But the council over which Judge
Works presides will come to order on
the dot or there will be no meeting.
The councimen will pay strict atten-
tion to the business before them or the
gavel will fall with a rap that can be
heard I'm the next block, and the Of
Tending lawmaker will probably hear
something from the president that will
make him think a minute.
With Works in the chair II is likely |
w ]. Washburn will be chairman Of |
the finance committee. as Mr.. wash
burn is banker and a noted finan-
cier. 1t seems probable that Andrews
and either Lusk or Betkouski will be
on this committee.
Every one of the three members Of
the finance committee will have to be
a wizard to pull the city out Of the
hole that the present council has
been making in the city's finances. The
general expense fund is exhausted and
the present council still has little
more than three weeks to make further
AS not one of them will
return TO office they probably will
make the most of their opportunity
% dig the hole still deeper and leave
but a deficit for the new coun-
I'll until the beginning of the fiscal
'ear next July.
Supply Committee Important
Another committee of Importance is !
he supply committee, which pur-
hases all the city's supplies and
which spends immense sums of money ,
very month. Either Betkouski or An
rews will probably be chosen as the :
hartman of this committee with Plant
nd Gregory as the other two /.
members.
The legislation committee should be !
s important a branch of the council
$ any, but the way 1t has been han I
led Tor the last three years IL mas d
cen nothing but a graveyard in which v
o bury measures that the council did Q
ot know what elese to do with or
1as afraid to touch. The method of v
he present legislation committee is to \
eport about once a year and then rec c
mmend that every measure referred Il
D it be filed. e
Judge Lusk seems the logical chair [
IAN for this committee and if he is G
is assured this committee will be
andled as it should be and not after
le Blanchard fashion.
May Become Active I,
Other standing committees are pub /,
c buildings. zanjas, sewers, fire and T,
ater, bouleVards, land, gas and light, 7
ater supply and bridges. With the
ossible exception of the Zanja com 7,
littee, which has not held a meeting -
many years and which is obsolete,
i these committees could be made tn
nportant parts of the machinery of ch
)Vernment but the plan of the outgo- III
g council was to do as little work In In
possible, and they were practically NJ
seless. as
The land committee was the only one pu
lat showed any activity and it was pa
tive to the point of perniciousness,
it bought a large number of lots as
r fire engine houses, paying excess in,
We prices in most cases and provid-
g lots enough for this purpose to VIC
st the city many years These lots to
ere purchased without consulting the yo
e commission. ,31 3I