Los Angeles herald., 1909-11-21
AN UNCLE ALECK TOWN"
OR WHAT?

DdllOJS at Jne coming election JlldI lIie
town Of Los Angeles no longer be an
Uncle Aleck town."
Our contemporary does not favor us
with it's definition of an "Uncle AleclS
town" neither does it favor us with
definition of the kind of town that
may be accepted as the converse of
an Uncle Aleck town." and which is,
presumably, the kind of town that our
contemporary favors. However, mas
much as Los Angeles for seven months
past has had, and at the present time
has, at the head of its government
the Uncle Aleck" to whom our con-
temporary objects, and whom it in
vites citizens to vote against, we may
assume that it is at the present time
an Uncle Aleck town." and therefore
that If we ascertain just what sort
of town Los Angeles is we will have
reached the proper definition of an
Uncle Aleck town." which our con-
temporary doesn't like.
Let us see just what Los Angeles
is at the present day.
During the past two weeks Los An
geles has broken several records Of
history that is so full of wonders Of
progress that no other town for years
has broken any one of these records.
First-Its banks a few days ago
broke their records for business trans
acted IN one day; the clearing house
records Showing more business trans
acted upon a certain day since the
first Of this month than was ever
transacted by the banks Of Los An
geles in any one day before.
Second-Since the first of the current
month piece of real estate on Broad
way has sold at a front foot price
which broke all price records that have
been heretofore made by the wonder
full real estate market of our city.
Third-The bank statements just
published show that the banks of the
city have broken all records Of the
past in the amount of money on de-
posit.
Fourth-The building records for the
first two weeks of the current month
show over 100000 in permits issued
or double the amount for the same
period a year ago. And when the fact
is considered that this great amount
being invested in buildings does not
involve q single large structure. but
is almost entirely confined to homes
under process of construction, it will
be seen that the city is breaking an
other record in that there are at the
present time under construction in the
city of Los Angeles more homes than
were ever under construction before
at any one period. And this brings
us to a fifth record which Mayor Alex
ander, or Uncle Aleck.' as our con-
temporary prefe. IS to call him, has
broken There has been no time in the
history of the city that the laws have
been so thoroughly enforced as they
are today and never a time when life
in the city has been So clean, decent
and free of Objectionable features. In
fact, the life of the city today would
be as nearly perfect and free from un-
desirable elements as human power
can make II were the city blessed with
a city council that would adequately
second the efforts of Mayor Alexander.
TIE few undesirable elements still
left in our city life owe their exist
ence to the votes of a majority Of the
city council led by three members
Of that council, to-wit: Healy, Yon-
kin and Lyon, who are candidates for
reelection.
Our contemporary with its well
known blindness for everything that is
patent to people of ordinary intelli-
gence enforced by proper moral
sense, can probably see no connection
between the fact that the laws max
ing for decent living are so well en-
forced, and the further fact that we
are now breaking a record in the num-
ber Of homes under construction. But
others not so obtuse will see a distinct
connection between the two facts.
By this process of reasoning, hav-
ing ascertained what the Times means
by an Uncle Aleck town." let US see
what its definition would be Of a town
not an "Uncle Aleck town." and there
fore a town worthy of its admiration
and support.
We can probably best answer this
question by recalling to mind the kind
Of town that the last city administra-
ton supported by our contemporary
gave us, when that administration
was in existence. Before Los Angeles
became an Uncle Aleck town." as a
result Of the recall, 1t possessed a city
government which protected and pro-
NOTED vice in its most flagrant forms.
A tax was levied by the city officials
upon this vice, which went into their
pockets as graft. Gambling was ram
pant in the city with hardly a pre-
tense Of any concealment of it's eX-
/ istence. The laws We're notoriously
violated for a price. That is, any sa-
loonkeeper would purchase an interest
/ in certain corporations officered or
controlled by the city officials; he also
/ by that act purchased the right to vio-
! late the laws governing the conduct
| Of his business and exercised that right
/ if he cared so to do The principal
effort of the men in control Of the
city government appeared to be to in
crease all sorts of official positions
whose incumbents would be paid sal
aries out of the money contributed
by the taxpayers. This kind of gov
ernment the Times supported by sup
porting the man at the head of il
/ when an effort was made to relieve