Los Angeles herald., 1910-12-20
COMMISSIONS WIN
IN COUNCIL FIGHT
Attempts to Diminish Powers
Fail After interesting De-
bate During Conference

Attempts to shear some of the COM
missions Of the greater powers vested
in them by the proposed new chartef
amendments were made by several
members of the council at a conference
on the matter lasting all day yesterday
and far into the night. Thes eftorts
were not successful and a majority of
the council approved the new amend
mcnts with a few minor changes.
CounciImen Stewart and Andrews
led the fight to put tho powers and
duties of the harbor commission under
the board of public utilities, and
Gregory and Washbum supported
them, but tho other five members OF
the council preferred to leave the con
troi IF harbor affairs in the hands Of
the harbor commission, with greatly
enlarged powers.
Stewart and Washhurn also tried u
have the financial powers of the water
department curtailed. Both dra NOM
bers OF the finance committee and they
look with cnVious eyes ON tEat large
yearly surplus of the water depart
ment, for it would come in so handy
in making both ends meet in the other
departments that are not revenue
producing but an expense. Other mem
bers of the council also considered that
large surplus and concluded THAI the
finances OF the water department We're
well cared for under present plans, SO
but little change was made.
MUNICIPAL NEWSPAPER PLAN
The people are to have an opportu-
nifty to vote on the question of mu-
uicipal newspaper c.. II. Dunlop, for
mer mayor OF Hollywood and chairman
of the Good Government organization,
is the father Of the plan for "a news
paper to be supported by taxation that
will print unbiased municipal news.
He wants the city printing, for which
the city pays thousands of dollars
every year, published in the municipal
newspaper and he believes this money
win go far toward the support of the
paper. He presented his ideas to the
charter revision commission whom 1t
was considering amendments, but the
commission refused to consider 1t.
Commissioner Hewitt is especially op-
posed 10 it. lie declares tlat il lS bound
to become nothing but An adminlstra-
tion organ. But the council thought II
would be ii good plan to lot the people
vote on the matter, anyhow, and it viii
bc submitted with other amendments.
After Il vigorous contest it was de
cided 10 allow each member of the
board of education d fee Of so for each
regular meeting, but not to exceed 500
month.
CHANGE N LIBRARY RULES
At the solicitation of Purd b. Wright,
Librarian, heads Of departments in the
library are to be taken out of civil
service regulations. They are classed
as experts. and it is found difficult to
secure suitable persons to fill the po-
sitions Sometimes they must be
brought from other cities. The library
will also be permitted to accumulate
it's surplus for d building fund
The park commission wanted a fixed
revenue OF mills, instead of being left
to the mercy Of the budget committee
evorv year. but City Assessor Mallard
called attention to the fact that consti-
tutionaI amendment No, / had taken
$4,000 600 from the city's taxable prop
oryt and such a proportion would leave
the park commission with less money
than il now receives.