The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-12-10
FOR Good CITY Government
Meeting of the National Municipal
League at Indianapolis.
REPRESENTATIVES PRESENT
The Convention for the Promotion Of
Good City Government Assemblies for
Observation-Disclosures by William G.
Low and Herbert Welsh.

Minneapolis, Dec. S.-The convention
for the promotion of good city govern
ment met at the Unitarian church this
morning. Representatives of local or
ganizations were present from Philadel-
phla, New York, Cleveland, Chicago,
Kansas City, Duluth, Milwaukee and
other cities. The meeting was called
to order by Vice-President Richardson,
of the National league, with few re-
marks upon the movement. President
Crocker, of the board of trade, spoke
briefly of the relation of Minneapolis TO
this movement, and introduced Mayor
Eustis, who made the address of well
come. The response on the part of the
visitors was by Professor +. j. James,
of the University of Pennsylvania.
George Burnham,' of Philadelphia, was
made permanent chairman of the con-
vention, and the programme of the day
began with an address by City Attor
ney d. Il. Simpson on "The Scheme Of
Government in Operation in This City"
Among those who arrived this morn
ing are the following: George Burn
ham, jr., president of the Philadelphia
Municipal league; Charles Richardson,
vice-president of the Philadelphia
league and of the National Municipal
league; DR.. Il. ]. James, professor in
the Wharton school of the University
of Pennsylvania; Clinton Rogers Wood
ruff, secretary of the Philadelphia and
National Municipal league; William
Potts, of New York. secretary of the
Civil Service Reform league of America;
William G.. Low, member of the New
York committee of seventy and brother
of Seth Low, president of Columbia
college; Professor jeremiah w. jerks,
of Cornell university; William A. Giles,
president of the real estate board of
Chicago; Godfrey Haas, state secretary
of the Young Mems Christian associa-
tion, of Galesburg, ILL.,. Charles j. Bona
parte, of Baltimore, and Professor E.
w. Bemis, of the University of Chicago.
An address was made on Results
Obtained by Voluntary and Temporary
Movements by William G. Low, a
member of the committee of seventy of
New York city. Speaking of such
movements, Mr.. Low said. in part:
Work of Committee of Seventy.
but there have been great voluntary
and temporary movements in the his
tories of cities that mark epochs there
in; that attend crises and result in en-
during upliftings of their public life.
The recent movement in New York is
still fresh In pour minds; indeed, it is
still under strong headway l embody
here memorandum, substantially his,
furnished me by Charles Stewart
Smith, chairman of the committee of
seventy, whose duties connected there
with have prevented his being with us
l think that you will agree that a man
actively engaged in such good work on
the field of battle for reform should
be excused If he is not able to be pres-
ent in the forum to tell of his triumphs
What has been accomplished within
twelve months in New York city in the
matter of municipal reform? In May,
1892, Dr. Parkhurst from his pulpit
opened fire upon Tammany Hall AT
that time many sensible men regarded
his action as futile as Don Ouixote's
nght with the windmill. But DR.. Park
hufsts character is not inaptly de-
scribed by the Bowery boys reply to a
recent tirade in a Tammany election
meeting against DR.. Parkhurst on the
part or Police Justice Grady: Tom
tGrady), he Is slayer; look out when
he gets after you" He moved on with
majestic force and as tireless as a
steam engine, calumny notwithstand-
ing. In a year the community began
TO admire his pluck, although still
doubling his discretion. A few began
TO believe that a leader was In the field.
and that it was not fair that he should
make the fight alone. The press, a
little later, almost universally came to
his support and had faith in the man:
his winged words were read every
morning by millions of readers all over
the country
Then the police departments and Tam
many's management were placed under
the microscope for examination. In the
fall of 1893 the Chamber of commerce,
the Oldest and most influential COM
mercial institution in the United States,
with a membership of 1000 comprise.
ing most of the great merchants, bank
ers and manufacturers of the city, de-
manded an inquiry into the truth of
the charges made by DR.. Parkhurst
against the police department, and
they sent delegation to the legisla-
ture, which resulted in the appoint
ment of the LeXow committe. The re-
velations of the Lexow committee un-
der the magnificent leadership of Goff
aroused public opinion. The people
saw that the decline and fall of gov
ernment by the people was inevitable
unless this tide of corruption and the
foul brood engendered by Tammany
Hall, who ruled New York city, was de-
stroyed, root and branch. The culmin-
ating crime of Tammany was clearly
exposed, and that organization was
shown to be the oppressor of the poor
widow and orphan, the fatherless and
the fallen, as we'll as the rich and pow
erful. All classes were intimidated by
this sconscienceless power, which seemed
impregnable.
"The committee of seventy, created by
an uprising of the people In the fall of
this year, less than sixty days before
election, voiced public sentiment, and
led the way to the revolution which
eliminated in the election of Nov. G.
We have now a mayor-elect who can
be depended upon to redeem the city
by every act in his power"
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