The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-09-29
MAYORS AND ALDERMEN MEET
THEIR ANNUAL CONFERENCE
NOW ON AT COLUMBUS.
Canada, Mexico and the United
States Represented By About One
Hundred and Fifty Delegates
Lively Debates the Very First
Day.

Columbus, O.. Sept. 2S.-The first an
nual conference OF the mayors and
councilmen of the United States, Can
ada and Mexico. was called to order
this morning by Mayor Bannock of
this city, about 100 regularly accredited
delegates being present. Governor
Bushnell delivered the address of well
come. He said the mayors congress
would inaugurate another epoch. While
municipal officials for centuries had
dealt with municipal problems even
in long titled fields, modern methods
and careful huSbandry can be made to
produce hountiful harvests, and he
knew that this assemblage of municipal
officers could effect fruitful results by
the deliberation Of the succeeding days.
century seems to find us in q condition
which presents as many things to be
done in our cities and towns as there
was at the time of the foundation of
the centers of population. No city is
now so rich in excellent results but that
there is room for more wealth in that
way. Each urban community has its
veXati3ns and its evils, each has some
natural difficulty to be overcome, even
in the form and method of its govern
ment or in objects to be accomplished
for the benefit of health, economy or
utility 1t is not my purpose, nor is it
my province to discuss, even in a gen.
eral way the various reforms which are
presented constantly to our eyes. Mine
is the task Of expressing a fitting vel
come to our visitors to the capital city"
Mayor C. A. Collier, of Atlanta, Ca.
responded for the visitors, presenting
the Importance of good municipal gov
eminent with great force and elo-
quence. His address was received with
enthusiastic applause. Mayor Black
was made chairman of the convention
and Editor Gordon of City Govern
ment, secretary. These officers are to
serve only during the sessions of the
| convention prior to the formation of a
permanent organization on the closing
day. a resolution for the appointment
of committee of five to report plan
of organization and names of officers
for the first year. disclosed the exist
ence of two factions among the dele
gates. one in favor of proceeding to the
! business without any report from a
committee on credentials, the other in
sisting that the business could not pro-
coed until an accredited roll of dele
gates had been approved by a vote OF
thoR present ancl claiming to be dele
gates. A lively debate ensued and the
matter was finally compromised by an
agreement that the chairman of each
delegation report to the secretary OF
the convention; that any municipal CT
fetal vouched for by the chairman be
admitted as a delegate, and that the
chairman appoint the committee on
organization from the roll as then made
up The original call for this conYen-
ton was addressed to mayors and
councilmen only, but the promoters of
the movement. when asked for copy
of the call, did not produce it, and this
mornings action leaves the gates Of
the convention wide open for police
men, firemen, city clerks and ward con-
stables if only the chairman of dele
cation vouches for them as city Of
fcials.'
Recess.