The herald., 1898-12-02
MUNICIPAL PROBLEMS
DISCUSSED BY THE EXPERTS AT
INDIANAPOLIS
Lots of Learned Plans Laid Down If
the Politicians Would Only
Adopt Them

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind, Dec. 1.-The
forenoon session of the conference for good
city government was devoted to the consid
GRAFTON of the general problem of municipal
government There are now about forty del
egates present.
Horace Z. Dcming of New York, read a
paper entitled The Municipal Problem in
the United States He said in part:
Municipal government in the United
States is, on the whole, less satisfactory than
our State or national government. The two
principal causes of the failure thus far in
the United States to secure efficient, eco
nomical, progressive municipal government
are:
l. The municipality is not granted suifi'
cient power to determine for itself all mat
ters OF local public policy and to settle for
itself the details OF its scheme OF internal
local administration.
.. The municipality as a subordinate ad.
minstrative agent of the State is placed
partly or wholly under the supervision and
control, not of any State administrative de-
partment, but of the State Legislature.
MIR. Deming laid down these fundamental
propositions:
!. The municipal corporation should be
invested with the governmental powers
requisite to determine all questions of local
public policy. There should be no excuse,
and if possible no opportunity to apply to
the Legislature for additional powers, and,
on the other hand, the Legislature should
have no excuse, and if possible no oppor-
tunity, to intermeddle with the local gov
ernment by granting or taking away any
power to enable the city to decide for it.
self any question of local public policy.
2. The citizens of the municipality under
general laws should be free to make and
amend their own form of municipal govern
ment, provided it be based upon democratic
republican principles and to determine their
own methods of administration OF the local
governmental powers, according to their
own ideas as to what will best satisfy their
local needs.
3. In so far as the municipal corporation
is made the agent Of the State to enforce
and administer general laws within the cor
porate limits, it should be under the super
administrative departments and not subject
to the sport OF special legislation.
AT the afternoon session OF the Municipal
league the first paper read was prepared by
DR.. Frank j. Goodnow, professor OF admins
trative law in Columbia university, and was
read by George w. Guthrie of Pittsburg,
upon The Place of the Council and the
Mayor in the Organization OF Municipal Gov
ernment, and the Necessity OF Distinguish
ing Legislation from Administration" The
paper was discussed by Edward j. McDer-
mott of Louisville, c. 5. Palmer of Kansas
City and John a. Butler OF Milwaukee.
Tonight at the Denison hotel an elaborate
banquet was given in honor OF those attend
ing the National Municipal league meeting.
II. s. Taylor OF Fort Wayne spoke on The
.Altruism OF Municipal Reform IL. Z.
Deming of New York had for his subject
Municipal Reform and Democracy" VIM.
Dudley Foullle of Richmond spoke on the
subject OF The City Fathers" The visitors
were the guests of the Commercial club at
the banquet.