Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1909-01-31
REBEL AGAINST
MACHINE POWER
MANY Committeeman WILL
SUPPORT AMENDMENTS
CHANGES NOS. 2 AND q IN CHAR.
TER MUCH FAVORED
Prominent Republicans Declare They
Will Not Permit Their Votes
to Be Delivered by
Leaders

assertion the managers of the political
machines are said to seek to convey
the impression that the organization
meaning the manipulators, backed by
the county central committees, especial
ly the Republicans solidly against
the amendments, especially Nos.
and 4.
But the railroad and the federal
brigade and the ward politicians, who
take orders, do not comprise the whole
Crgan1zatlon,' said an organization
man yesterday. There are members of
the committee who openly rebel against
being misrepresented in their attitude.
They will work as individuals in the
election on the adoption of the amend
ments, regardless of what may be the
action of the leaders,
Late Saturday it was learned that
several members of the Republican CEN
tral committee were inquiring by what
right the marty leaders were saying the
organization would fight the amend
ments, especially the one providing for
the election Of councilmen at large and
the other for a direct primary.
Several members of the committee
were seen during the afternoon, and
they promptly and emphatically repu-
dated the leaders who had sought to
make the public believe that any Off
c1al action had been taken by the or
ganization in opposition to the amend
ments. Among the replies received to
the question whether the committee
men had been consulted in the matter
and had acted on the amendments these
are given as specimens:
Personal Views Given
Kemper B. Campbell, precinct So
Well, can tell you one thing, and that
is the leaders can't deliver my vote. I
never heard of the organization taking
any part in the charter amendment
matter at all. 1 am in favor of both
Nos. and 4, for l believe they are
good measures.
G. A. Fay, precinct 35-T am in favor
of the two amendments, and no one on
earth has any right to try to deliver
my vote.
Emil Firth, precinct 81 am an indie
pendent and free man, and am in favor
OF the charter amendments Nos 2 and
4. never heard the organization would
oppose the amendments. I can promise
you the machine won't do anything in
my precinct.
George Bradbeer, precinct 49, am
for the amendments, first last and all
the time. Anybody assuming to be
boss would have a hard time trying to
deliver my vote on the subject The
committee, as a committee, certainly
has taken no action against the amend
ments.
Charles H. Randall, precinct 2-If the
railroad machine operators and their
I1eutenants seek to convey the impress
sion that the Republican organization.
Which should include the central COM
mlttee, Is working against the amend
ments they are practicing deception. OF
course, the clique of leaders in the ma
chlne politics are expected to do what
they can to defeat the amendments.
but 1t is fraud to imply that the whole
organization is behind the opposition
Walter Mallard, precinct 42-As city
official 1 don't like to be quoted In this
matter, but the committee as a whole
has not been consulted as to the atti-
tude upon the question of the amend
ments.
Views on Nos. 2 and a
As examples of the expressions re-
ce1Ved from the citizens who were
asked what they think of the two
the following are given:
Pomeroy E. Powers, former council
man for the Fourth ward-The direct
primary is an excellent thing and
should have been adopted long ago. AS
for the election of councilmen at large,
my personal preference is for a double
house, one from the wards and one
chosen at large. Yes, 1 know the St.
Louis grand jury says the grating
there was all done by the councilmen
elected from the wards and that the
upper house is composed of higher class
and honest men, and I believe it.
]. T. Fitzgerald of Fitzgerald Music
company-I have just returned from
the Orient and have had no time to
give the proposed amendments as much
thought as hope to give them. but it
seems to me from what understand of
the two they are good and should be
adopted.
Col. ]. B. Neville, broker-I believe
both of the proposed amendments are
good and will vote for them.
H. D. Mathus, former councilman for
the Third ward and fire commissioner
The provision for the election of coun-
cilmen at large is a good one, and the
one for the direct primary is the best
plan ever devised. observation-disclosures
should be adopted.
John w. A. Off, 1908 Figueroa street
am in favor of both amendments q
and most heartily. They should be
adopted in the charter.
E. A. Miller, real estate-You may put
me down as favoring both amendments.
I will do what I can to bring about
the adoption of both measures in the
charter
G. E. Bittinger, vice president First
National bank-Both the proposed
are good and should be
adopted The election of councilmen at
large would have the effect of putting
better men in Office and the direct pri-
marv would do away with machine
politics.
Real Estate Man Talks
Harry Mayberry, real estate-I live
In Alhambra and do business in Los
Angeles, and though 1 cannot vote here
l have an interest in the city govern
ment. 1t is true I am affiliated with
the regular Republican organization,
but am in favor of amendment No. T.
providing for the direct primary. AS
for the other amendments, I think II
prefer the double header with an up
per house elected at large to keep track
Of the fellows in the lower house who
are elected by the wards. All big af-
fairs involving the finances of the city
should be handled by the upper house,
and strictly local improvements could
be looked after by representatives of
the respective wards.
The proposed amendments Nos. 9 and
f. providing for the election of council
men at large and for direct primaries.
have been Endorsed by various civic or
CARNATIONS.
Among these are the MunicipalI
sociations, Voters league, Lincoln
Roosevelt Republican league, City club,
Democratic league and various other
Democratic League Acts
At a meeting of the board Of direc- |
tors of the Democratic league yester-
day morning the following resolutions
were adopted favoring proposed char
ter amendments Nos. 1, and A. to be |
voted next Tuesday. These three pro-
posed amendments were regarded as |
facf iv,1,,