The herald., 1895-05-30
Conference of the National
League at Cleveland
CORRUPTION DENOUNCED
Some Stalwart Facts and Figures
Presented
James W. Carter, President Of the League,
1ade q Forcible Address-New
Officers Elected
Associatei Press Snecial Wire.

hssocihtei Iress special wire.
CLEVELAND, May 29.-Although a
few of the famous Americans who are
on the programme of the first great con-
ference of the National Municipal league
have not yet appeared. the meeting began
today with good attendance and pros
poets for a proiitapl interchange of ideas.
The meeting room OF the chamber OF
commerce was well filled with delegates
and prominent citizens of Cleveland at
. O'Clock, when the convention opened.
j. w. &. Cowles welcomed the league on
behalf of the city and letter OF welcome Q
was read from Mayor Mckissen, who is
not in the city. James W. Carter OF New
York, the president of the league, made
brief respose. He was followed by
Clinton Rogers Woodruff of Philadelphia,
who read paper on A Year s Work for
Municiual Reform.
Mr.. Woodruff began by referring to the
rapid progress of municipal refo,m, the
unparalleled civic awakening and truly
extraordinary development of interest IN
municipal affairs during the past fifteen
months and the encouragement the
movement has received.
Back OF all the diversity OF forms.
the speaker said. I'VE see a steady, reso-
lutte determination to remove the stigma
that is resting upon American munich
paliites. 1t is the spirit of 1776 and 1860
manlfesting itself in new way. Some
OF the efforts are crude: some destined to
failure all to temporary defeat, but as
surely as our independence was and the
Union is preserved, Just so surely will the
evils OF municipal misgovernm ent be
eventually conquered and American cities
placed where they should be-in the very
front rank of wellgoverned cities.
"a 40 n i'm,
store for the movement cannot be foretold,
but of one thing we are assurred-the
whole question has come to be discussed
as never before and its Importance has
been brought hone to large mum Der of
those who value their political heritage
and those interested in the country's
highest development. Som ething more
than this, however. is necessary. a deep
seated determination to sacrifice every
thing if need be rather than permi: tine
dearly earned liberties and reputation
transmitted to us to be destroyed
by selfish incompetcncy and in
efficiency. The present situation
may not be so dramatic as that of 1776
or OF 1860, but it is equally as poItentous
to the future welfare and maintenance
of our republican states"
James W. Pryor, secretary of the CITY
club of New York, made report on the
reform efforts III the metropolis.
Hon. a. b. Butler, representing the
Milwaukee league. reported that the
work in that city was being prosecuted
on definite plan and that it mad prob
ably determined the character of the
next legislature.
AS the old corps of officers were all
eastern men, the organic law of the league
was so changed that the number OF vice
presidents was increased to five and the
members of the executive committee to
nine in order that the west could be rep
resented The old officers we're reelected
and in addition there are the western
officers chosen as follows:
Third vice president. Thomas n. Strong,
Portland, Ore, president of the Munici
pal league of Portland; fourth vice -pfesi-
dent, Mr.. l.. +. Holden of Cleveland;
fifth vice president. DR.. II. Dickson of
New Orleans. of the Ballot Reform league
OF louisiana.
Executive comnittee-A. l.. Crozier,
president of the Minneapolis board of
trade; Frank n. Hartwell president of
the Good Government club of Louisville.
\ public meeting was held in the even
ing at the First Methodist church. Pres-
dent Wilson NJ. Day OF the Cleveland
cham Der of commerce in the char. Mr..
James C. Carter of New York, president
of the National Municipal league, made
his annual address. which was an inter-
esting exposition of the aims of the or
ganiZation.
MT. carter called attention to the cor
ruption existing i'll not only all of the
larger but the smaller cities IN the United
States, and called attention to the fact
that expenses had resulted in the forma-
tion of municipal reform leagues through
out the country. The speaker was fre-
quently applauded. Office holders came
in for severe structures and the speaker
said that the only reform would be to
take the power of backmail away from
all police DEPARTMENTS,
Bert Walsh OF Philadelphia followed
him with an address upon the municipal
condition OF that city. which he said was
as bad as it could be, and Charles G.
Bonaparte of Baltimore spoke in IA gem
eral way OF the leagues work.