Los Angeles herald., 1909-02-15
MAYORS RECALL
IS A CERTAINTY
HARPER'S DEFEAT CONCEDED
EVEN BY HIS FRIENDS
Election for Successor to Executive
Will Come in March-City Clerk
Says Petition IS Sufficiently
Signed

Everywhere in Los Angeles the set
tied conviction is apparent that Mayor
HarperS recall is a certainty. This
idea IS expressed in all sections of the
city and by many classes of people,
some of whom are not opposed to the
mayor, but they nevertheless admit his
defeat. The main interest now has
passed to the nomination of the man
To-. take his place. A general feeling
ex1sts tFlat the fifteen men whom Judge
Works has named under Instructions
from the citizens meeting will obtain
the consent of a man certain to fill the
office acceptably and to meet the de-
mand of the people for clean admin
istration.
City Clerk Lelande will complete his
verifcation of the recall petitions to-
DAY, or at least get so far that but lit
tie work VIII remain to be done before
the council meets tomorrow With
verificatiOn of a sufficient number of
the signatures of qualified electors,
which the city clerk says is now GER
tain, the calling of an election to vote
on the recall is mandatory on the
council.
The date for the election will prob
ably be set some day near March %.
No action or petition is necessary to
place Mayor Harper's name on the
ballot
If Mayor Harper does not wish to go
through the recall election he must de-
cline in writing in letter addressed
to the city council and his declinatiOn
must state generally the reasons why
he refuses to permit his name to be
voted on. In that case the only can
didates to be voted for would be those
nominated by petition, as in the case
of the man to be selected at the meet
ing Wednesday evening. 1t is said that
some of the mayors closest friends
have urged him to withdraw his name
as the most satisfactory way out of
what morning prO-vice paper has
termed "a nasty mess from any point
of view" The mayor has considered
the matter, but so far has not made
public his own opinion.
A member of the City club who is
interested in the success of the recall
movement in extending its influence
into the future for years to come has
studied particularly the extent of the
feeling in favor of supplanting Mayor
Harper.
Peoples Temper Remarkable
"There is a remarkable decisiveness
about the temper of the people," he said
yesterday. THE remarkable thing
about this movement is the judicial
way in which it has been carried for
ward and the similar attitude toward
it on the part of the average voter.
There is nothing frothy or bubbIing
about this campaign; it has the spirit
of determination, but with this goes
that quiet method that indicates the
man who knows what he is going about
and who intends to accomplish it,
This is so evident that 1 believe this
desire to have the city made and kept
decent will weave itself into the his
tory of Los Angeles from now on, You
see it evidenced so frequently that I
am convinced the citizens will not be
satisfied with any but the best admin
istration of their affairs. 1 have no.
ticed this thought several times when
Overhearing the conversation of men
who favor the degenerate system of
living-gamblers and others. sat next
to two of this gentry in a restaurant
last night, and their views struck me
as rather Illuminating
Believe me, this mayor gag is get
ting fierce, said one whom l have seen
selling racetrack sheets on Main street
What's biting of this town, anyhow? p
It's getting on the blink, there's no
doubt about it, his companion, an older
man, said. I guess the mayor is done
for, from what they tell me- There's
too many guys coming out here with a
small roll which they throw into D
house and leave enough to enjoy the
climate on. They never stay downtown
after IL o'clock. and they sure put the
storm signals out for wide open town.
The city was getting to be run right.
but the games going on this winter
won't be here when the next rainy sea-
son starts. If they keep on they won't
have any rainy season, they'll have the
place so dry It's surely on its way,
and I'd hate to put any coin into any
sort of 81 scheme just now even if had
all kinds Of a pull