Los Angeles herald., 1909-02-24
CONSOLIDATION

N the fight for consolidation against
the element represented by Savage
and by Compromise Harper there
is arrayed the solid and progressive
business element Of this community and
of Southern California. 1t was natural
that one Of the features of the chamber
of commerce banquet should be the
adoption Of a resolution supporting "the
consolidation bill as originally intro
duced." This ought to be sufficient an
swer to the pretenses of Savage that in
opposing consolidation he speaks for
anybody but the corporation interests
which are taking advantage of a little
local selfish sentiment against consoH-
dation. We recognize the existence OF
this sentiment. Indeed, it would be
marvellous if the friends Of consolida-
tion could count on the support of the
element responsible for this sentiment.
There are many institutions in San
Pedro of the variety known as licensed
premises" and the holders of licenses
foresee an increase of license fee when
San Pedro is consolidated with Los
Angeles. The increase of the license to
the metropolitan standard will have
the effect Of putting out of business
some of the wharf rat gin mills. This
will indeed be a sad blow to Greater
Los Angeles, won't it? Can you Won
der that Savage is perturbed? He acts
as if he thought the prestige and pros
perity Of Greater Los Angeles de-
pended on the wharf rat saloons of San
Pedro. This view we cannot share.
Neither can you. Indeed, the only per-
sons who agree with Savage are the
forty-four obstructionists whom he
gathered into a hall and called mass
meeting. There are four more mem
bers of Savage's band than there were
of the prototypes who were foiled by
Ali Baba, and we don't think the
forty-four have any more chance of
permanent success than had the forty.
Savage's motive is not patriotic. He is
taking advantage of the self-preserva-
tive attitude of certain interests in San
Pedro to try to make believe their OBJ
structionist clamor is the voice of the
people. So thoroughly aware is he of
his own peculiar position that his zeal
for f-preservation-that is to say, his
anxiety to prevent a public revelation
of his true and sordid motive-has led
him to extremes of conduct which
would be sufficient to attract suspicion
even if there were not other good
grounds for suspicion. His fear of
newspaper publicity shows he is con-
scious his actions and motive will not
bear close scrutiny.
He said angrily to newspaper repre-
sentatives who wished to accompany
him when he was taking the legisla-
tors on his personally conducted tour
of inspection: I'm not hiring boats
down here to take out members Of
the press. I DON'T WANT THEM
ALONG" Here Mr.. Savage told the
unvarnished truth. He did not want
any newspaper representatives along
when he was consulting with the dele
cation. Especially did he dread the
idea of having representatives of Los
Angeles papers along to take notes Of
his behavior, remarks and general de-
IHedHOT Wul4S nc was III IAe N0Iy oOS Va
attempting to carry out his plans for
betraying the interests of Greater Los
Angeles to those Of the north. Savage,
Of course, will fail. Consolidation is
bound to win. And Savage, ambitious
Of political promotion, will find he has
been following false lights and will land
in a bog instead of on the elevated
eminence for which he vainly yearns.