Los Angeles herald., 1909-09-20
INDEPENDENCE

~ AN FRANCISCO BULLETIN is
sues the following challenge to
/ ~ Los Angeles: "All the Los An
geles talk about dividing the state 10,
of course, nonsense. It wouldn't divide
the state if it could and it couldn't if
1t would"
San Francisco in her cid age has
surely ceased to be observant, or she
would be aware the popularity of the
Los Angeles way is, Los Angeles plans
and does. As to whether or not there
will be state division rests principally
1 with South California. The over
whelming public. sentiment is in favor
of state division, not mereley as a
protest against the unjust discrimina-
ton against the south by the northern
members Of the board Of unequaliza-
ton, but as precaution.
The interests of South California
and of the citizens who have made
their homes here and the thousands
Eho are coming here in constant
stream must be protected. Our city
must be able to guarantee to all the
new chums square DEAL" and there
can be no square deal while the state
operates the tax levy for the benefit
Of a lection of the state d for the
injury of another section of the state
The Bulletin, in its anxiety to dem
onstrate the iuferiority of the city
which has been fined by the northern
ers, says a strong proof of the supe-
riority Of San Francisco is the fact
the circus, (which remains five days
in San Francisco and two in Oakland,
stayed only two days in Los Angeles.
Our councilmen will perhaps remem-
Der the circus protested against the
special tax it had to pay in Los Angeles.
and the circus press agent stated pub
liely and vociferously that if 1t had not
been for the special license tax levied
the circus would have remained here
for one week of fourteen performances
1t was in order to protest against the
license fee the circus shortened its
stay in Los Angeles; and yet many
citizens Of Los Angeles sympathized
with the city and not with the circus
81 LAAC Controversy Ol lIlE result OIL
which the Bulletin is now making
such droll and mistaken misuse.
There is no reason why a nomadic |
show which comes into a great city |
to compete with permanent entertain |
ments which are taxpayers should not
pay a special tax in recognition Of
the fact it is competing with tax
payers, and is also taking out of the
city, after paying all expenses, vast
sums in profits, for as everybody |
in the business" : ws full we'll, Los
Angeles is the best show town in the
west.
The north has not improved matters
by dragging the circus into the con-
troversy.
The fact is a young, vigorous, thriv-
ing community of phenomenal growth
and prosperity is being leeched by
the partisan agents of a much older
community with a great accumulation
of bank deposits and investment of
capital dating back for fully three
quarters of a century, during which
the commerce of the city, instead of
being delivered to the railroad beasts
of prey like that of Los Angeles, has
had the benefit Of a landward expan-
sion and of a harbor. The equaliza-
ton outrage is an attempt to bottle
up Los Angeles, and this community
will burst the bottle, even though she
have to break the bands of statehood
and begin the independent career to
which the laws of nature and ma
ture's God entltle her.