Los Angeles herald., 1909-10-26
MUSHET PROVES
ARCH ENEMY OF
MUNICIPAL BAND
AUDITOR SHOWS HIMSELF
IN TRUE C0L0RS
WOULD ENGAGE LOWEST BID
DERs AS MUSICIANS
Man Who Opposed School Bonds Also
Does All In His Power to
obstruct Euterpe's
Fine Art

The big argument or the supporters
of ". c. Mushet's candidacy for mayor
in answer to the assertion that he has
endeavored seriously to hamper the
advancement of the schools Of Los
Angeles is that if ne is so great an
enemy to public progress why has he
not given another instance Of his
Enthusiastically hasn't he done 1t
again in some way? They have ad-
mitted, as has Mr.. Mushet, that ne
opposed the school bonds, but they
have argued that an isolated instance
is not a fair way to judge.
Well. that has been answered. Mr..
Mushet has gone and done it again.
1t seems that all he needed was the
opportunity, and that being presented
the city auditor was quick 10 snow
his opposition. 1t had not happened
again because the opportunity did not
come along, but one appeared last
week and Mr.. Mushet lost no time in
trying to kill it.
The instance is Illuminating because
it throws a broad searchlight on Mr..
Mushet's general attitude toward big
public questions. Worse than that, 1t
places him squarely on record regard
ing music and art--and an attitude
entirely consistent with his position in
narrowing the opportunities for edu-
cation.
Municipal Band Secured
The opportunity came with the for
mutation of plans for a municipal
band. Those interested in this had a
meager appropriation compared with
those which have brought so much
success in municipal plans for music
in eastern cities, and which is less
than that of Long Beach on one side
and Santa Barbara on the other. The
experience of many cities has shown
that a first class municipal band is not
only one of the best advertisements
possible for a resort city, but that it
has great possibilities in raising mu-
steal standards in the city. The mu-
nicipal band commission did not have
sufficient leeway to establish such
band as tourists might expect to find
in Los Angeles, but through sacrifices
on the part of Harley Hamilton and
the musicians they had every promise
of making an exceptional start. Even
at that they could not afford TO pay
enough to arrange evening concerts
when men and women compelled to
work during the day might hear them.
They put this aside as future hope,
and as the next best thing planned a
splendid series of twice-aweek after
noon concerts.
Mushet Gets Busy
But they forgot all about City Au-
ditor Mushet Not content with slam
ing away at education, he must take
a whack at music for the people. The
tenptation was too great. and he
whacked as hard as he could.
First he endeavored to tie every
thing up on technicalities for sixty or
ninety days, telling the commission
that it could not touch the money for
ha nd
everything be put under civil service
even to stenographic work at $5 a
month. AS a crowning slam he put
music on the same basis as groceries,
dry goods and similar supplies by in
sisting that it must be bought by con-
tract and thrown open to bids. Mr..
Mushet's idea in this was taken by
the commission to mean that a musi-
clan who will work for S6 or $8 a week
is the man to hire. Apparently Mr.
Mushet argues that IL he can buy the
c'ty's music and art and civic beautih-
cation in that way he can get it cheap
and hence continue to save Los An
geles from bankruptcy.
Bitter Disappointment
The commission did not see it that
way and refused to be even more con-
sistent and purchase a $2.98 talking
music machine to be placed in the city
moons. Instead, 1t raised a storm
about the city hall and will probably
succeed in slipping by Auditor Mushet
through the finance committee Of the
city council. When Mr.. Mushet in
sisted that he would tie up the appro-
priation on technicalities James Slau-
son offered to provide the money tenn
porarily, as all plans had been worked
out in detail and much would be los
by inability to get the musicians to
gether again. But when Candidate
Mushet went further in showing hi
opposition and endeavored to stoI
everything unless the music might b,
bought from the lowest bidder, ever
Mr.. Slauson became disgusted.
The commission was the more bit.
terly disappointed because it was &
fight for music for the people, a feat.
ure in which Los Angeles, although
widely famed as a musical city, has
been noticeably lacking. Musical peo
pie look for this, particularly wher
sitting out Of DOORS in Los Angeles
climate and the natural deduction tha
open-air concerts the year around
would be greatly encouraged here
The importance of this inspired thu
Municipal Band commission TO re
newed efforts in spite of the determi
nation of the city auditor to kill then
off, and they are now confident tha
they will have municipal concerts IL
spite OF Mr.. Mushet.
Ignores Improvement
In this connection it is of interes
to note that Mr.. Mushet absolutel,
ignores in his campaign any consider
alton of the general Improvement o
the city, of its Importance as a world
resort center-save his idea that th
saloons should run night and day sever
days in the week-of the necessity 70
free entertainment and of the beautifi
cation of the city. In fact. he has gon
on record as narrowly opposed to al
this and his hackers have notified tn
city that IL Mr.. Mushet is electe,
mayor he will simply be It's bookkeeper
watching the pennies and presumabl.
buying culture and art at wholesal
from the lowest financially responsible
bidder.
TO rub this fact in, the "Mushe
mayoralty organization" in a letter in
tended to be the keynote Of his cam
paign, laid this down as the Mushe
motto: "As citizens and taxpayers 0
this city vitalIy interested in its wei