Los Angeles herald., 1909-04-03
MAYOR CHOOSES
THE MEMBERS OF
POLICE BOARD
ASKS GRAHAM AND STEPHENS
TO SERVE
THOMAS BRoADHEAD TO RESIGN
AS CHIEF
Alexander Says Department Will
Have New Head from OUT
side Its Own
Ranks
C. GRAHAM, chairman of the
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recall committee which managed
Ne Mayor Alexander's campaign
and Judge Albert M. Stephens, prom
inent attorney, are to be the first two
members of the new police commission.
Mayor Alexander yesterday announced
that he had rendered a seat on the com
mission to Mr.. Graham and he had ac-
cepted, and also that he had offered
place to Judge stephens, but so far Mr..
Stephens has not given a definite de-
cision. 1 expect it early tomorrow.
'I am awaiting Judge Stephens de-
cision before taking any further action
In appointing the police commission,
said Mayor Alexander yesterday. 1
find myself hampered somewhat py the
charter requirement that prohibits more
than two persons of the same politlcai
party from serving on commission. Ii
could disregard this l could name
good commissions in few minutes, out
when have to consider their political
affiliations l find 1t difficult the old
police board will sit next Monday as IL
is necessary for the members to act as
n pension board and as my appointees
cannot be confirmed by the council
until Tuesday"
Chief from Outside Department
The mayor made an important an
nouncement when he stated last night
that he would look outside the police
department for a new chief' or ponce.
1t is important in two particulars. Ii
sets at rest any doubt as to the pos
sibility that Chief Broadhead might re-
main and 1t is a denial that any of the
members of the present police force
will be given this high office. Lieut..
Dixon and Sergt. Sebastian both visited
the mayor yesterday. Sebastian ana
- Mayor Alexander have been friends 1or
many years and Dixon has wanted to
be chief of police for long time. But
neither of these will be appointed. MT.
Alexander said so emphatically.
'The police department Is torn with
petty pealousies and chickering's, and 1t
would be unfair to get one clique IN
authority over another" said the
mayor But l am going to have
good chief of police, one who VIII en-
force the laws Under the former ad-
-ministration the police were AFRAID 20
enforce the laws. They dared not lift
hand for fear they would do some
thing that would bring down the dis
pleasure of those in authority.
Practically all the commissioners
nave resigned except some of those on
the less important boards. DIR. Dickson
is the only member of the health board
who has given the,new mayor his writ
ten resignation, but the others Will fol-
low suit. DIR. Sherwin Gibbons has
been offered place on the health
board, but has not yet accepted.
Powers to Stay
"Rut do not propose to appoint men
To this board who will interfere with
DR.. L. NJ Powers" said the mayor. L
believe thoroughly in the health off1cer.
He is the right man in the right place,
and as far as I am concerned he can
stay there.
ing commission has rendered his resig-
nation. Outside of the four boards of
which he is the official head, Mayor
Alexander has given little thought to
the commissions, but he declared yes
terday he wanted Dana w. Bartlett on
the housing commission If there was
place for him. Mrs. Willoughby Rod
man of the playground commission
called up the mayor on the telephone
Yesterday and offered her resignation,
but the mayor told her he wanted her
and Miss Bessie Stoddard, the secre-
tary to remain.
''There are several persons who have
tried hard to get on the police COM
mission said Mayor Alexander. but
believe that when man seeks such
an office that carries with it no salary
SO assiduously as some of them are do
ing he is a good man to leave alone. 1
have told several of them the same
thing today"
constant stream of visitors poured
in the mayors office all day, and he
had little time to do more than receive
them signing a large number of de-
mands between their coming and going.
But he has reversed his opinion about
the rubber stamj When he first took
office he declared he did not want
rubber stamp, as he believed they were
dangerous, but he soon saw that un-
less he did have q stamp he would
oil hfc time signing dOcnmentS
"I don't believe this city elected me
to do clerical work only" said the
mayor when he became convinced that
II would be impossible for him to get
along without stamp.
Public Approves Appointments
The appointments of Mr.. Graham and
Judge Stephens to the police board
meet with the approval of good citizens
generally, and even those who fought
Mayor Alexander through the recall
campaign admit that he is picking
strong, clean men for his commits
sioners.
Mr. Graham is prominent oil man,
but the extent of his business has not
kept him out of theN combat for clean
notifies He has been a lifelong Re-
publican, but has frequently expressed
ago he managed the non-partisan
ship in municipal affairs yields the
best results for the city. Three years
ago he managed the non-partizan
county campaign, and from the same
sense of duty he accepted the chair
manship of the recall campaign com
mittee His associates in the recall
campaign testify to the energy and de-
Termination Mr.. Graham infused into
the fight, and believe he will prove of
like value to the mayor in carrying out
the difficult work of the police COM
mission.
Judge A. M. Stephens, if he accepts
the position offered him by Mayor
Alexander, will give legal strength to
the police commission. He is a keen
student of civic progress in various
parts of the country and has kept UP
with municipal experiments toward
civic betterment and the reasons for
their success or failure. For this rea-
son Mayor Alexander is anxious to
secure him as one of his official ad-