Los Angeles herald., 1910-06-05
Machines
Leftover
Work

1888 of the political code. Section 1888
has been an eyesore for the machine
these many years. The section pro-
vides the manner in which q citizen
may become a candidate for office inde-
pendent of party nomination. The the
ory of the law Is that even the almost
infallible party machine may at times
make mistakes, and that all the party
candidates for a given office may be
men for whom their fellow citizens
may not care to vote.
Section 11SS, to meet this possible sit
uation, provides that upon petition OF
a given percentage of the voters of the
district any citizen eligible for office
may have his name placed on the regu-
lar election ballot. The petition must
be filed with the proper official twenty
days before the election.
The machine aimed either to repeal
the section or amend it into ineffective
ness by requireing the Independent can
ddat to file his petition before the
primaries. Fortunately, however, the
scheme was exposed, the better element
of the legislature was placed on the
alert, and no change was made in the
section. The machine unquestionably
will attempt to tinker with the section
at the session of 1911.
Another machine scheme that failed
was the attempt made to put the state
servation policies of President Roose-
welt. In a matter so unpopular the
machine naturally proceeded with crab
like indirection. "By request" Senator
/ Birdsall introduced a resolution which
called upon the attorney general TO
assert and maintain the right of the
people of the state to the privilege of
| going upon government land for deVel-
opment purposes"
The resolution seems reasonable
enough until the facts are known.
The public lands of the state are
owned bv the federal government for
the whole people.
The physical waters flowing over
these lands are the property of the
state.
The state of California has practi-
| cally no law for the conservation OF
| these waters. The result Is that the
public service corporations have been
grabbing priceless water rights.
While waiting for the state to ADOPT
| legislation for the conservation of these
water rights the federal government.
! during Garfeld's term as secretary of
| the interior enforced regulations for
| passing over and using government
| lands. In this way the grabbing en-
terprises of large financial concerns
were checked.
The adoption of the Blrdsall resolu-
tion would not only have placed the
! legislature on record against tne
Roosevelt Garfield conservation pon-
cIes. but would have obliged the at
! tornev general to defend the grabbers
! in their quarrel with the federal gov
When Senator Brdsall understood
| the nurpose of the resolutions ne
promptly repudiated them. They were
Another lot of legislation which the
machine advocated, involved tne
amendment of the game laws inaklns
! them even more offensive than they are
| az nresent. It was proposed, for ex-
annie. TO compel every man, woman
and child who goes fishing to pay
| license of 81 year for the privilege
! Another change was to allow the ilsl.
and game commissioners salary OF
! $4,000 "a year These two measures Win
other Objectionable fish and game pliis'
were defeated. The machlne can oe
counted upon at the next session 70 re-
| oman this fight which it lost last year
lack of space makes it impossible TO
deaf in detail with the work which the
machine was at the session or l9O9 coIn
neIled to abandon unfinished. i6ut
! enough has been said to show how I'M
nortant 1t Is that the people elect TO the
| legislature of 1911 citizens who Will rep
resent the state of California and not
! the special interests. ranging from
rambling establishment and white
slave mart to the Southern Pacific Ran
road company. And the fact should not
he lost sight of that however pleasing
| the personality of machine candidates
| the political agents of white SLAYER
| rambler and exploiting corporation,
make common cause and constitute the
state machine.