Los Angeles herald., 1909-08-04
OPPOSE UNION
OF BAY CITIES
ANTI-CONSOLIDATI0N MEETING
IN SANTA MONICA
SUPPORTERS OF MOVEMENT ARE
JUBiLANT
Rejoice over Attack on Venice Made
in Columns of Paper That Is
Leading Fight Against
Proposition

SANTA MONICA, Aug. 3.-As the
time of election approaches the con-
solidation and anti-Consolidation
camps are veritable hives of industry.
Charges and countercharges cover the
front pages of the local papers and
flaming handbills call on the voters TO
stand firm for the good of the COM
munity.
The consolidationists are jubilant
this evening over what they term is
the bad break of the Santa Monica
paper in its issue this evening. The
paper is one of the staunch partisans
of the anti side and has been working
with the ants of the south end of the
beach. The article which is creating
so much glee for the pros is a di-
rect attack on the amusements of the
Venetian city and in part is as follows
Venice caters to the sporting ele-
ment, the free and easy crowds, those
who desire to throw off restraint.
1T is stated that in the juvenile
court of Los Angeles a large proportion
Of the cases in which young girls have
been before the court their downfall
has been traced to the dance hall at
Venice" Both antis and consolida-
tionists of Venice Indignantly deny the
accusation and many denunciations of
the paper and its editor are heard on
the streets Of the canal city this even
ing.
Hold Closing Rally
The anti -consolidationists held their
closing rally in this city this evening.
A number of local speakers were pres
ent and discussed the merger from va,
rious standpoints. The meeting
throughout was devoted to accentuat-
ing the difference between the aims and
people of the communities of Santa
Monica and Ocean Park, and many of
ciHa iCc11n CaNvarAlV
scored the members of the Santa Mon
lea council for alleged misgovernment
and pernicious activity in The present
campaign.
About 300 persons were present,
about one-t third of them being women.
Every point that was touched on by
the speakers was applauded to the
echo. the enthusiasm being very great.
Rev. J. D. H. Browne, pastor of
Saint Augustine's Episcopal church of
this city, was called on first by II. Y.
Goetz, president Of the board of trade,
who acted as presiding officer. Rev.
Mr. Browne said: I'VE have what
other communities have not, and we
are without what some of our less for
tunate sisters are trying to get rid OF.
We are essentially a city of homes,
and Venice is an amusement center.
We occupy place in the municipal
family that Venice can never occupy,
and it will be the mistake of our lives
if we set back the hands of the clock,
as we surely will, if we consolidate
with them
Makes Brilliant Address
Judge Sherman Page made what was
perhaps the most brilliant address of
the evening, giving the members of the
city government a thorough going over
and severely arraigning them for their
] activity in,
AT this hour two important contests
are being waged with their object the
consolidation of cities in California" he
said What we want to do is to give
the situation we find before us careful
analysis and thought I want to dis
cuss the physical condition first of
all. What we find are two commune
ties at loggerheads with one another.
Venice has sprung up, we have been
years i'm building i'm a stable manner.
Venice is known the world over as an
amusement place, we are known as
city Of homes. Do you think that Abb
bot Kinney would ever consent to the
creature of his dream being called
Santa Monica? I hear people say that
whatever we do the situation cannot be
worse. What do they mean? I will
tell you. They mean that our munich
pal government is not what it should
be"
Here the speaker severely censured
the council for its action in what he
termed Illegally agreeing, if the con-
solidation took place, to add the con-
sOlidated territory on TO the two
southern wards of the city for Vot-
ing purposes. He raked it over the
Goals for illegally giving up the pub
lie highways for AN automobile road
race which, he stated, was for the
sole benefit of a number of dealers IN