The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-06-01


that the best city government is that
which preserves the health Of the peo-
pie, but with the proviso that it be
done at reasonable cost.
The most important questions to be
thus considered" the doctor contin-
ued, 'are vital statistics, water sup
ply, sewage disposal, garbage disposal,
streets AID parks, prevention q the
spread of disease, provisions for clean
Hness. suppression of nuisances, SUI
pervtsion of the food supply, regula-
ton Of the liquor traffic, care of the
sick and disposal of the dead. Each
of these" he said require expert
knowledge to obtain the best results,
and the experts should be selected by
the civil service method, excluding po-
ntical considerations"
Discussing the means of securing
perfect health system, DR.. Billings
said: mo system will prove satisfac-
tory which prevents the chiefs OF the
health and engineering departments
from presenting their plans and esti-
mates directly to the mayor, and no
system of contracts for street cleaning
and the removal of refuse will, in the
long run, secure work properly done at
reasonable rates. All such contracts
must be what are known as gambling
contracts. The city should own its
own plant and employ it's own men for
under the direction of the engineering
department"
DR.. Billings outlined the methods
by which the various desiderata men
toned hy him should be provided for
by city government, and proceeding,
said: 81 believe the statement that
the present evils of a city life are
temporary and remediab1e, and that
science is competent to answer the
problems connected with this. But
science is a matter of fact, of quanti-
ties, OF measurements must have
data to work with-and the first thing
needed for most of our cities is to
obtain these data. 1 am much inclined
to believe that the wisest thing a city
could do, would be to have their
health and engineering departments
Inspected by a committee composed OF
an expert statistician, a skilled SAM
tartan. and an experienced municipal
engineer from elsewhere for the pur-
pose. who should take from one to
six months to do their work, and then
report the results, with their recon-
menlations. The citizens would then
know what of these parts of the mu-
nicipal machinery are in good order,
and what are not. Each city pre-
sents its own peculiar problems, but
in many cases these problems can be
better solved by experts called from
be selected from the citizens of the
place itself"
Christian EnedavOr Work.
]. W. Baer. of Boston, had read an
address on 1.-THE Work of Christian
Endeavor Societies in Behalf of Chris
tian Citizens
Mr.. Baer began his address by
quoting from the addresses made by
Francis z. Clark, president of the
Christian Endeavor society at the con-
ventions held in Montreal in July. |
1893, and in Cleveland last July. anent |
the Christian Endeavor campaign for
Christian citizenship.
He then exnaustively discussed the |
work of the various subordinate !
unions of the society in different cities |
the country. In this con-
nection he said:
ct find. in going over the reports
that have come to me from almost |
every large city in the land, that there
Is a great similarity in the work ac-
complished and the methods employed. |
Citizenship clubs have been organ
Ted and the various departments of
education, temperance, literature, re-
lief, arousing public sentiment, express
sing public sentiment in petitions and
putting forward good men
and measures, and defeating bad ones
IN the primaries, at the polls and in
the councils of city and state; enforc-
Ing laws already gained; strengthen
Ing the hands ot honest officials, and
exposing corruption, have ell been
emphasized and brought to the atten-
ton of thousands and thousands of
readers. The result has been good.
but what has been done gives good
promise Of better plans and work in
the future
In Detroit.
Rev Donald MacLaurin, D. D., of
Detroit. Mich, read very interesting
paper on the municipal conditions ex-
sting in that city.
Rev. Gregory J. Powell, of Omaha.
declared that the solution of the
problem will never be
'eached until the evil resulting from
he performance Of city duties by cor
JorationS is corrected.
Mr.. l. E. Holden, of Cleveland, con-
tended for minority reports as a great
aid, and reports Of the benefits to be
derived from that system were made
oy several delegates.
Mr. John A. Cana. of Cincinnati.
offered a resolution memorializing
Congress to so modify the naturaIiza-
ion laws that an applicant for ma
-uraliZation must show a certificate
from a home officer as to his age, &C.
supation, birthplace and port of de-
oarture, and one from the United
States consul setting forth the charac-
'er Of the applicant.
Resolutions.
Mr.. James W. Price, of New York,
presented this resolution to be consid-
red by the executive committee:
Whereas, the government and the
constitution Of the United States are
ounded up the capacity of the in
I1vidgal citizen for self-government,
ND,
Whereas, Popular government in ]
he large and rapidly growing cities
II this country practically failed
o develop capacity for local-self gov
srnment in the citizens of our munich
,aitties, and,
Whereas, Citizens who fail in their
luties to local government which af- Is
ect daily and intimately the happi- !
less, the comfort and the personal
afety of themselves, their families I
md their neighbors canot continue TO I
discharge the duty Of citizens of the
latdon with that patriotism upon i
which our forefathers founded our s
ederal government; therefore be 1t, I
Resolved That in the opinion OF I
he National Municipal league, the
resent conditions of local government I
\. the great majority of the cities of
niS country Is such as to threaten the c
ntegrfSX Of our institutions and ultf- I
aately the existence OF the nation; and (
Resolved, That in the opinion Of this
.ague. the question of municipal gov '
rnment demands the serious consider 7
tfor and devoted service of all citi- /
~ 11r,r fI,.a J-r1ff ava ] r