The herald., 1896-09-22
TIE PUSH WAS BARRED
Meeting for Better City
Government
4 VERY HARMONIOUS GATHERING
Three Hundred Representative
Citizens Present
WARD CLUBS ARE ORGANIZED
The League Will Tske a Hand in the
Next City Election
An Independent, Non.Partisan Ticket to Be
Nominated
The League Will Take Hand in the
Next City Election
An Independent, Non.Partisan Ticket to Be
Nominated
The Postal Primary System Will Be Put
to the Test-A Vigorous Campaign
to Be Prosecuted

mission was by card and the push was
barred About 300 voters were present
The gathering was very representa-
tive one being made up of adherents Oh
all the different political parties-Dem-
ocrats, Republicans, Populists and Pro-
hibitionists M. l.. Graft presided.
Secretary Walton read the report or
the central committee outlining the plan
of organization. The report, which was
adopted, contained among other things
the following statements, which have
been embodied in a leaflet for general
distributions:
'The objects of the League lor be''ei
CITY Government are:
81 To arouse and foster among our
neonle n sentiment in favor of the Sc
lection of the men best qualified to fulfill
tho duties of municipal Office without re-
gard to their affiliations to politlcal par
ties.
"2 To secure the nomination for city
officers of capable, honest men VINO are
untrammeled by bargains, deals or
promises of patronage.
..3 TO work by all honorable means
for the election of such men when nom
mated.
"a. To secure the adoption OF new
city charter which shall reduce the eA-
penses of administration, delinlteE ~
cate responsibility among munlclpai Su-
thorities, and which will apply, as far as
practicable. the civil service system
to employees of the city government.
"At the present time about 500 OF the
leading men of the city are on tne ro sn
of the league. The members pay lee
of 81. and agree to labor for the oDlectS
of the organization. There IS no nilll'
as to number of members, ana IL - eN-
pected that from 1000 to 1000 Will De Sc
cured All applicants are pased UPON
nv a membership committee. Any man
of good repute in the community WAC
is not a professional politician Is eiiglpic.
"The members of the league residing
in any ward, constitute the Better lily
Government club FOR that Ward. ~
these are added all who wish to ally
themselves with the movement with
out actually joining the league. 10 JON
ward club a man merely pledges MN
self to give no consideration Whal-
ever to the political affiliations or can
didates for city office but to cast his
vote for those best qualified for honest.
efficient service. He will then be passed
upon by the membership committee IN
his ward club, and is admitted without
the payment of any dues or fees, ana
with no responsibility as to the general
MANAGEMENT of the campaign. he Is
allowed to vote for delegates to the con-
vention, however. and for candidates
for nomination on the same basis as a
member of the league. This is what IS
known as allied membership or WARN
club membership.
1.-The league proposes to take hanu
in the city election, December, 1876, IN
the interest of better city government.
The primaries and convention for the
selection of candidates will take place
about the middle of October after the
following plan: All candidates for nom
nation by the league will Tile their
names with the central committee, en-
dorsed by 20 members of the league, ana
will pay the enrolment fee. Their names
are then printed on general ballot,
which is sent through the mail to every
member of the league, and of the ward
clubs. The member marks his choice
among the contesting nominees, and re-
mails the ballot back to the committee.
If any candidate gets majority of all
votes cast, he is thereby nominated. but
if he has simply plurality the conven-
ton dominates.
Each precinct in the city is entitled
to three delegates to the convention.
All who desire to go will enroll their
names with the central committee, pay
ing fee of 81. A ballot containing the
names of all enrolled in a precinct is sent
to each member of the league or ward
club in that precinct which will be
marked and returned through the mail.
The three having the largest number of
votes will be declared the delegates.
IAN important feature of the work
of the league will be the securing of
new charter. AS long as the city gov
eminent is in the hands of professional
politicians, no reform can be effected
which will limit their powers and pro-
tect the taxpayer. The first point is to
secure a set of city officers who are
favorably disposed toward reforming
hn yhn1 nf t1l11ninin1l
BY no other process can a new charter
be secured.
This leagues does not take the posi-
ton that all the present city officers are
incompetent. On the contrary, no one
doubts that many of the city officers
are thoroughly conscientious. we'll
meaning men. who do their best to serve
the city. The league does not fight
against individuals. but. against the
whole system of city government by
partisan politics, whereby a good man
In order to secure nomination is COM
PEELED to resort to practices that in a
measure disqualify him for the proper
discharge of the duties of his Office
George H. Stewart, chairman of the
membership committee, reported that
already 1900 names had been passed
upon and accepted, the majority of
whom had duly qualified as members
OF the league. The outlook for large
membership, he said, was very fiatter-
ing.
Henry w. O'Melveney then explained
the plan for ward clubs, after which
the meeting resolved itself into ward
conventions, for the purpose of starting
the ward club organizations. Repre-
sentatives of the nine wards of the CITY
were present and met in different parts
of the hall.
At the conclusion of the ward meet
ings the general meeting was again
called to order, and reports by wards
called for.
The First ward reported too few men,
bers present to organize but a commit
tee of three was appointed to arrange
for meeting at which organization will
be perfected.
The Second ward effected temporary
organization by electing ]. c. Harvey