Los Angeles herald., 1909-12-28
ONE YEAR AGO
From the Pacific Outlook.


WY L have travelled so far politically
w in the last twelve months thai
w it is difficult to realize what
was going on in the municipality only
a year ago, and we all living here and
enduring it.
The mayor then was Arthur Har-
per, just about to enter upon the third
year of his administration. Not much
had been expected of him when he
was elected, and he was amply full
filling expectations. His appointments
had been almost uniformity bad. He
had filled up his commissions with
second-rate people, unkowns, politi-
clans, with here and there a notable
exception. An atrocious police admin
istration was in full swing. Races
were under way at Arcadia and the
city overflowed with touts, gamblers,
confidence men and loose women. Sa-
loon regulations We're not enforced.
A recognized redlight district was run
under police supervision. Holdups and
burglaries We're incessant. Everybody
believed that the city government, at
least that part of it that centered
around the police, was rotten with
graft. The surface indications all went
toward the proof of 1t. Some months
before, T. L. Woolwine, the city rep
resentative of the district attorney s
office, had undertaken to show what
was going on but was driven from
Office by the Parker machine, ana
mercllessly ridiculed by the Times,
which was supporting and working
with the grafters y majority of the
city council, which was part of the
Southern Pacific machine, stood in
with every rascally scheme that was
nut forward. The protests of citizens
and of civic organizations and OF the
honest newspapers were met with
sneers and insolence from those in
power
It was the dark hour that precedes
the dawn. Just about this time
year ago Mayor Harper announced
his intention TO appoint Ed Kern 10
succeed D. *. Edwards of the board
of public works. whose term expired
January l. Mr.. Kern was river
bed franchise councilman, and he had
been serving two years as chief Oh
police.
year before this time-two years
ago now-Mr. Anderson's term had run
out. He had taken the place III the
beginning only because number OF
his fellow citizens had convinced nm
that it was his duty to do so; ana II
was his wish now to leave the board
But such a demand went up for his
reappointment as never had been
heard in the city with respect to any
man; all the civic bodies, all the COM
mercial bodles-including many or
ganizations quite unaccustomed to act
on such matters-passed resolutions
urging him to continue in service, ana
begging the mayor to reappolnt nm
AT last. the mayor declared that ne
would offer the place TO Mr.. Anderson
il he would take it, and MI Anderson
said he would accept. This was sup
posed to settle it.
But Mr.. Harper broke his word. n
neWspaper "had the drop on nm
and compelled him to bestow the posi-
tion on a fatorite of it's proprietor
AS the appointee was honest and or
good standing the people stood for IT,
but from that time forth Authur mar
ner was held in profound contempt
hv great numbers of people who mad
formerly been his friends and we'll
wishers. -. -..,,. ,,o
But the appointment of Kern was the
last straw. 1t was known that MI
Hubbard was in poor health-he mas
since regained his strength and Vigor
we are clad to say-and it was feared
that there might soon be another va
cancv to fill on the board. That Woulu
give the Parker Harper Times combine
Complete control, with what results
TO the auueduct no one dared to thlnk;
The Municipal league protested ana
the Democratic league, The Herald, the
Express, yes, and the Record, when
nm 10 that time had stood for the right
in civic matters. Harper and MS
friends leaned back in their chairs and
laughed long and loud. Let the people
kick and roar. What of it? The re-
call? No danger. If anyone proposed
irving it on, the Times was to raise an
oitcry that it would "lnjure business"
and that would mighty soon put a stop
to it.
Such was the status of things year
ago this time What has happened
since? The splendid crusade of The
Herald. under that intrepid defender of
civic honor, T. E. Gibbon, began early
in January. Is vice protected in Los
Angeles? he asked, and he answered 1t
with facts that burned into the peo-
ple's memories When the Municipal
league threw open it's lists for the re-
call, the signatures came in at the rate
of 1000 a day. Then came the desper-
ate hunt for a candidate, with the