Imperial Valley press., 1913-03-31
THE NEW ALIGNMENT

4 Il often happens that some unex-
Frcf-t event forces an alignment OF
people un issues where before the idea
r2t l.t h"rn clearly defined.
IA the late presidential runpairi
ne reai DISTINGUISHING Issue between
Roosevelt 1nf Wilson WAS til" theory
u Roosevelt that great a--rrgatiun-
Il capital should he rr-ul8tri for Tia.
coed "f thn public. ana the theory ~
Wilson mat such trusts should h.
abolished. that all m.u should have q
righf T" compete
Is tIuc mat many persons and
newspaperS Put Themselves ON the
Roosevelt side herJu~r ~ fin" person.
-hty and fore" Of the man. while feeling
iia- Wilson W5~ right ON this Issue.
mi rhr Press j. free III admit that
->trh Was the case with this journal.
Carrying out the Roosevelt theory.
he Progressive" administration ana
legislature II California have formed
hpir whole policy on the theory that
ioe great t--re-3tirn~ II capital in
Pubhc service corporations in this state
Night De protected from competition
and guaranteed in their revenue. Thus
ru-ram II paternaliSm over corpoId-
,.3ns Wa~ formulated ana commissions
sEere created with power Of lif. and
1,eatl OYER these public service com
1mes.
10 the best II its knowledge and
1-e.Jri. no Progressive newspaper except
ifsf- Press had voiced apprehension on
ms nnc until there suddenly arose IN
Los Angeles an issue which has split
iAar city asunder.
Los Angeles has certain greet cleo
a5cai companies which for years hay"
been developing power OF mountain
Streams and bringing It in the form Of
-le6trical energy to the city.
Meanwhile the city has been build
g1g IT'S great aqueduct, and is planning
% bring from the water power great
noaicipal electric currents direct to the
psSple to serve them at cost. The big
5Dgger companies are opposed to this
kpd seek to control the new works
z protection Of the capital invested by
lie corporations.
There are large corporate interests
controlling frontage on Los Angeles
sErunr. and the city also controls front
Ece there. The big corporations are
nov ,erkiH1 tD prevent the city ere
2:ITG free harbUr frontage to destroy
4heir monopoly.
With the question thus fairly pre-
SEATED % Los Angeles in its municipal
sraHe whether the city will carry out
n Roosevelt theory Of protecting the
rag money interests from competition
- vii protect the peoples demand for
d municipal power supply and q free
aErDOr there is a merry row on for
IL city election. and the Progressive
Dgrly. as we'll as all other parties, is
spiit asnnder.
This incident is Of great Importance
ss4ause il illustrates we'll the new line
IT cleavage which is certain to exist in
.tr future in American politics, city,
,sate and national.
IN Los Angeles the opposition TO
xIunicipal power and free harbor is
Nrused by alleged fear Of Socialism.
EAss is apparently on the theory that
= sepudiate the regency Of the trusts
. essentially socialistic.
The Los Angeles problem is not
yassed up to the Press to solve. II it
were the Press would favor entire fair
zess to the corporations by offering 20
Ale over their power plants and harbOr
frontage at actual value, making them
municipal property. This journal does
not believe in conflscation, nor do the
seepfe at large.
Sut if Los Angeles surrenders its
great power rights and its free harbOr
~ the corporations on the Roosevelt
Geory Of protection and regulation OF
trusts, this journal is greatly mistaken
. its beliefs.
Brought down to a concrete, local
proposition, the people are certain to
endorse the theory Of Wilson and
Bryan, rather than that of Roosevelt.