Los Angeles herald., 1909-07-23
OLD ARGUMENT USED
BY OFFICIAL ORGAN
Town Paper Issues Specious Warning
Against Iidaton-Advocate
of Proposition RidlcuIe AL
legations Made in Editorial

SAN PEDRO, July 22.-The old "ter-
mlnal rate argument" is again being
used by the official organ of this city
in the hope of making votes against
the consolidation measure. Although
even the committee from the local
chamber of commerce were convinced
that the pledges of all of the civic
and commercial bodies of Los Angeles
settled the terminal rate argument,
the wharf rat editor now endeavors
to raise the issue again.
consolidation prior to the granting
of terminal rating privileges to San
Pedro means no terminal rates for this
waterway point until after the COM
pletion of the Panama canal" states
the editorial this evening. THE au-
thority for this statement the writer
continues, sis no less an authority than
Traffic Agent Graham of the Southern
Pacific, who made the emphatic state
ment that consolidation means no ter
minal rates for San Pedro
The few readers of this newspaper,
who daily scan the sheet for gems
of this nature, are wondering how the
unqualified statement" of Mr.. Graham
that consolidation means no terminal
rates. can now be so qualified by the
bitter opponent to the merger of the
cities, that he is willing to infer that
San Pedro may possibly have terminal
rates even If she unites with Los An
geles and the Panama canal Is opened
to traffic.
The terminal rate question is not
botherng the minds of the voters here
excepting those who are cropping for
some excuse to offer for their stand
against consolidation.
Paper Is Quoted
The editorial tonight continues:
"Do not overlook the fact that the
San Pedro consolidation committee is
made up of real estate dealers, doc
tors and employees of the consolidation
press of Los Angeles city. Figure 1t
out, If you can, where, when and by
what means, any member of that COM
mittee has ever done anything for the
betterment of San Pedro. What inter-
est has the majority membership of
that committee in forcing consolida-
ton on this city? The hope of boom
or the salaries which they are draw
ing down for boosting the scheme of
the Los Angeles jobbers. Deny this
statement If you CAM"
The citizens OF this city have been
busy the past few weeks appologizing
for the actions of its public servants
and are daily humiliated by stangers
inquiring about the attitude of the To-
cal daily paper which Is supposed
above all things to boost its home
town. These same citizens do not
need to apologize for their consolida-
tion committee made up, as It is, of
doctors, druggists. contractors, insur-
ance and real estate agents merchants,
hotel keepers and representative work.
ingmen.
Man for man they compare very
favorably, in the minds of the voters
of this city, with the leaders and the
following of those who would obstruct
the progress of this city by blocking
consolidation.
The official knocker of consolidation
dares anyone to answer its silly argu-
ments, but most of the citizens of this
city have long ago ceased to pay much
attention to its idle prattle. The
stranger who picks UP the sheet, how
ever, does not know the "inside his
tory" as well as the residents here,
and 1t is sometimes necessary to call
the attention of the outside world
to the "exact facts" concerning the
obstruetionist who would so mold pub
lie opinion as to maintain it's own
monopoly at the expense. of the whole
people who will receive the recognized
benefits after San Pedro becomes a
part of Greater Los Angeles.