Los Angeles herald., 1910-12-28
CHARTER CHANGES
PASS IN COUNCIL;
FATE UP PT0vOTERS
Amendments Garry 6 to 3, and
Election viii Be Called
Feb. rs or 27
MINORITY VOICES A PROTEST
Washburn, Stewart and Gregory
Declare Some Propositions
Very Objectionable

nv division of six to three the
council Yesterday passed the charter
amendments, after making rev NOR
changes in them and they VIII pe sun
mitted to the people. Councliiheii
Washburn, Stewart and gregory pp
posed the submission of the amend
ments and signed a report to the coun-
oil in which they gave their objections.
Stewart and Gregory refused to vote
for a resolution Of thanks to the seven
members of the charter revision com
mission. on the grounds that tneS
woul6> stultify themselves If they dlu'
hut Washburn voted for the resolu-
tion with a reservation
There are fifteen amendments to be
voted on by the people ana the c,eC-
tion probably will he called for rep
ruarv 26 or 27. There are more than
fifteen sections of the charter that are
amended but as some of the amend
ments must stand or fall together IL
was found desirable to couple several
sections in one.
Some minor changes were naue a.
the last minute and the councl spilt
as evenly as nine men can do on the
proposition to give the council review
over demands of various departments
that are rejected by the auditor. Ihe
council took this privilege to itself py
n vote of 5 to 4. In this particular the
council will have review over the eN-
penditures of the water. harbof anu
public works departments, when IL
does not now have. By the same vote
the amendments were changed SO lIe
next MAYOR will be elected for only
two wears instead of four, but his sue
cessor will hold a four-year term
MINORITY OBJECTIONS
Objections filed by Washburn, Stew
art and Gregory follow: ,,,.,..
a We are asked to intelligently
consider and approve within one week
at least $4,000 words of amendments,
MANY of which involve fundamental
changes in our plan of munlclpal gov
ernment. We consider the time en-
tirely inadequate.
80 From the incomplete eXahlha-
tion which we have been able to make
some of the amendments seem to be
meritorious while others appear seli-
ously Objectionable.
..3 The charter revision conmlttee
itself does not seem to be entlrely
agreed upon the matter.
"a A charter election cannot be held
under the law until more than two
wears have elapsed since the previous
election. As the one proposed Will be
held at the latest date possible to Sc
cure legislative ratification IT tolloWs
mat four years will probably elapse
before faulty provisions, if any exist,
can be rectified,
a. We are of the opinion that a
charter for the city of Los Angeles
should be consistent, coordinate ana
symmetrical but fear that many OF the
amendments Will not be in harmony
with such an instrument.
FAVOR DEEPER PROBE
Sc. We believe that the text OF the
charter as in it's full amended form
should Srst have the formal approval
of The revision committee and then be
tentatively submitted to the council
the various departments of the city
the civic bodies and the public for eX-
animation and suggestions, and should
then receive needed correction by the
commission. Thereafter to be ap-
nroyed by the council in it's final form
before being submitted to vote OF the
people,.
This or similar deliberation not nav
ing been exercised we believe the
greater benefits will accrue to continue
the consideration, either under the
nresent commission, which has done
arduous work and furnished much OF
good. or under a new commission, VINO
will report not later than January l,
1912. and the final conclusions SUD-
,,,i+tad to the legislature of 1913"