Los Angeles herald., 1909-02-03
HUNDREDSADDED
TO PETITION FOR
HARPER'S RECALL
CITIZENS EAGER TO SIGN; CEN
SURE MAYOR
HERALD's CHALLENGE CAUSES
F, WIDE DISCUSSION
General Opinion Is That Issue Has
Been Put SquareIy Up to Execu=
tive in Matter of Promotion
Schemes

M HE topics of conversations yester-
day in connection with the recall
- movement were The Herald's
challenge to Mayor Harper, sometimes
referred to by the Los Angeles Times
as Eddie Morris bosom friend, A. c."
and the remarkable number of sigma
lures secured on the recall petitions.
The Herald's questions propounded
for the mayor to answer were widely
discussed yesterday. "There it is; it's
put up or shut up for Harper. now,
was the opinion reiterated in many
places. 1t was the general expression
that the matter was put to the mayor
in such manner that evasion and
calling of names would hereafter only
weaken his Gaze.
Il voted for Mayor Harper and
worked for him, but 1 began to regret
it when he first announced names of
his commissioners" said a Boyle
Heights man yesterday. Il felt that no
good would come Of his selections, and
since then 1 have felt so chagrined that
1 appreciate an opportunity to sign
lOI Lie l1loyOL . ACOceAAs - -
confess that 1 made a mistake in my
choice for mayor; if he were directly
my employe he would have been dis
charged and a more competent man
put in his place long ago. 1t is time
for the city to take like action, and to
get a mayor who can fill the job.
Time to Recall Harper
s.In fact, we have been too patient.
We have gone along when we knew
city affairs were not rightly admins
tered, saying: Give the mayor another
chance It hasn't done any good, and
it is high time to recall him.
1.-The Herald this morning in setting
the pertinent questions before the may
or so that he could say yes or no has
presented to Mayor Harper what ought
to be considered his last chance. He
has a chance, if he is man enough TO
meet it, and there are no circumstances
which make it l-nduly embarrassing Tor
him to answer, to come to the bat ana
vindicate himself If he does not meet
The Herald squarely his case must be
considered a tottering one. The Her
aid has assureGly put it UP to the may
or. and it ought to be for the last time.
So far he has ignored every opportun-
ity to set himself right if he has been
misjudged."
Another feature of yesterdays prog
ress in the recall campaign was the
manner in which voters placed their
names on the recall petitions. In many
nrecincts voters asked for the recall
canyassers Immediately after marking
their ballots, not waiting to. be ap-
preached.
push Tries Coercion
Machine workers tried out an attack
on the canvassers in the Sixty-tlrst
voting precinct early yesterday morn
ino hit if failed so miserably that they
abandoned that method. Roland 5.
Hafford was handling the petition at
that voting place, which was located
at 730 Banning street IN the Elghth
ward. Shortly after voting had COM
menced a party of men rode up in an
automobile and told Hafford, who had
secured a stand in front of resi-
dence in the neighborhood but outside
the legal limit. that they would have
him arrested if he did not cease his
efforts to secure signatures. He tela-
phoned to the Municipal leagues cam
naign headquarters for instructions.
seTeIl the whole bunch to go 30
Africa responded J. p. Steele, who is
in charge. and Hafford was not molest-
ed again after delivering the message.
The machine workers decided that
bIuffing tactics were useless, and can
vassers We're not molested elsewhere.
The campaign and resolution commit
tees authorized by the meeting Mon
day afternoon have not yet been an
nounced. Their appointments are in
the hands of Judge John D. Works, and
he said yesterday afternoon that he
had not had time to give the matter
consideration. They will be made up
toward the end of the week.
Stephens for "Fair Deal"
William D. Stephens was not pre-
pared yesterday to give his decision
regarding his acceptance of the offer
of the meeting to make him the candi-
date for mayor. 81 can only reiterate
what l said at the meetings" he said
Yesterday. "NIy acceptance depends
entirely on my wife's condition. If
possible will take up the standard
and make the most vigorous fight
know how And if / do accept and am
elected, 1 will see to it that every in
terest in Los Angeles gets absolutely a
fair, square deal.
It is not unlikely that the campaign
will be on a fighting basis by the close
of this week. The members of the ex-
ecutive committee of the Municipal
league believe that enough names to
force the recall will be secured by that
time. for it was evident that within
1000 of the required number had been
obtained by noon yesterday. The cam
paign subcommittee believes that from
now on it is practically a question of
checking up and getting the list into
shape to facilitate the work of the
city clerks force in certifying the petit
ton to the city council.
Nevertheless, the campaign for
names will go on vigorously until the
executive committee orders it discon-
tinued, and the canvassers will be kept
at it as usual today. Ali canvassers
have been directed to report in this
morning, and full count will be Sc
cured from the lists of both volunteer
and paid workers. Places where
voters may sign petitions today, in ad-
dition to the lists circulated generally,
are as follows:
Campaign headquarters, 4O1 Equit-
tContinued on Page Three)