davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Los Angeles herald., 1909-02-01
COUNCILMEN AT LARGE

TN HE advocates of charter amend
ment No. 2, providing for abol-
ishing the ward system and the
election of councilrnen at large, have
a first-class example and argument in
the effect which a similar change has
had on the board Of education of the
city. When that board was elected
under the ward system it was always
the victim of the ward politician, and
its members were SO much a produc-
ton of ward politics that for years no
board of education in the city was free
from scandal, and tens of thousands of
dollars were filched from the city
treasury by men who were the prod
ucts of the ward system.
After repeated scandals in the board
of education and the loss of many
thousands of dollars the citizens, as
q matter Of self-protection, abandoned
the ward system and provided for the
election of the members of the board
of education at large. Under the new
system the boards of education have
consisted of men of the highest char
acter. Their offices have been admin
istered with the most commendable ef-
fciency, and not a breath of scandal
has occurred where scandal was ever
present before the change.
What a boon for Los Angeles if it
could secure a council of such men as
compose it's present board of education
Abolishing the ward system will do it
Los Angeles herald., 1909-02-01
CHARITY is ALL VERY WELL,
BUT SHOULD BEGIN AT HOME

ORANGE, Jan. 25.-[Editor Heraldl:
I am glad to see that after all the dis
cussion Of ''Mind and Matter there
are writer's who get back to questions
of more importance. OF such are those
whose letters are published today
signed James 7. Irwin, Pomona and
can Humble Worker" The last named
voices my sentiments regarding the
excessive liberality of our government
to the unfortunate people of Sicily.
It is all right to send aid voluntarily
contributed by our people, but to send
ship after ship loaded with building
materials, while so many homeless,
suffering people exist in our own
country, is altogether wrong, especially
in view of the fact that an almost con-
stant stream Of money flows into that
country from this through our tourists
About the first of this year there ap-
peared on the editorial page an excel
lent little article entitled "Our Wealthy
City, which I hoped to see discussed,
but have looked in vain. Two of the
most striking sentences were these:
"This beautiful city, the home Of re-
finement, culture, intelligence, must
adopt for one of its aims the abolition
Of poverty and There must be some
way of providing employment for all
who are willing to work, and We in
Los Angeles should find the way"
Now, I consider there is no subject
so well worth our earnest thought, and
I hope no one will repeat that Oft
quoted and threadbare text about the
poor being always with us. I would
say "why?" but this letter would be
too long. I wish also to voice the hope
that every good citizen of Los Angeles
will support The Herald in its splendid
fight for good government. L. w.
Los Angeles herald., 1909-02-01
MUST DEVELOP INTELLECT
TO IMPROVE HUMAN RACE

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 24-[Editor
Herald: A number Of writer's for the
letter box have criticised the discus
Psion of mind and matter, and all ref
erence to metaphysics asserting that
time and effort so expended are use
less.
| disagree with them, and will state
why. Ihe progress and development
OF the human race is dependent on
clear and rational thinking and while
peoples minds are filed with super
stltlon, visionary nonsense and ideas,
both baseless and useless, such think
ing is impossible. If the mass of
mankind were not stupefied with super
| stlt1on in some form, and their minds
paralyzed from inaction, induced by
false teachings and the effect Of blind
credulity, there would be something
doing in society and the industrial
world, where so many evils now exist.
! The masses are mental slaves to false
and foolish doctrines, and the result
| is physical slavery and bondage to
those who control thought forces.
| The human race can be improved
| only by developing the intellect; and
| the basis of education must be physio
| logical, not metaphysical or theological
| The agitation of thought is surely the
! beginning Of wisdom, and if you can
| not get people to think, instead Of be-
| lieving what interested parties teach
them, then there is small hope for their
| advancement. Doubt has been human
| ity's greatest friend, for it has led to
investigation and discovery. The man
who is lulled into receptive passivity
| by blind belief makes easy picking for
the professional CRATER, who every
where fiourishes under high-sounding
names and titles.
| We live in a material world, at pres
ent at least, and all we are and all we
know is due to material conditions, for
we never had an idea and never will
| have while in physical body that did
| not reach the mind through the physi-
cal senses. So when we ignore all that
we see feel and experience, and try
| to get outside of matter and become
spiritual entities whatever those
| words mean-in a material world, we
are perverting our reason and trying
| to do the impossible. Hence and there
fore, get busy with your thinkers, and,
through use of reason and common
sense, change unsatisfactory conditions
now existing.
CLAIMING SEVERANCE.
Los Angeles herald., 1909-02-01

Los Angeles will establish a prece-
dent and set an example by recalling a
public official who is unfaithful to his
trust. And it is the public official
who is being recalled. The man is
not under criticism. There is nothing
personal in this fight. The con-
scientious citizens who believe the in
terests of the city will be protected
by the recall of the mayor are not
actuated by spite or malice against
Mr.. Harper. But Los Angeles needs a
good MAYOR.
Los Angeles herald., 1909-02-01
CONDEMNS AMENDMENT AS TO
STREET RAILWAY NCHISES

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 2S.-[Editor
Herald: There are number Of pro-
posed amendments which, as The Her
aid has pointed out, are most excel
lent and should be marked by the voter
yes" But there is one amendment
No. 25-which should be marked NO
Amendment 25 provides for granting
street railway franchises for the term
Of thirty-five years. The limit under
the present charter is twenty-one years,
and the period for which most eastern
cities are now granting franchises is
twenty years. Let us reflect what a 81
year franchise means to Los Angeles
corporation. Our city and its beautiful
suburb, Pasadena, have grown in the
past tWenty-one years from 10000 to
at least 100000 inhabitants-some would
place present figures at 100000. But If
we take the lower estimate we find
that the increase has been eightfold.
Let us, to be conservative, estimate the
increase for the next tWenty-one years
at fourfold rate. This would give us
a population of 1,280,000, or more than
million and quarter. Who doubts
that we shall reach that total?
Any street railway corporation that
secures a 21-year franchise today will
be able to get the physical cost Of the
TdITOdQ IOuT LlInSS over D2IOr0 the 0X-
piratiOn of the franchise term. The
railroads exact a bonus from property
holders along the lines of proposed ex-
tensions, because they can get it. They
would pursue exactly the same course
If they were favored with 35-year fran
chiSeS.
There is a tendency in eastern and
European cities to look forward to the
time when the street railways will be
municipalized, and car fares reduced to
and perhaps cents. This will remove
a heavy tax from the gerat body of
our citizens. 1t will stimulate the
growth of suburbs and relieve the con-
gestion about our business centers. The
present energetic and enterprising rail-
way builders will have been amply re-
warded for their investments long be-
fore present franchises expire
LOOKING FORWARD.
Los Angeles herald., 1909-02-01
SAYS HEADACHE Is DUE TO
VIOLATION OF DIVINE LAW

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 18.-[Editor
Herald: If 1 might be permitted to
express an opinion re the question:
What Is True Law?" I should say it
is the perfect law of God; it is prin-
ciple in action, of which the statutes
of civil and legislative enactment are
but the imperfect expression and
therefore benefcent only in the degree
that they reflect divine wisdom and JUS
tice. And herein is depicted a phase
Of evolution in the development Of hu-
man consciousness through the aspira-
tion to comprehend and understand
that good and perfect rule of life, which
is always present to be discerned, just
as the true idea, Of the perfect phono-
graph always existed, but must be
understood before it could have an
adequate expression in the realm of
mechanics.
ga Young Man" postulates that "true
law is Gods law; per contra: Gods
law is true law therefore, any other
claiming to be law is untrue. God S
law confers blessing, not suffering; and
it is failure to conform our conduct
to it which entails penalty.
A little consideration given to this
matter will show Young Man" to
be in error where he says ''It is the
law that gives him a headache when
he goes contrary to 1t.
Gluttony and dissipation are viola
tions of the law Of temperance and
self or sense restraint but the law is
not made for the righteous man, and
God knows no other; hence the law
governing in this case has been laid
down as a rule operating in the ma
terial realm; as a matter Of fact, it Is
a violation of Gods law to have a
headache, for all he made is good,
and we have no right to a knowledge
Of evil. Lawlessness is its own pun
ishment. r. N
Los Angeles herald., 1909-02-01
VOTE FOR AMENDMENTS

HOTE the charter amendments. Do
v not imperil the success Of what
y will undoubtedly be q great pro-
gressive step in the history of Los An
geles by attempting to discriminate.
and to vote what is called in ordinary
elections a split ticket. The charter
amendments may be regarded as the
program which will result in a greater
and better Los Angeles, with an album
dant water supply, a great harbor easv
of access, and GOOD GOVERNMENT.
The charter amendment campaign COM
mittee of the City club is doing good
work by calling attention to special
features, so to speak, of the char
ter amendment program, and thus in
dicating what will be lost to the citv
If the amendments are not carried Cand
at this period of the history Of the
city Los Angeles cannot afford to lose
any progressive measures). The motto
Of Los Angeles Herald heretofore has
been and must continue to be the
motto Of Los Angeles, "Vestigia nulla
retrorsum"-no step backward. Are
there obstacles in the path of prog
ress? Remove them. Are there Of
ficials whose methods of administer
ing the city's affairs are an impediment
to her advance? Recall them. An i'm
portant reform will be assured by the
adoption of charter amendment num-
Der four, providing for direct prima-
ries, which will give the people a con-
trolling voice in the management Of
their municipal affairs. Direct pri-
maries will help to bring about a
restoration of the first principles Of
Americanism, and to establish Los An
geles on firm foundation of good gov
ernment. The charter amendment COM
mittee of the City club in a statement
of the advantages of direct primaries
says:
Parties will be kept out of ruts and
forced to reckon with independent
voters and candidates. They will be
forced to put up better candidates.
Corporations cannot control nomina-
tions without the direct approval Of
the voters. Candidates will be elected
on merit and not for party reason or
because some boss wants them. There
can be no gag law in making nomina-
tions. Any citizen who can get 100
names on his petition may run for Of
fee. The direct primary will bring out
a direct expression of popular opinion
when it is most needed-when the NOM
nations are made. Only the two high
est candidates for each office will be
placed on the final ballot. If the peo-
pie do their duty there must be a sur
vival of the fittest, and the candidate
elected is bound to be the choice of
majority of all the voters. Every
man may express his opinion and wish
at the polls. Under the present system
he most often expresses the wish of a
boss or machine. The direct primary
will encourage independence in both
individuals and newspapers. The direct
primary is not 'un-American'-it is a.
vindication of Americanism. The direct
primary promotes non-partisanship in
municipal affairs and non-partisanship
promotes good government. If we had
had direct primaries at the last muni-
cipal election the present administra-
tion would not have been selected, in
asmuch as it received less than one
third of the total vote cast"
Los Angeles herald., 1909-02-01
Far and Wide
Sabbath Breaking

Concerning the Scottish reprobation Of
whistling the Sabbath, Dean Ramsay
has a characteristic story. famous Glas-
cow artist met old Highland acquaint-
ance Unexpectedly. Donald, what brought
you here?' "Ou, weel, sir, it was a baad
place yon; they were baad folk-but they re
a God fearin' set O. folk here" ''Well,
Donald I'm glad to hear it, "Ou ay, sir,
deed are they, an I'll Civ ye an instance
OF. Last Sabbath just as the kirk was
skallin' there was a drover chield frae Dunn
fries comm along the road whistlin', an
lookin' as happy as if it was ia middle o.
the week. Weel, sir, laads is a God
fearin set O. laads. an they were just
comm oot o. the kirk-'od they yokit upon
him an a most killed him!'-London
Chronicle.
Los Angeles herald., 1909-02-01
VOTE FOR ALL

VI OTE for all of the proposed char
v ter amendments. That is The
Herald's honest and urgent ad-
vice to all citizens who are interested
in the. progress and prosperity of Los
Angeles-that is to say, all loyal citi-
zens.
The only amendment as to which
doubt might be expressed is number
twenty-five, relating to franchises and
extending the time for which they may
be granted to thirty-five years. The
probabilities are so great that long
before the end of thirty-five years
there will be such complete change
in systems and conditions of rapid
transit that grant of a street car
franchise for a longer or shorter
period of time can no longer be con-
sidered a matter of serious Importance,
So many changes are being made in
methods of transportation that, as far
as they are concerned, we may be said
to be in a period Of revolution rather
than of evolution. What civilization
may finally adopt as the quick :,
safest, most comfortable and best
method of transportation no man can
foresee; but at present the develop
ment of the auto vehicle rather than
the street car seems to be plainly in
dicated. With auto vehicles, not de-
pendent on rails, it is extremely prob
able that citizens will within less
than a score of years see the day when
street railroads will bear about the
same relation to the new methods in use
as the old horse omnibuses or stages
do to the street cars Of today. 1t is
not worth while to run any risk by
splitting votes on the amendments.
The best interests of the city will be
best served if voters indorse and adopt
ALL the proposed charter amend
ments; which ALL bear a harmonious
relationship. to the progress of the city
and are none bad.
Los Angeles herald., 1909-02-01
WoMAN's TRIUMPH CERTAIN,
BUT WILL BRING MUCH EVIL

LONG BEACH, Jan. 24-EEditor Her
add: Standing on the prairie, highland
or the valley, a man watches the com
Ing of a storm. His attention is first
called by the rumble of distant thunder
and the horizon lit by lightning. Ami
mate and inanimate life is awestruck;
the climbing nimbus, except for the
thunder, is so still. The watcher knows
the power of destruction that it carries.
But he is not scared. He is a philoso-
pher. He knows that of such is the
kingdom of nature; that the whirlWind
the lightning and the rain are as much
a part of the economy of nature as are
the sunshine and the dew. Yet he is
apt TO go over the probabilities as he
listens to the roar that breaks upon
the world as he crawls into the cyclone
cave with his household gods.
Ihls picture is like the moral cloud
that is overcasting the sky of Christen-
dom now. L mean the coming Of wom-
an to her own" Wise men are not
scared by 1t. The fools need not be- AS
one OF the latter, / have worked for this
coming" for sixty years. Not that it
will improve things, for it will not
She Is as vile, as cruel, as bigoted, as
ignorant and as good as is her male
PARTNER But she is a human creature
and inherits, with her place in that
| family, every right that belongs to her
mate. The withholding from her of
equal chance with man to go where she
| pIeaSes and do what she pleases, sub
| Ject only to impartial law that she has
helped to make, is pure robbery. But
| nobody can keep US from prognosticat-
| ing the griefs that will follow this
'cloudburst," for its present aspect of
sound and fury answers to no other
name.
Hence, from my cyclone cave, these
| presents.
Woman is a cruel bigot, an idol wor-
| SHIPPER. God help us when she enters
upon her dominion. She has been the
| victim and tool of priestcraft ever since
creation. She never reaches a conclu-
sion as the result of reasoning, but bv
| the way of her emotions. She has what
! Is called intuition a near kin to the
| instinct of the lower animals, and it is
| amazing how often this power guesses
| right. But none the less it is an in
! ferior intelligence.
Woman has none of that stern al
legiance to the truth that belongs to
the perfect human character. If she
| were endowed with official power she
! would exhaust the possibilities of nepo-
| tism in distributing favors
An old argument against her enter
| ing the public lists with man is that
she would lose the graces that for all
time have shown in her character. and
| become coarse like her partner" We
| spurned it in the old time, but it was
| true then and is now. The refinement
| and delicacy that are woman's chief
charm today will leave her in the rough
combats of public life, as the beautiful
| down on the butterfy's wing falls At
the touch of human hands. Maybe she
doesn't care. And there is more.
SENEx
Los Angeles herald., 1909-02-01

Of the transcontinental lines and it
held back the progress of the Pacific
coast, says the San Diego Union.
In marked contrast is the action
taken only a day or two ago to put the
cheap colonist rates in operation again
next spring. That step is a move to
help the coast by giving it more set
tiers. People will rejoice that the roads
have decided to take that action. The
contrast, however, between that pro-
gressive policy and the excessively high
freight rates is as striking as the diff
ference is puzzling. Why should the
roads pursue policies that are so dia-
metrically opposed-cheap rates to
bring settlers to the coast, and high
freights to lessen the coasts prosperity :?
The inconsistency is as obvious as the
motive Of so short-sighted policy is
obscure
Los Angeles herald., 1909-02-01
AT THE THEATERS

AUDITORIUM-"LittI Red Riding Hood
MASON-"Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage
Patch"
BELASCO-"The Girl of the Golden West.
MAJESTIC-''The House of Bondage"
BURBANK-"The Spoilers.'
ORPHEUM-VaudeViIIe.
GRAND OPERA HOUSE-"Tar and Tartar
Los Notwithstanding
FTSCHER'S-:'The King of Patagonia"
EMPIRE-VaudeviIIe
UNIQUE-"Paquita Down to Date"
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
Los Angeles herald., 1909-02-01
THE MAYORS DODGE

JOURNALISTIC champion of May
~ or Harper announces in clamorous
- head lines: Mayor Harper's bat
teries opening fire." and follows this
with some two columns and half of
statements" from Eddie Morris
bosom friend, A. c.
When one reads the pitiful, puerile,
lodging stuff that the mayor submits
to the public as answer to the very
direct charges that have been made
concerning his acts while in office one
is compelled to admit that if anything
could be crookeder than the mayors
official record it is the fire Of this
battery" so-called.
When the charter election has passed
and The Herald can command the time
and space for less important things it
will attend to tie mayors statements,
somewhat in detail.
Los Angeles herald., 1909-02-01
Railroad Rates Policy Is
RidicuIOuSly ShOrt-Sighted

W HE statement made by the Jap
anese consul at Chicago, that fur
= ther increase of transcontinental
freight rates would result in the de-
struction Of Americas export trade
with Japan, touches a phase Of the
traffic question to which comparative
ly little attention has been paid OBJ
viously, if the cost of getting commodi-
ties to tidewater on the Pacific is ex-
cessive, Americans will abondon the
Japanese market-that is, the little Of
it that they have. This means less
freight for the transcontinental lines.
1t may Be that the roads prefer to
carry minimum of freight at a max
imum of charge, but that is not the
policy that builds up a country and
increases the development Of it's re-
sources. 1t was for years the policy
Los Angeles herald., 1909-02-01

Los Angeles Herald's exposure Of the
protection of vice in Los Angeles will
long be remembered. And let us hop9
the effect Of the exposure and it's
sequel will be permanent. Merely to
censure erring public officials, or to
find them not responsible for condi-
tions surrounding them, is to imperil
the interests of the city. Whitewash
soon comes off. 1t won't do. A COM
plete change is necessary. Let US re-
form the city government by commit
ting it to good men and TRUE.
Los Angeles herald., 1909-02-01
PREFERS CLEAN FOOD AND
CLEAN AMERICAN HUSBAND

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 22.-[Editor
Herald: "a Young Man wonders why
American girls marry dukes and other
foreign noble" men. The girl that
marries a duke, earl, ETC., is not
typical American girl. She is a mill
lionairess. To marry titled foreigner
requires both money and a perverted
taste. The millionairess has money.
and that money has procured for her
a perverted taste, whereby she can
eat pate de foie gras and terrapin, and
stomach foreigner for a husband. AS
am only a ten-dollar-a-week stenog-
rapher, I can only eat clean food, and
can consider only clean American
man for a husband.
A YOUNG GIRL.
Los Angeles herald., 1909-02-01

Our promised business mems ad-
ministration" has been somewhat be-
lated. But never fear. We will get
it yet. And surely better L e than
never. Vast interests depend on the
success Of our business mems admin
istration. We must have a bsuiness
man at the head of affairs in Los An
geles. He must be keen-witted, ex-
perienced, not easily hoodwinked,
scrupulously honest, beyond boss, ring
or machine influence. above fear AMI
above reproach.
Los Angeles herald., 1909-02-01
The State Press
Publicity Necessary

The San Francisco Municipal Rec
ord has become a fixture in the city's
public affairs and serves its purpose so
successfully that it will surely be in
1t1ated in other parts of the country
Publicity is the greatest enemy of civic
corruption. Graft can't stand the light.
The reason why cities often get so deep
in the muck is that the people have no
means Of knowing what is going on
Fresno Herald
Los Angeles herald., 1909-02-01
Alas!

A magazine editor was talking shop at
the Franklin Inn, Phialdelphia's literary
club.
Following the example of the Great John
d." he said, ''many milionaires have of
late manifested the intention of becoming
writer's"
John Luther Long laughed harshly
r Many writer's" he said have for years
manifested the intention of becoming mil
lionaires-in vain, though, alas."-Washing-
ton Star.
Los Angeles herald., 1909-02-01

What might possibly be regarded as
an unexpected addition to the charter
amendments is the proposed amend
ment of the mayoralty! 1t may be said
that Los Angeles is a little bit early
with her spring cleaning. Never mind.
There's nothing like taking time by
the forelock.
Los Angeles herald., 1909-02-01
MoraIist Porter

Warren Porter probably named the
majority Of his public morals COM
mittee with the idea that those who
know very little about public morals
and care less could make the work of
that committee interesting if not ele-
Vating.-Sacramento Bee.
Los Angeles herald., 1909-02-01
NaturaIistic opportunitv

While in Africa Mr.. Roosevelt will
confer a favor on students Of natural
history if he will try to ascertain
whether or not there is any such
creature as the shark or the giasti-
cutas.-Long Beach Telegraph.
Los Angeles herald., 1909-02-01

A great impetus to the progress and
to Los Angeles by the recall. Public
confidence will be restored. PROS
PERITY WILL BE INCREASED.