Los Angeles herald., 1910-12-11

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MEYER LISSNER
prehensive investigation than can
usually be made by a municipality.
! The mere taking of an inventory now
| being made by one OF the large cleo
trical companies is costing about
! $4,000. 1t becomes apparent at once
that the town of Alhambra, for In
| stance, cannot afford to pay for such
work It would seem that such a
report should more properly be made
| by a state commission.
! Probably the most delicate matter
of legislation to be considered will be
to put into effect constitutional amend
ment No. 1, providing for the separa-
| ton of state and local taxes. While
! some Of US were not enthusiastic about
! the adoption of this amendment, let
| us hope it will work out as its pro-
ponents have suggested, because the
| strongest argument in favor of the
amendment is the fact that it will as
| sst in the elimination of corporations
| from politics.
TO GIVE PEOPLE A CHANCE
"No better instruments for bringing
| the government nearer to the people
exist than the initiative, the referen-
| dunn and the recall In order to give
the people the right to initiate legisla-
tion and to veto It, it probably will be
| necessary to submit to them for their
approval q constitutional amendment
which should provide for the applica-
| ton of the initiative and referendum
| to all matters of state, county and
municipal legislation 1t will prob
| ably be possible to adopt law apply
ing the recall to all elective officials
| except those whose terms are spe-
officially provided for in the constitu-
tion. AS to those 1t may require a
constitutional amendment.
"The direct primary law, while
great advance over the old convention
method, needs considerable amend
ment and slmplihcation. Its most Sc
rious defect Is the provision concern
| ing the advisory vote on United States
| senator. Unquestionably, one of the
! first things the next legislature will
! do will be to make the provisions of
the direct primary law to the election
Of United states senators so clear that
never again will any one have the
temerity to claim that a candidate re-
| ceiving the highest number Of votes
for that office is not the real popular
choice The legislature should also
toin the long roll of states that have
passed resolutions calling on con-
| gress to call a constitutional ConVen-
| ton so that United States senators
may be elected by direct vote of the
| people. Inc COUSIlLu plONihVo lAiclI
| congress must do this when two
thirds Of the states so request, and 1
understand 1t needs only the action
Of four more states, including Cali
fornia, to make this operative.
FAyoRs INCOME TAX
"The legislature should also pass
resolution approving the proposed con-
stitutional amendment for the income
tax, submitted to the legislatures by
the last congress. When this amend
ment has been approved by the legis-
latures of three-fourths of the states
it will be adopted and congress Will
then be able to pass a measure for an
income tax that the supreme court
cannot declare unconstitutional.
THE direct primary law should be
made much easier of application. The
percentage of signatures required for
q petition should be materially re-
duced It should not be necessary to
have a separate nominating petition
for each candidate. The time between
the primary and general election should
be shortened.
There should be a restoration of
the pure Australian form of ballot
wherein the names of candidates are
classified alphabetically according to
the various offices and where the
straight ticket and party circle, which
puts a premium on ignorance, is elm
| mated. The names of candidates for
the judiciary should be arranged on
such ballots without any party desig-
nation whatever The ballot should be
| shortened as much as possible. Such
| offices as state printer surveyor gen
eral, clerk of the supreme court and
| superintendent of state printing should
be made appointive by the governor
| and as far as possible a commission
r.-41 oh, ha n "
governments by vesting in the boards
of supervisors power to appoint such
administrative officers as clerk, treas
urer, tax collector, recorder, public
! administrator, coroner, surveyor, con-
stables and justices of the peace and
police judges. The direct primary law
cannot be made a success without the
short ballot.
HOW ABOUT SUFFRAGE?
Under the head of bringing the gov
ernment nearer to the people should
also be included the proposition of
woman suffrage. No matter how we
may differ as to the advisability Of
permitting women to vote, certainly no
| fairminded citizen should object to per-
mitting a majority of the voters to de-
termine that question for themselves
! by giving them an opportunity to vote
on q constitutional amendment permit
ting woman suffrage.
"Prohably the greatest factor in the
| establishment of businesslike condi-
tons in public affairs will be the ap-
plication Of civil service to state and
! county so that ordinary clerks and
! deputies may feel assured Of the re
tention Of their positions. Six states,
| New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts,
Illinois, Wisconsin and Colorado have
already adopted civil service,
"The vicious fee system should, as
far as possible, be eliminated No one
can defend a system whereby, as in
| the county of Los Angeles, it has be-
| come notorious that a county official
whose salary fixed by law at $4,000 a
years makes $4,000 out Of his office.
! Public officials should be well paid for
| their services, but their compensation
should be fixed definitely and the profit
Of their offices should be turned into
| the public treasury.
| "There is no reason why the coming
! Legislature should not adopt a law so