Los Angeles herald., 1909-12-22

/ Hot1u VI Il Idillly composed OF MS
| widowed mother and two younger
brothers, SO little blessed with this
worlds goods that his services were
absolutely necessary to the support
of the dependent members of his fam
! ily he has, while still a young man,
| achieved success both in private and
in public life which has placed him
in a most enviable position in this
community.
| Upon the death of his father. Mr.
/ Lissner took charge of his business in
the city of Oakland. which represented
the Investment of the family means
/ totaling a few hundred dollars. Within
| three years this boy, at an age when
most boys are going through the pri-
mary grades of high school, had made
! of this business the leading jewelry
store in the city of Oakland. Later he
moved to Los Angeles and established
a store on Spring street in this city.
| By this success in business he was en-
abled to discharge the duties of an af-
| fectionate son to his mother, and to
/
brothers, younger than himself, both of
whom are now successful men.
After he had reached the age of %
years and was married, he decided to
study law. The record which he made
as a law student in this city was one
of the most brilliant that the Los
Angeles law class has ever known. He
/ disposed of his jewelry business and
/ confined his attention entirely to the
practice of the law and to investments
/ in real estate. In a few years his eff
/ forts in these fields produced for him
a comfortable fortune, the possession
of which has in the past few years
/ enabled him to devote a large part of
/ his time most effectively to the cause
of good government in his city, county
and state. In this he has developed a
/ talent as an organizer of politics upon
a high plane. superior to that of any
man at present prominent in the field
of politics in this state. One result of
/ the exercise by Mr.. Lissner of this pc
culiar ability was the excellent show
/ ing made by the Lincoln Roosevelt
| league in its influence upon state poll
ties at the last election. The most re-
cent and the most prominent victory
which Mr.. Lissner has achieved was
won as the president of the Good Gov
ernment organization and the manager
Of its campaign recently closed in this
city. In this campaign he and his or
ganization succeeded in overcoming a
political machine strengthened and in
trenched with thirty years of power
and in defeating every candidate of
that machine and electing every candi-
date of the organization whose cam
paign he managed. 1t is not extraya-
CANT TO say that in some respects it is
the most brilliant victory ever won for
clean municipal politics in America.
One thing which has given peculiar
strength to Mr.. Lissner in his political
career is the entirely unselish charac-
ter of his devotion to politics He has
never during all this time sought or ac-
eepted one cent of reward or any posi-
tion of honor or emolument for his
services. He has at all times expended
his efforts and his means most lber-
/ ally in the cause of good government
for the sake of good government, find
ing his only reward in the conscious
ness of performing his duty as a citi-
zen.
Mr.. Lissner IS an excellent repre-
sentative of that class of younger
citizens now growing up all over the
country who are devoting their time
and means to the cause of good gov
erument ON the same principle Of pa
triotism that induces a man to enlist
and take UP arms I'm defense of his
country in time of war, And upon the
increase and success of this class of
citizens rests the future hope Of our
country.
1t is a sad commentary up
on the selfish agencies that have
heretofore conducted the politics
of our country that when a
man takes an interest in politics the
question is usually asked, "What does
he want?" This question would not
be asked of a man who shoulders a
musket to go TO the front for the pur-
pose of defending his country in its
need, and, if it were asked, the asker
would probably be the recipient of dis
agreeable expressions of the indigna-
tion of patriotic people who respect
and honor a man for his devotion 10
his country. II is to be hoped that in this
country the time will soon come when
it will be considered as much a mat
ter of course, and as much the part OF
patriotism, for man to enlist i'm the
ranks of those who are fighting for
clean politics and decent government
as it is for him to enlist in his country's S
armies in time Of national conflict.
When this time comes, it viii be
| brought about by the actions and eX-
ample of just such patriots as Meyer
/ Iissner.
That MI. Lissner has at last con-
sented to accept a position in the gov
eminent Of his city, which is not only
without financial emolument, but which
will impose most heavily upon his
time and effort, is a matter Of sin
cere qualification to all those who are
acquainted with his unusal ability, and
particularly with his wonderful mas
terry Of detail, which will make his
services invaluable in connection with
! the proper regulation of the public
utilities of the city.