Los Angeles herald., 1909-09-18
FARISH OUTLINES
STRONG POLICY
SPEAKERS ATTACK S. P. RUMP
CONVENTION
DECLARE DELEGATES ARE BUT
TOOLS OF MACHINE
Mattison B. Jones Declares People
Should Be Allowed Freely to
Express Their Will at
Primaries

Normandie hall at Normandie avenue
and Jefferson street last night bite ly
attacked the "rump" convention ana
Southern Pacific attempts to dlscredlt
the direct primary provision OF the
city charter.
1T is the opinion of Mr.. Parish that
the people should express their VIII
at the primaries and not at so-calleu
conventions" said Mattison B. Jones,
who presided. In other words, he be-
Iieves in law, and is willing to abide
by the law; he is not afraid to leave
the right of choice to the people"
Charles ". Weldon also took Wig
orous fling at the machine and Soutn-
ern Pacific methods, and assured the
audience that they would not be IN
tected into Los Angeles city govern
ment with the assistance of Mr..
Parish.
Grove E. Walter declared himself a
Republican, but said that party poll
tics should have no part in municipal
campaigns He declared that the
people of Los Angeles had emphat-
ically declared for this and that more
important issues are now pending.
Raps the Machine
'T don't think the Republicans are
going to have a convention" said Mr..
Walter "They are not Republicans;
they are men who take orders. l sat
in the last Republican convention.
-oout a minute and a half before the
vote was taken / was told how to
vote. I didn't vote that way, but my
vote was recorded that way just the
same. Every man who goes to that
convention cannot sit in it until he
has paid So for the privilege of being
told what to do by Walter Parker"
Frank F. Pratt, who was introduced
as a Republican, spoke of Mr.. Parish
as a sincere man, which he gave as
a most important qualification in a
mayoralty candidate. He was followed
by D. F. McGarry and Thomas R.
Crosswell.
Mr.. Parish formally launched his
campaign for mayor at the MEETING
in his own neighborhood. The follow
ing speech by Mr. Parish outlined his
platform, in which he emphasized the
Importance of close attention to proper
water development, harbor building
and control, consolidation of city and
county government, and the public
schools:
Parish States Platform
ST believe that the campaign upon
which we are just entering is going to
be one of the most important ever
conducted in the citys history. At
least it will be the first tryout of the
new primary law, which to all intents
and purposes was framed with the
idea of obliterating party lines and
party politics, and was adopted with
the idea of placing every candidate be-
fore the people solely upon his own
qualifications and fitness for office, and
thus putting the responsibility upon
every voter of virtually making his
own personal selections. Therefore. I
believe the people of this city are going
to take a vital interest in this election,
and 1t is certainly of vital Importance
that every voter should see hear and
study the candidates and elect only
honest and clean men to office, thus in
surfing good government, for which we
are all striving.
''In response to a request Signed by
several hundred citizens I announced
myself as a candidate for the high and
honorable office of mayor of Los An
geles. This action was taken after due
deliberation, fully realizing the respon-
sibilities and cares that devolve upon
one occupying such a position in a
growing metropolis like our city 1t is
the general opinion of a great many
people that being mayor of a city like
Los Angeles is to a large extent an
honorary position, and that few real
duties devolve upon one occupying that
office. IT is by far the most important
Office in our city government. The
chief executive has charge Of the en-
forcement of all city ordinances, the
laws that control and regulate I might
say every persons business in the city,
the approval or disapprOVal of every
piece of legislation enacted by our law
making body, the city council; the ap-
pOintment of men on different commits
sions to run certain branches Of our
city business. and these branches af-
feet each individual directly or indi-
rectly. Again, the chief executive has
the approval or rejection Of demands
for contracts made by the city. an item
in itself which is OF vast Importance
These are only a few of the manifold
outies which the chief executive would
and should perform. In this connec-
tion 1t may not be amiss to say few
words about my personal experience in
the conduct of city affairs. I served in
the city council in the years 10000
and am familiar with our city govern
ment and its affairs generally. I have
also served on number Of commissions
which have done an estimable work
for the advancement of our commercial
prosperity
"When came to Los Angeles a little
over fourteen years ago, or to be more
exact, in June, 1895, we had a city then
of Some eighty thousand people and It
is indeed marvellous to think that to-
twenty-five thousand I firmly believe
that Los Angeles and this entire south
western country as well is in its in
fancy and that within the next ten
years we shall see one million people
within our gates We want to be pre-
pared to take care Of these people as
they come. We are inviting them from
all parts Of the earth and they are
coming and we must take care of them
as they come. Los Angeles has the
reputation for doing things and she
well deserves it, and am proud to he
one of her citizens and doubly proud
to have aided and used my best en-
deavors in her upbuiIding.
Water Development
"Only a few years ago when our fu-
ture growth depended upon providing
an adequate water supply for this city
our people got together and mapped out
the project of the Owens river aque-
duct, figured the expense of such a
project at the sum Of $23, 100000. In
due course of time the matter was sub
mitted to the voters of Los Angeles
and by a vote ten to one the bonds
were voted and the acqueduct is now
under course of construction. / say that
unbounded praise and credit should be
given to the builders of the aqueduct,
the practical men who are handling
this immense project. We are from
time to time Informed that worlds rec
ords are being smashed in the con-
struetion of this work and that 1t is be-