Los Angeles herald., 1910-02-24
WORK DONE BY GOOD GOVERN
MENT FUND EXPLAINED
MORE EXTENSIVE FIELD HAS
BEEN MAPPED OUT
Men Enough Interested in Hon.
est Conduct of Public Affairs
to Pay Cost

government fund in Los Angeles, and
the subscribers thereto, cost the sup
porters of clean and good government
$23, 323.49. This expenditure or disburse-
ment of the fund subscribed by scores
of patriotic citizens of Los Angeles was
contained in a report made yesterday
| by p. M. Johnson, treasurer of the
Good Government Fund organization
| to the directors.
That the existence of the organization
| justified itself and fulfilled the expec-
tations of it's founders was the essence
of report filed by the officials. The
report was addressed to the subscrib-
| ers to the fund, and with it was a rec
ommendation that $4,000 would be re-
quired to maintain the movement the
| ensuing year.
A suggestion that a campaign be
instituted to obtain subscriptions to in
crease the fund to that amount was
made by the officials, and it will be sub
! mitted to those who believe in practical
patriotism of the kind that supported
the Harper recall, the legislative bureau
known as the peoples lobby"-the
Municipal league, the advisory commit
tee of the Los Angeles highway COM
mission, and to the Good Government
=
reelection of Mayor Alexander.
Report of Directors
The good government fund was or
ganized February 20, 1909, by ten men
who agreed to pay $1,000 a year to the
| fund. 1t now has 159 subscribers, whose
pledges total $24,639 a year. The pledges
| for the year amounted to $26,5S9. From
| this $1770 was deducted because of the
withdrawal of pledges, leaving a work.
ng balance of $24,S27.46, which included
| interest on deposits.
Secretary LisSner's disbursement re-
! port showed that $400 was given to the
| Direct Legislation league, to assist ii
| in maintaining the peoples lobby; $9925
| to the Municipal league, $11.169.42 to
the Good Government organization
$3729O to sundries, $5S1.62 for secret
service, printing, stationery, typewrit-
ing and other incidentals. The cash on
hand Is $21S.97
| At the annual election held after the
reports were adopted, the incumbents
were retained with the exception Of j
o. Koephi and Gilbert S. Wright. Mr.,
| Koephi is about to undertake tour
around the world. and Mr.. Wrights
private business requires his entire at
tention. A. J. Wallace and Frank j.
Hart were chosen in their stead. The
man, S. c. Graham; vice chairman, G.
]. Kubach; treasurer, p. M. Johnson;
secretary, NJ. Lissner; board of direct
ors includes these officials and Stod-
dard Jess, William Lacy, A. ]. wallace,
Frank j. Hart and DR.. John r. Haynes.
Following is the report in part of the
directors:
Experience has shown that the
financial support of one political
i,,f fI,o oif nF Aro
alone, conducted with strict econ
omy, entails at the present time an
| expenditure OF about 100000, and
while the good government fund
| contributes literally to political ac--'
| tivities that are worthy of support,
| it is also It's function to support
movements for the Improvement of
governmental administrations; for
the investigation, exposure and
prosecution of graft and misgov-
ernment, and for the betterment of
civic conditions generally.
1t has therefore become apparent
| to the trustees of the fund that to
properly maintain such worthy and
practical movements for civic ad-
vance in Los Angeles county as are
entitled to financial support will re-
| quire a fund of approximately
double the present total subscrip-
IlOn, OF, III fOuIQ HuHlDSIS, dDouL
$4,000 per annum.
To this end it is recommended
that the trustees elected for the
ensuing year endeavor to raise the
present subscriptions by an appeal
to the general public instead of de-
pending principally upon the SUBJ
scriptions of those of large means.
There are probably several thousand
persons in Los Angeles county who
sufficiently appreciate such an insti-
tuition as the good government
fund to subscribe a moderate
amount monthly, and it is suggested
that campaign for such subscrip-
tions be instituted, and the mini
mum amount to be solicited be fixed
at 81 a month or $40 a year in ad-
vance.
Disbursements Explained
From a perusal of the report of
the treasurer 1t will be observed
that the principal purposes for
which contributions were made were
the following:
To the legislative bureau, known
as the peoples lobby" maintained
by the Direct Legislation league at
Sacramento during the last session
of the legislature, $400.
To the Municipal league for the
| purpose VI ICCdll Sclh-
paign against Mayor Harper and
the election OF Mayor Alexander,
$9925.
To the advisory committee of the
Los Angeles highway commission
for the employment of engineers,
etc, in its supervision of the ex-
penditures of the good roads bond
money, $874.55.
To the Good Government organ
ization for the campaign for the re-
election of Mayor Alexander and
the election of the present incum-
bents of municipal Office, $11.169.42.
In addition to the above, by virtue
of the authority vested in him by
the plan of organization, the chair
man has authorized the payment OF
number of contributions in
amounts not exceeding $10O and ag-
gregating $372.90 to a number of
city officials and others for private
Investigations within their depart
ments, and similar work for which