Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-01-26
GOOD RULE IN CITIES.
Conference of Municipal Reformers
at Philadelphia.
MOVING FOR A PERMANENT LEAGUE
Ideas Outlined in This Mornings
Addresses.
INFLUENCE OF THE SCHOOL.
MOVING FOR A PERMANENT LEAGUE
INFLUENCE OF THE SCHOOL

PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 26.-The first ses-
sion Of the second days national confer
ence for good city government was called
to order promptly at 10 o'clock this morn
ing by Chairman Carter.
Rev. Washington GLADDEN., d. D., of CO.
lumbus, Ohio, was the first speaker. His
topic was Influence rpon officials in Of
fice." Bad influence upon officials should
be met with good influence, he
said. This influence would be glad
ly accepted by many of our officials.
We are as bound to support good men as
to vote Cor good men. and this needs thor
ough Organization. which he earnestly
urged.
Permanent League.
Mr. Richardson of Philadelphia then Of
Tered the following resolution: Whereas,
the elements brought together in the con-
ference should not be allowed to separate
without providing some permanent agency
for continuing its work and promoting
the comparison of views, the exchange of
experiences. the discussion of methods, and
that mutual confidence and sympathy
which adds SO much to the strength and
enthusiasm Of fellow workers in a great
cause.
1T is therefore resolved that the presi-
dent OF the conference is requested to ap-
point a representative committee Of seven
10 prepare a plan for the organization of a
national municipal league, which shall be
composed or associations formed in Ameri-
can cities and having as an object the i'm
provement of municipal government.
oPon the completion of the plan and
us approval by the association. as many Of
mem as the said committee may deem nee
essary, the committee shall declare the
proposed league to be fully organized and
prepared 10 enter upon it's work"
horace +. Deming of New York offered
as an amendment to the above:
Resolved. that il is the sense of this
conference that the committee when ap-
pointed by the chairman should provide
TOT a similar conference in New York in
oruer 10 bring influence to bear upon the
that state" "
The resolution and amendment was
adopted. va"
How to Arouse Public Sentiment,
How to arouse public sentiment In favor
OF good city government" was the theme
or the addresses of Edwin D. Mead of Bos-
ton and Rev. ]. H. Ecob of Albany. n. Y
Inc former urged "by means of educa-
ton and the latter by means of The
churches"
There Is no province said Mr.. Mead,
where the American people need eduoa-
tion more today than in municipal govern
ment. Saving only the great question of
Industrial reform the demand for an in
dustrial equality is as complete as the no.
litical equality which We enjoy, or pretend
TO enjoy. The question of municipal re-
form Is the greatest problem which con-
fronts us today in our politics.
our national administration, great as the
evils are in our still unreformed methods of
appointment is wonderfully pure. Our
state legislatures, with a few exceptions.
Albany, Harrisburg and others, where the
pressure of great railroad corporarions 10
strohS' are. In the main. honest and konor-
able bodies. But the governments of our
great cities for the last thirty years have
been our despair. Republican Philadelphia
as bad as democratic New York: Baltimore
as bad Chicago. The Character ~ the
men at the head of our city government ha 8
startllngly deteriorated The proldest of
American cities must blush when it thinks
who the men are in its common council
controlling its high interests disbursiny ITS
millions of money and representing its cor
porate life when compared with the class Of
citizens who sit in the town councils Of
birmingham and Glasgow and the great
cities OF France and Germany.
In almost everything that touches munic-
lpal administration We are today behind
Europe. We have everything to learn and
almost nothing to teach
Il rejoice to see signs everywhere that we
are entering upon an era of genuine Gull
ture and education, an era of revived pa
triotism and thoughtfulness. The great in
strument for education of the American
people is the public school. So fundamental
Is the public school that it is not too much
to say that our very existence and safety
depend upon its integrity and wise admin
istration. The parochial school, 1 care not
whether Protestant or Catholic, can never
give anything but parochial education
MIR. Meads utterances in regard to paro-
chial schools were loudly applauded
Continuing, he said: 1.-The private school
for rich mems children promotes class dis
tinctton, 1t harms the child, it harms the
parent and 1t harms the state. 1t deprives
the child Of the sturdier education which
the public school can give. If you would
your thought sharply on your own city or
your own town, on that particular section
of America with which you have day by
day the most to do"
Rev. j. E. Ecob of Albany was the next
speaker. He said: "Our Christian govern
ment is the noblest offspring of the
church's life. The first business of the
church is to redeem the ballot and put it
to the uses Of the kingdom. The ballot is
ton.
1.-The strategic point in the contest for the
recovery of the ballot is plainly the city.
The weight of social and civic influence is
with the church. Just as we covet earnest
ly, righteousness, peace and joy in God,
each man for his own home will we to-
gether covet the same powers and graces of
the kingdom for the larger life of our city"
He closed by saying that the redemption
of the city is the goal of our civic life
recess was then taken until o'clock.