The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1897-10-06
CONFERENCE OF MAYORS.
Disaster Threatens Organization at
Its Start-RoW Over a Secretary.


Disaster Threatens Organization at
Its Start-Row Over a Secretary.
Columbus, O., Oct. by it's action
Thursday afternoon in the election of
a permanent executive secretary the
conference of mayors struck the rock
which, in the opinion of it's most con-
servative and far-seeing members, seri-
ously threatens it's possibilities for
usefulness and may wreck it absolutely
at the start. B. F. Gilkison. publisher
of the City Government, was the re-
cipient of the honor. There was no OBJ
lection to Gilkison as to character or
ability, but those opposed to him felt
that with him as secretary and execu-
tive officer the organization would be
hopelessly tied up to his publication as
it's organ. and thus be charged with the
responsibility for the policy of the
magazine and all it's utterances.
John McVicar, of Des Moines, Ia, was
elected president; Mayor Collier, of At
lanta, vice president; Mayor Black, of
Columbus, treasurer, and the following
trustees: Mayor Warner, of Peoria. ILL.,;
Councilman Walker, of Trenton. N. j.,
and Councilman Rand, of Minneapolis.
Detroit, Mich, was chosen as the next
place of meeting, the other candidates
being St. Paul, Niagara Falls, Bing-
hamton, N. Y, and Atlantic City, N. J.
Following is a synopsis of the conf
stitution:
1t provides that the name of the mayor
organization shall be The Leauge of Amer
lean municipalities. It's objects are the
general Improvement and facilitation of
every branch of municipal administration
by the following means: First, the per-
petuation of the organization as an agency
for the cooperation Of American cities in
the practical study Of all questions pertain
ing to municipal administration; second.
the holding of annual conventions for the
discussion Of contemporaneous municipal
affairs; third, the establishment and main
tenance OF O. central bureau OF Information
for the collection, compilation and dissem-
ination of satisfies, reports and all kinds
Of informa ton relative to m undcfpal gov
eminent. Any municipality in the United
States or Canada may become a member
the annual membership fees being as fol-
lows: Cities under 25,000 population $40:
and 100000, $4O between, 100000 and 100000,
$50; over 100000. $50. Every city holding
membership shall be entitled to send its
mayor and as many of it's general council
and it's board of aldermen as it may desire
as delegates to the annual meeting.
On the question: of electing officers and
selecting the time and place of annual
meetings, each and every member shall be
entitled to ONE vote, which shall be the
ma jordty expression of the members dele
cation: on all other questions the vote of
the majority Of delegates presnt shall
control. The officers shall consist of pres
i6ent, vice president, secretary, a treas
urer and three trustees. each Of whom shall
be an official of a city holding membership,
excepting the secretary, and no two of
whom shall be from the same state. This
board of officers shall constitute the ex-
ecutive committee. The secretary is to
conduct the bureau of information, and
will receive salary.
After the adjournment Mayor Josiah
Quincy, of Boston, said that he had
hoped that some good might come of
the new organization, but that he could
now see no chance of it's success on the
lines laid out. The city of Boston, he
added, could not join an organization
of this sort, already weakened by an
entangling and an embarrassing ALI
ance with a private business enterprise.
and many other cities would feel the
same way. Other delegates predict the
failure of the league if it is to be run
as a sideshow to monthly publication.
There are some, of course, who are en-
thusiastic over the outlook.