The herald., 1894-12-23
MUNICIPAL REFORM.

Z
in the cities. 1t il in aggregations OF
population that the boss and the schem
ing politician finds the material with
which to sway the destiny OF the state
and the nation il is in the larger cities
that political corruption breeds and
Aourishes II is contended by the ad
voeates OF good government in cities
that ii the citzsns will take personal
interest in affairs Immediately affecting
their environment the results will be "a
far reaching and sautary as the evil
that has heretofore emanated from the
same source. II every citizsu will Look
after the we'll being of his own fresde
the foundation of the nation is secure.
As a result of these conclusions dwell
lers in cities all over thu land are swsk-
ening to the importance of better gov
ernment of their respective municipal.
tss An excellent example 10 pre-
sented in The outgrowth of a
years agitation OF tho subject OF
good city government for Minneapo-
liz. The Municipal Reform league
of that city, recently organized. has
taken definite form with a constitu-
ton. plaus of work and large working
comm ttee composed of representative
citizens. At the last public meetng
Judge Isaac Atwater was elected presi-
dent; ]. Z. Phillips, vice president and
Rev. L. G. Powers. secretary. AT the
same time a committee was appointed
with J. B. Atwater as chairman to draw
up constitution or declaration of prin-
ciples. and bylaws for the government
OF the league. This committee met an
adopted the following declaration OF
principles:
We, the members of the Municipal Reform
league OF Minneapolis, inviting the co-opera
ton of Gil our fellow citizens, do hereby sub
seibe to the following statement OF oar prinei-
pies and Objects
FIst--We believe that our munici pal affairs
should be conducted upon u non partisan, eco
nomlcel and business-like basis: that, to attain
| this end municipal politics should be entirely
| separated from national and state politics; that
municipal officers should be selected for their
honesty and efficiency and not for their views
on general political issues; that the princl pies
of civil service reform should he extended, so
I
ments, aud that there should be rigorous OBJ
servsnce of all laws and regulations concern
ing appointments to. and removals from, the
municipal civil service.
Second-The objects of this assoc alton are to
unite and organize the citizens OF Minneapolis
in the support and carrying out of the above
principles; to disseminate by means of litera-
ture. addresses and otherwise, correct ideas
concerning municipal government among the
,I,,
ter OF city ordinances of our city as may be nee.
essary or expedient for ctrryine out the pur-
poses above specified; to aeure tia nom nation
and election of honest and efficient candid ates,
who shall bs pledged to conduct municipal
affairs upon uon part san and business princ-
pies; to w ,tch over the conduct OF municipal
affairs and endeavor to correct existing abuses
therein, and to encourage every wise project
for adding to the comfort and convenen 1e of
our citizens md tC the prosperity an ! de velop-
ment Of our city.
The by-laws provide that any citizen
of Minneapolis, man or woman, or any
one whose business is conducted in thu
city, NAV becoms member by signing
the declaration OF principles. There
are TO be the usual officers, and an ex-
ecutive committee consisting OF forty
members, each ward branch TO select
two, and the remaining fourteen to he
chosen at the annual meeting OF the
le ague.
The proyesions of the bylaws for
ward branches are such that it will be
possible to organize these subdivisions
uniformly and with the purpose OF ulti-
mately being bound together in cen
trail body.
The bylaws provide for the appoint
ment by the executive com mittee OF sub.
committees on finance and ward organ
ization. and special subcommitteee su on the
investigation of current abuses, on the
collection OF inform alton concerning the
various needs Of the city, and upon ell
matters in which the league may be in-
teFested, 1t is also provided that there
shall be gu bcommittee of five mem bers
which shall be subject to the call OF the
president or vice-president, and have
power to act with these officers in ap-
pointing temporary committees and in
authorizing any action in behalf of the
league which may require i'm ediate at
toubluui VI III CHboE Wu6TS III IL lucOD~
venient to assemble the entire commit
tee. OF the other bylaws the most i'm
portant is that which provides the
outlines of the machinery for making
the league effective in actual partici p.-
ton in municipal nominations. This
section reads sB follows:
The executive committee shall in the first
instance determine whether at any election 1t
is advisable TO put in nomination candidates
for any municipal office. In case II determines
to make such nominations 1t shall call upon
each ward branch to send two delegates to q
convention which shall consist of such dele
gates and of the executive oommitte, and
thereupon such convention so const.u ed shall
have authority TO place in nomination any
candidate for such Office or offices.
This plan of organization is modelled
on that OF the Philadelphia Municipal
league. As soon as the executive COM
mittee is filed out it is proposed to be-
gin m active canvass of the city, secur.
ing signers of the declaration OF prin-
ciples.
Undoubtedly an organization such ss