Los Angeles herald., 1909-02-02
NAME STEPHENS
PEOPLES CHOICE
AGAINST HARPER
CRISIS DEMANDS STRONG MAN
is SENTIMENT
NOMINEE STANDS FOR FAIR
DEAL AT ALL TIMES
Meeting of Representatives of Civic
Bodies Unanimous in Selection of
Candidate for Office of
Mayor
Continued from Page One,

| O1LCI d lie TOdQ the
ing resolution and moved it's adop-
ton:
! Whereas, Proceedings have been in
| augurated, pursuant to the salutary
provisions of the organic law of Los
| Angeles, for the removal of the city's
chief magistrate; and
| Whereas, Petitions are being circu-
| lated which, when signed by electors tC
the number of 20 per cent Of the vote
cast for mayor at the last city election
will make it the duty of the city coun-
| ell to order an election for the choice oI
a successor to the incumbent; and
! Whereas, We, in mass meeting as
sembled, have been called and convened
to express our choice Of a candidate fol
mayor of Los Angeles; and
| Whereas, The conditions confronting
us demand that some good citizen, wei
known throughout the city as a man
| of high character, be now selected and
named as a candidate for maYor as q
| part of the movement to elect a sue
| CeSSor to the incumbent for whose re-
| call more than three-fourths of electors
necessary thereto have signed petitions
and
Whereas, the moral life of this city
as well as its material well being, de-
| rends upon the election Of man of un-
| unpeachable integrity, large experience
and broad vision, in whom are COM
| b'ned the wisdom to see and the firm
ness to do the right; and
| Whereas, The crisis through which
our city is passing makes it impera-
lively essential that partisanship be put
| aside and that the leader selected to
| lead US in the impending battle foI
! clean government be chosen solely be-
! cause of his known determination to
| consider only the highest and best in
! tereSts of our city, regardless of per-
Sonal, political or party considerations;
| Now, therefore, believing him to pos
sess the qualifications above enumerat-
ed, we hereby select and name as ouI
| choice for mayor our fellow tOWnsman
! William D. Stephens; and he it further
Resolved, That the chair appoint i'm
mediately a committee of three to wait
| upon William d. Stephens and notify
| him Of the action Of this assemblage
and further that the chair also appoint
a committee of twenty-five to take
! charge of the preparation, circulation
| and filing of the requisite petitions OF
| certificates of nomination of our said
! choice for mayor and to manage or as
sist in managing his campaign"
| Mr.. Finlayson was forced to pause
several times when the applause and
cheering interrupted him. The resolu-
| tions were typewriter, but the name
| had been left blank and written in later
with a pen. When the name of Mr..
Stephens was mentioned the cheers
were enthusiastically continued for sew
eral minutes.
To Serve Railroad
1--WE are now passing through a seri-
Gus crisis in the affairs of our city,
said Mr.. Finlayson in moving the adop-
tion of the resolution, "a crisis which
involves not alone the cleanliness of our
government but our own liberty as
| [1.s- Z
appear, think, to the satisfaction OF
men of clear vision that the opponents
are on the one hand banded together to
serve the leading railroad corporation
of this state. This city is indeed the
stronghold of that corporations fight
today. On the other hand will'be found
citizens brought together to protect
their rights.
Now is the time we want a leader.
The people have the right to know for
whom they may have a chance to vote.
First and foremost, the leader in this
! fight should be a man of inVincible
| courage, not afraid to meet any situa-
| ton and say yes or no as that situation
may require. Give US such a leader and
! this movement will certainly go on to
victory.
He should be a man of large vision
and man of tolerant views, willing to
| listen to the rights of all classes and
then act upon his own judgment and
fearlessly ready to take the conse-
quences, with an eye single to the rec
titude of the course he lays out. He
should be a man of broad experience,
for an inexperienced man cannot escape
the pitfalls which will beset him on
every side. He should be a man who
combines firmness and tactfulness with
the qualities of a quiet, dignifed, honor
able gentleman who will act for the
| best interests of the city.
You have all these combined in our
fellow townsman, Mr.. Stephens, who
has lived among you for many years,
and if elected will be mayor of whom
all will be proud and of whom no one
will be compelled to make excuses"
Maj. w. R. Burke seconded the adop-
| tion of the resolution, calling attention
to the work of Mr.. Stephens in bring
ing about the establishment of the
board of public works.
Cheers Greet Stephens
The resolutions were adopted by a
unanimous rising vote, and with con-
tinued cheering. II think Mr. Stephens
is now in the hail." said Major Burke,
and there were calls of 'Stephens
Stephens!" He was sought out and
pushed forward to the platform, men in
the audience standing on chairs and
waving their hats While they cheered
him. More than three-fourthS of those
present, old men and young, were on
their feet for several minutes.
When the enthusiasm had quieted,
Mr.. Stephens said:
"A serious situation in the govern
ment of this city confronts us, and
what is done here today will not only
affect the present municipal life of this
city but will also affect the near and
far future.
1.-The greatest and the gravest ques-
tion before the people OF Los Angeles
today is the Owens river water propo-
sition Our people voted ten to one in
agreement to spend 23,000,000 to bring
the Owens river water here, and in
that vote they registered their belief
that they were to have also every good
that could come with it.
''NoW the revenue derived from the
sale of Owens river water will pay the
interest on the bonds and gradually
pay off the bonds themselves. But,
mark you, the revenues derived from
the sale of electric power generated
from owens river water will not only
in themselves pay all interest on bonds,
but in a comparatively few years will
pay off every dollar Of those bonds.
Influences at Work
ALREADY influences are at work to
control these vast possibilities, and it
will not be long before they will be in
day shall say it shall not be. Every
man, woman and child who lives in the