The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-05-31
Reform I'm Portland.

Cleveland. May 3o.-At the conference
of Municipal Leagues today Hon. Thomas
y. Strong read a paper on the reform
movement in Portland, Or.
Al the outset Mr. Strong dwelt on the
growth of municipal corruption in this
city for many years. as the result or poiit-
teal control and the supineness of it's cit
liens. VINO, bent on money-making, were
regardless or ignorant of methods of ad-
ministration. The full awakening, he
said, came in 1898. when. under the pres
sure of financial stringency, several
banks failed and city and county funds
TO the extent of over $300, 0o0 were tied up.
The people arose and the famous taxpAy-
ers' committee of 100 was formed and
began a rigid examination into the mu-
nicipal departments. AS result OF Its
work the old apathy has largely dasap-
peared, and public officials are now be-
ting held to account. Even tinlid and
tentative efforts TO reform can now be
noticed in the police department stsesf,
added MIR. Strong. Continuing, ne said:
lit is apparent from this cltyS eSpe-
rience that all of this municipal eNtrav-
agaGce and corruption has grown up
under American cultivation and upon
American soil from causes inherent
Within cur service. 1t seslns 90 me that,
encouraged and permitted by the public
indifference born of continued prosperity.
political partksanship rs char'geaoae with
almost the entire mischief. IN his
opinion the great evil tendencies contin-
ually operating TO injure municipality
are the private greed of contractors. OIL
ceats etc, the demands Of the liquor
traffic, of the gambling houses and or
houses of ill-fame, and he emphasized
has contention by drawing. examples
from Portland's history. Realizing fuily
the evil OF political rartisansflfp IN mtl-
t<np
a central municipal league has been
formed in the city, the main principle OF
which is absolute enforcement OF munic-
ipal affairs from state and national pol
tiles and IL is meeting with success.
s.The exposes made by the committee OF
100" he said. 'have resulted In many re-
forms aind the whole field Is strewn with
the fragments of broken rings and ruined
bosses. The pogftlcal bosses who We're
once wont In sweet accord to divide the
snofis of the city among themselves ana
their followers are NOW. In want or ofheT
prey. turning savagely upon eacn otheT'
and our citizens are now treated 10 a
sight similar to that in times past en-
loved by our early pioneers when, fro1n
a position OF vantage UP Tree, '1ley
watched the wolf packs rend each other.
Mr.. Strong explained in detail how this
reform was acoompitshed-how the gam
bling houses were driven out or sight
and the whrrechapel DISTRICT infested by
disreputabie house, put "in mourning ana
sore financial straits" The committee
mad shown. he said that the houses IN
that district controlled about 1900 votes.
and that a single house had cast nearly
100 votes for a candidate who had prom
ised 1t protection in case OF his elecooh.
Concluding, he said: sour city is nowise,
perhaps. better than ssNne or yours ou.
our cause Is a common one. ana uhtn
our nnnicipalis:ss are honestly managed
the war. both East and West. should
never falter nor fail.