Los Angeles herald., 1910-11-21
A FINE INNOVATION

wv HEN the mayor adopted the New
w England town meeting idea in
W the consideration of the aque-
duct and power problems by calling
upon the citizens to assemble and give
their views he established a precedent
that meant much in the effort to take
government out of the hands OF special
interests and restore it to the people.
IT is perhaps a natural sequel that the
members elect of the legislature in Los
Angeles county now propose to invite
their constituents to meet them IN
open meeting and discuss legislation
that is felt to be needed.
Such a meeting is to be held about
the middle of December in this city,
when an effort to draw out public sem
timent will be made in the open, and
with the understanding that such leg
islation will be heartily supported and
promoted. So far as we have any
knowledge the honor belongs to Cali
fornfa of being the first to put into use
such a plan. Most other states would
stand aghast if their elected represen-
tatives should invite the public to dis
cuss with them matters of legislation.
Not only will the meeting be directly
productive of great good, but the prec-
edent it will make is certain to be far
reaching in its effects. We predict that
the idea will spread outside the borders
of California with the spontaneous pop
uIarity of the commission idea, when
Galveston. put that innovation to the
test, and the demand for the adapta-
tion of the initiative, referendum and
recall to large cities that have followed
Los Angeles innovation in that direc-
tion.
1t is to the great credit of the men,
bers-elect that the idea of meeting their
constituents in open meeting, discuss
ing with them public matters and ask
ing for instructions sprang from them
selves, and it will immensely increase
popular confidence in them. Under the
old style politics such a thing would
never be dreamed Of What orders
We're given TO legislators came from
private interests, and too often, it must
be admitted, were accompanied by re-
ward OF promise of reward in some
form.
out of the old style politics grew,
very naturally, the idea that an elected
representative was his own master and
accountable only to his own conscience
If he happened tc be blessed or af-
flicted with such thing. Out Of it
grew the scandals at state capitals with
which our country has been checkered;
and out of it grew the power of the
lobby, and the jackpots, and the pur-
chased scnatorships, and strike bills;
and out of it all together the domina-
tion Of organizations that had the
wealth to corrupt representatives
Equally potent in creating confidence
is the meeting at Santa Barbara last
week when GoVernOr-elect Johnson
and other iusurgcnt members OF the
state government and senate got TO
gether to talk over policies and pro
gram Heretofore the reform forces
have lacked much strength because or
Decentralization. The last session of
the state legislature showed how weak
even a majority for righteousness can
be when divided, and it was only after
they disregarded party lines ana or
ganized that they We're able to meet
the adroit and practiced minority and
accomplish somethng
If these meetings are an earnest or
the quality Of our new legislature 1911
win be Il red letter year at Sacramento,
and the state is assured of safeguards
in the form Of statutes that will make
1t we'll nigh impossible for selfish IN
terests to regain the power in politics
that they have had for a generation
past,