Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1909-04-11
LlSSNER MAKES
STRONG ADDRESS
AT CITY CLUB
REFORM IN LOS ANGELES ABLY
DISCUSSED
OFFICERS FOR ENSUING YEAR
ARE CHOSEN
John D. Works Elected President of
Organization That Is Leader In
Work for Good Govern
ment

UlCTI
pie. shall be with you always during
your term of office. Be faithful and |
will assist and encourage you. 1 Will
pat you on the back and whisper GOOD
boy in your ear; but l will not obtrude
myself on you and my touch will be
SO light you will hardly sense my pres
ence. Be courageous and diligent in
the service of my people and l will
smile on you, and when your term of
office has expired, / will say, We'll
done, good and faithful servant; go in
and do 1t again But betray my people
and / will frown and hurl anathema
upon you. I will follow you about and
make life miserable for you. I will be
with you In the day time and haunt
you in your dreams. / will plead with
you and argue with you, and will beg
of you to think of your conscience,
your family your good name, your
reputation and your peace of mind
And after all this, if you don't see the
error of your ways, / will take you by
the back of your neck and the seat of
your pants and give you the grand
bounce into private life, where you will
belong"
Has Come to Stay
The recall is all right. 1t has come
1t alone. 1t will never be surrendered.
And, so far as hurting business or in
1uring the good name of the city is
concerned, 1 don't believe that Los
Angeles ever had a better advertise
ment than the recall election. People
everywhere know now tlat we not
alone have a good place to live in, but
that we mean to keep it so, and that
we will not tolerate graft or keep in
office unfaithful officials.
The most serious matter in connec-
ton with reform movements and
movements for good government is the
financing of them. There are many
good citizens, men of ability. who are
willing to devote a good deal of their
valuable time to this work and to con-
tribute literally to campaign funds be-
sides, but they balk when 1t comes to
going, hat in hand, literally begging
for funds which are doled out, grudg-
ingly in many cases. by men who do
practically none of the work and, by
reason of their large interests in the
community are the principal bene-
ficiaries of it.
It so happens that citizens. who are
able to and do give generously to the
financing of movements of this kind,
while quite limited in number, are
called upon on every occasion. 1t is
not only bothersome for them, but also
for the solicitors, to have to take up
such a matter every time the necessity
arises.
Good Government Fund
The fact that it would be more bust
nesslike and a great relief for all con-
cerned If each one of these generous
givers would agree to pay such an
amount as he would expend annually
all applications of the kind mentioned
could be referred. and who could
either assist or turn down a PROPOSE
ton. as their judgment would dictate.
gave rise to an organization in Los
Angeles of which have been request
ed to make mention at the present
time.
An organization has been perfected
in Los Angeles. known as the Good
Government fund, with the following
board of trustees: s. C. Graham, c.
J. Kubach, Stoddard Jess, p M. john
son, William Lacy. j. o. Koepfli. Gill
bert S. Wright. John r. Haynes and
M. Lissner The officers are: S. c.
Graham, chairman: C. j. Kubach. vice
chairman; M. Lissner, secretary; p.
M. Johnson, treasurer
The first application for funds grant
ed by the Good Government fund was
for the support and maintenance of
Good Government fund was asked to
finance the recall campaign, and fur
nished about nine-tenths of the
money that was needed for that cam
paign.
The fund at the present time has
about seventy annual subscribers. who
agree to pay their annual subscrip-
lions in equal quarterly installments.
until further notice, and has a guar
anteed substitution to date of $1,000
per year, which should be, and I be-
lieve can be. doubled If an active cam
paign for subscribers is instituted.
To Finance Worthy Efforts
Such fund would be able to furnish
all moneys needed for good govern
ment purposes in Los Angeles city and
county, and it is the intention of the
Good Government fund to finance
every worthy enterprise for good gov
eminent in this county.
There are many varieties of civic
work that from time to time require
financing and that lag on account of
the lack of funds.
A faithful public prosecutor may find
his work hampered by reason of the
lack of comparatively small fund for
secret service work. There are many
branches of our municipal affairs
where secret service could well be
employed.
Leagues for direct primaries, anti
race track gambling, direct legislation,
Such worthy organizations as the
Municipal league of Los Angeles and
similar organizations occasionally find
their funds depleted on account of ex-
ira and unlocked for expenses, and
should be assisted. In the circulation
of the charter amendment petition
alone the Municipal league expended
considerably over a thousand dollars,
and the City club spent over $1,000 more
(Which was raised with great difficult
ty), in the successful campaign which
it made for the adoption of some of
the amendments.
The circulation of petitions for the
recall of an unfaithful public officer
and a campaign for the election of a
candidate in opposition to the incum-
bent is expensive, and on proper occa-
sions the money for such work should
be Forthcoming in a lump sum, with
out loss of time or the solicitation of
individuals.
Worthy political movements have to
be financed and require good deal of
money.
For Municipal Research,
The societies for municipal research
which have been organized in several
eastern cities haxe proved of immense
value in the prevention of leakage,
waste and extravaganza in municipal
business. In New York city alone it is
estimated that $3.000,O00 was saved to
taxpayers last year by the Municipal
Research society active there. tt
would certainly pay as a business
proposition to carry on and support
such q work In Los Angeles, which, /
think, should be done under the super
vision of the Municipal league.
Other instances OF the necessity Of