Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1909-03-05
CHAMPION FOR
HARPER UNABLE
TO UPHOLD HIM
FIRST OPEN DEBATE PROVES
ENTIRELY ONE-SIDED
MARSHALL sTlMsoN CARRIES
AWAY ALL HoNoRS
Advocate for Mayors Side Opposes
Recall, but Finds Himself Inca
pabIe Of Defending Chief
Executive
(fHAD you sent George AIexandor

EEHAD you sent George Alexander
II to congress or to the United
- States senate you would have
far better man to represent you than
snv who are now there in your behalf"
said Il. S. Knoles to members of the
city Charter league last night Mr.
Knoles was defending Mayor Harper
In the debate with Marshall StimSon
9n the recall.
IT have no particular love for Mayor
Harper" he said, nor any prejudice
against Alexander" j. |. Seamens,
president OF the City Charter league,
who presided at the meeting, said he
opposed the recall but he refused TO
approve Harpers record.
The meeting was supposed to be a
debate, and an audience that filled the
hall at Thtrty-thrd and Main streets
had gathered in the expectation of hear
ing vigorous speeches on both sides.
Marshall Stimson made a, strong speech
for the recall, but he was disappointed
In not finding the mayor championed
by his friends The audience was most
representative and was the largest that
has met in the hall as political gath
ering.
George Alexander, owen McAleer, X.
F. Del Vale and other prominent men
were present. The Alexander suppor-
ters We're in decided majority, but on
per obtained applause. When Marshall
Stimson made his points he was ire
quently oheered
Mr.. Stimson opened the debate, as
the question was, "Shall Mayor Harper
be Recalled?" He reviewed the his
tory of the Harper administration, say
Ing ii apparently started out with good
intentions, but that the sale of stodx
to Saloonkecper Goings was the first
taste of blood that led to worse Things
"They are trying to befog the issue
by asserting that this Is purely a pro-
hibition campaign" said Mr.. Stimson.
Nothing of the sort. There Is vast
difference between liberty and license
When it comes to a question of allow
ing the running of young girls and
young men by certain holders of stock
IN companies I'm which the mayor and
some of his commissioners are inter-
ested ii is time for decent citizens TO
call q halt The city has voted against
prohibition, but ii did not vote to per-
nit such scenes of debauchery as have
been so common in the Harper admin
istration.
Main Issue Defined
but that is not the great issue: 1t
is enough but il is incidental. The
people of Los Angeles believed that the
large enterprises, especially the owens
river project in which the city Is in
terested should be in the hands of
non-partisan board. and they secured
such a condition after hard struggle.
With Harper as mayor, what followed
in this regard?
as a member of the board of public
works the mayor had Kern in line for
the place, but SO much pressure was
brought to bear that the mayor had to
forego the appointment General Chat
fee was finally appointed. but that was
only IA postponement of the mayors in
tention. At the next opportunity Har-
per did appoint Kern. When he did so
he violated the principle established by
the people that no politician should go
on the board. and in doing so the mayor
did the city of Los Angeles great
wrong For that alone, II for nothing
else Harper should be recalled
"Whether Edward Kern be a good
or a bad man, he is certainly politi-
clan, and no politician should be- put
on the board OF public works. Further
more. Kern's record is plain in the
proceedings of the council. After the
first vote on the disposal of the river
bed franchise the matter was thor
oughly and deeisively thrashed out, and
no excuse exists for the failure Of any
councilman to know just what his vote
meant. Mr.. Kern did not hesitate tol
vote again to give away this valuable
asset of the city. The mayor knew his
stand on the river bed franchise; he
must have been able to draw his in
ference as to Kern's attitude on Owens
river questions. He had to appoint
Kern.
sfWalter Parker would not desert his
own candidate near the last hour for
nothing. but II was noticeable at the
municipal election that well-known
Parker henchmen in many precincts
Were Logging for Harper. II was the
Republican machine vote that pulled
him through. and the machine is work
ing for him now."
No Explanations Given
Mr.. Knoles devoted most of the time
allotted to him to an attack on the re-
call and an explanation of why the
tidelands suits instituted by the Los
Angeles harbor commission would GER
tainly fail He said not a word in re-
sponse to Mr.. Stimson's invitation to
explain away oil and sugar stock
transactions. He admitted the truth
of what he termed ''filth and slime con-
ditions," but attacked the newspapers
for telling about them. Mr. KnoIes
commended Councilman w. j. Wal
lace for voting in favor of Kerns ap-
pointment, saying that he would take
the approval of all the council rather
than mere WORD of mouth" against
Kern.
"The recall said Mr.. Knoles, "is a
foreign plant grated on our form of
government from abroad. | am op-
posed to 1t from principle. 1t opens the
gateway to graft and Generalization.
ii will work corruption. The city of
Los Angeles is engaged in vast en-
terprise Two newspaper proprietors
went to Mayor Harper, with others,
and they asked him to let them name
member of the board OF public works.
Did you vote for any Of these men, or
did you vote for Harper? Because he |
would not be dictated to by newspaper
men the recall was started against him.
"Then the mayor did not appoint
Kern. He has no power to appoint
ANYBODY. 1t is the council. Council
men w L WALLACE Dromgold and the