The herald., 1898-12-01
MUNICIPAL LfAGUfRS
TO REFORM CITY
GOVERNMENT
MANY FAMOUS MEN PRESENT
Each With a Scheme Sure to Secure
the Coming of the Municipal
Millennium
Associated Press Special Wire

Associated Press Special Wire
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind, Nov. so.-The
sixth conference of the Municipal League be-
gan this afternoon in the assembly rooms
OF the Commercial Club. This is the most
important meeting of the league since the
organization has been formed. Its purpose
is to discuss what it regards as the first
essential OF general municipal reform--an
ideal or model system OF government. The
task OF preparing such system was under
taken by the organization at It's meeting in
Louisville in May, 1897. A committee OF
seven was appointed, charged with the duty
of preparing Essential principles and a
working plan or system, consistent with
American industrial and political conditions.
The results of this work, which has been
constant for eighteen months, are set OF
general State constitution amendments and
a municipal corporation act which the COM
mittee believes accomplish all that is sought.
The organization is representative OF many
municipal leagues, Christian government
leagues, good citizenship leagues and the
like all over the country. State organiza-
tions are represented.
Among the delegates are many distin-
guished students of political economy who
are known as advocates of new systems OF
municipal government. The organization is
comprehensive of the various elements, from
servative element is largely in control at
present.
Charles Richardson, Vice President, is pre-
siding in the absence of President Carter Of
New York. The delegates were welcomed
by Governor Mount and Mayor Taggard.
The Secretary, Mr.. Clinton Rogers Wood
ruff of Philadelphia, read his annual report,
Movement for Municipal Reforms" He
said in part:
Certain definite ends are 10 be striven
for where they do not already prevail:
First-A separation of local iron State and
national elections; second-a reduction in
the number of elective officers; third-the
abolition of the straight,party ticket in the
sachusetts system; fourth-the reissue OF
election machinery from the hands of the
corrupt and Inefficient by the election oil
honest and competent men to be election
officers.
''We cannot too frequently or too strongly
urge the necessity of having good laws and
good men to administer them, but We must
public sentiment that will be satisfied with
nothing short of the best, both as to laws
and as to officials.
There has been no abatement of interest
in civil service reform. The effort to Sc
cure the adoption of the merit system in
the administration of our municipal affairs
is in form and sense a part and funda
mentally important part, Of the movement
for charter reform.
at is a matter of profound, important
and auspicious augury that there are SC
many groups of men and women seeking in
various ways to improve municipal condi
tions; that the Mayors and officials of our
cities are bestirring themselves as never be-
fore to better the city government; that
from the pulpit and the college chair, from
the forum and the press, there is now
preached a doctrine of no uncertain sound
as to the obligations Of municipal citizen
ship; that men and women are coming tt
recognize that upon them depends the sal
vation Of our modern municipal life; that
however carefully and ingeniously devised
will compensate for the want of deep, in