Los Angeles herald., 1909-06-13
CONSOLIDATION
IS DISCUSSED
CITY ATTORNEY HEWITT AD-
DRESSES CITY CLUB
DECLARES MERGER OF CITIES is
NECESSARY
Speaker Shows Future Growth of Los
Angeles Entirely Depends on Mu-
nicipaiity Having Seaport
of Its Own

"What Consolidation Means to
Southern California was the subject
of an address delivered by City At
torney Leslie r. Hewitt, at the City
club yesterday noon.
In discussing the subject Mr. Hew-
lit did not go into the matter eXten-
sively from an economic view, but
confined himself largely to the neces-
sity for consolidation to preserve the
very life of Los Angeles and her sister
cities.
Every city which has meant any
thing in history, every city which has
made it's influence felt on successive
generations, has been situated on the
seacoast," said Mr.. Hewittt we see
why this is so when we stop and con-
slider what a seaport means to us.
'There is a certain element of the
romantic about the history of Los An
geles. The Spanish, who were our pi-
oneer settlers, were more concerned
about the physical and moral Well
being of the few inhabitants than they
were with the commercial advance
ment of the little pueblo where they
settled. That is the reason why we
began twenty miles from the sea coast
and we grew up WiiCAO NO DStoHAA''
it is opportune to here call attention
to the contemplated step of consoh-
dation which will mark definitely the
past and future of Los Angels.
"We.are now the center of a popuia-
tion of more than a half million and
we must have commercial advantages,
and the advantages which we peneVe
will come with consolidation Will make
this once inland village seaport OF
this great republic.
"It is we'll to consider what is IN
tended by the union of Los Angeles
and the harbor cities.
Seaport Is Necessary
"It was realized twenty years ago
that there would come time when
the sea coast would be necessary TO
our continued growth. A contest was
carried on at Washington, for we were
then too little and too weak to have
much voice in the matter, and 1t was
necessary to commit the national gov
ernment to some choice. The struggle
resulted in the selection of San Pedro
bay as the best site for harbor, ana
in this connection [ wish to give all
honor to Senator stephen M. White,
who did so much in this regard. But
when this matter was determined we
were still twenty miles from the sea
coast. MuHlcIpdllllto DH5ehh ~ .
IN on the sea coast and the control or
this harbor was divided among these
small cities. There was no central
lied responsibility, and as result pri-
vate enterprises easily secured control
of a large part of the water frontage.
eve saw all this going on, but
could not stop it. And then we con-
ceived the idea of running our 'shoe-
string strip to the very gates of VIII
/ a1,.a a nnfIfi0n
for this annexation election was cir
culated in forty-eight hours. The
thousands of signatures necessary for
the election could not have been Sc
cured in such a short time unless the
people believed in the project and con-
sidered 1t for the best interests of the
public good.
"This has brought us to the union
of cities. We can no longer live and
prosper as health resort. We must
have commercial advantages for our
very life. This question concerns not
merely our prosperity but our very ex-
istence This we can see clearly, but
we, must consider what San Pedro and
Wilmington will gain by the union.
viii Advance Prosperity
at wduld be no advantage to these
two cities to simply be within the linn
their material advancement. We
amended our charter to provide for
nublic docks. warehouses and railways
and the issuance of bonds to finance
these projects. That means we as a
municipality are going into the busi-
ness of docking and transportation we
have prepared a way in which all cl-
ties united can best accomplish com
mercial supremacy, and united we Will
1oI1 n enforce Will.
If consolidation becomes effective,
surely the interests of one community
are the interests of another. If 1t is
to the interest of Los Angeles to go
to the seashore, it is to the interest
of San Pedro and Wilmington to come
to Los Angeles.
Terminal rates are fixed at the sea-
shore and we can transport our COM
modities by sea. There is as yet no
monopolv of the sea, and even if there
was. the federal government has gone
into the seaside business itself. 1t mas
purchased the Panama railroad ana
a line of steamships on the Atlantic,
and public sentiment will demand
similar line on the Pacific coast. The
bill introduced into congress to pro-
vide for the Pacific line of steamers
will not sleep; the whole Paciflc coast
Is committed to it and alert in its ln-
terests.
1--WE readily voted bonds for the
owens river project and we will be as
ready to finance our harbor project.
The problems of Southern California
are fresh water and salt water. we
have the one and are likely soon to
have the other Every consideration
demands and makes it our solemn
duty to carry the consolidation matter
at the polls. Some elections are per-
mitted to go by default, but we must
register as emphatic vote in the aftir-
native for consolidation as we did Tor
the owens river matter"
Gantain T.. T. Hanson and M. L.
Camnbell of San Pedro and c. 5. cary
of Wilmington, members of the COM
solidation committee, spoke briefly on
what it meant to their cities to be
consolidation with Los Angeles.