Rock Island Argus., 1895-06-01
REFORM OF CITIES.
Paper Read at the Municipal
League Convention.
HOW PORTLAND, Or, WAS OLEANsEI

Chairman Of the Comnittse OF One Hun.
dred Of That City Tells whae Was ths
Cause Of the Trouble and Its Origin
Partisanship In Elections One Thing
That Must Go-Gsesults Of the Commit.
tees Work-Resolutions.
CLEVELAND, June l-At the Municipal
League convention probably the most in.
tcresting payer read considering tho stu.
ation in a number Of our cities at this
tlmo wns that Of Thomas N. Strong.
chairman of the "Taxpayers' Committee
OF One Hundred" Of Portland, Or, on
the municipal condition Of that city. At
tho outset Mr.. Strong dwelt on the
growth OF municipal corruption in his
city for many years as tho result Of poll
ticians' control and supineness Of Its citi-
zens, who-bcnt on money. .making-were
regardless or ignorant Of the methods OF
administration. The full awakening, he
said, came in 1873, when under the pres
sure Of tho financial stringency several
banks failed and city and county funds to
the extent of over t3OO, 600 were tied up.
The people arose and the famous taxpay.
ers' committee OF 100 was formed and be.
gan a rigid examination into municipal
departments.
Evils Wero Of American Origin.
As result Of its work the old apathy
has largely disappeared and public Of
fcins nrc now being held to account.
"Even timid and tentative efforts to re.
form can be noticed in tho police depart.
ment ITSELF" added Mr.. Strong. Con-
tinulng. he said: 1T is apparent from this
city's experience that all of this municipal
extragnvance and corruption has grown
up under American cultivation and upon
American soil from causes inherent with.
In ourselves. 1t seems to me that, en-.
couragcd and permitted by the public in.
difference born of continued prosperity,
political partisanship is chargeable with
almost the entire mischief"
-Four Great Evils Enumerated.
In his opinion the four great evil
tendencies continually operating to in.
3ure municipality arc the private greed
, Of contractors, officers, etc.; the demands
of the liquor traffic; Of the gambling
houses and OF houses Of ill.fame, and he
emphasized his contention by drawing
examples from Portland's history. RE
alizing fully tho evil Of political parti
sanship in municipal affairs" the speak
or continued, "a central municipal league
has been formed in tho city. the main prin-
ciple of which Is the absolute divorcemont
of municipal affairs from state and..natiOn-
al politics, and 1t Is meeting with sue
cess. Tho exposures made by tho COM
mittee of 100 havo resulted in many re.
forms and the whole fold is strcwn with
tho fragments Of broken rings and ruined
bosses.'
Gambling Driven "Out Of Sight"
Mr.. Strong explained in detail how
these reforms were accomplished-how
the gambling houses wcrc driven out Of
sight" and Whitcchapel, tho district in.
tested by disreputable houses, put 'in
mourning and sore financial straits. I"
The committee had shown, he said, that
the houses In that district controlled
about 1000 votes. and that single house
had cast nearly 100 votes for candidate
who had promised 1t protection in case Of
his election. Concluding, he said. "Our
city Is no worsc-is perhaps better-than
some of yours; but our cause Is common
one and until our municipalities arc hon.
estly managed the war both in the east and
In the west should neither falter nor fail. u
RESOLUTIONS That Were Adopted.
The following resolutions were adopted
by the convention, which then, alter the
roading Of fow more papers, adj burned
Resolved, That in the opinion OF the
National Municipal League the presen,
condition Of local government in the
great majority of the cities Of this coun-
try is such as to threaten tho integrity OF
our institutions and ultimately the exist
ence of the nation; that in the opinion ol
this league the question OF municipal
government demands the serious consid
Grafton and devoted service Of oil citizens
who would not have the rottenness IL
our city governments spread still suffer
ing from boss rule"