The times., 1899-09-21
FOR MUNICIPAL OWNERSHIP.
The Theme Discussed Yesterday In
the Syracuse Convention.

SYRACUSE, N Y, Sept. 20.--Munfcipal
ownership was the theme CT the day at the
convention of the League of American Mu-
inequalities and papers were read by experts
and experienced city officials bearing on
this subject. The morning session was
poorly attended, not more than one hun
dred Of the eight hundred delegates in
town being present to hear the papers By
Homer Folkes, Secretary CT the State Char
ities Aid Association, upon Municipal
Charity" and Mayor J. A. Johnson. of
Fargo, On Assessments Tor City Work
Mr.. Folkes condemned outdoor relief of the
poor, ard urged the concentration Of power
and responsibility in the hands of one sal
aried official. He advocated the municipal
lodging house as an important factor In
the problem of caring for the unemployed
and cited Now York as ali Illustration. Ev
cry large city, he ursel. shouId p,aintain
such an institution unless 1t was done
by private charity Mayor johnson. of
Fargo, opened the discussion upon special
| assessments, and advocated the issuing Of
district Improvement warrants with in
terest coupons attached, with the proviso
that the city may take them up after a
period as the condition of the sinking fund
wal o4tSI tduS GdNiLS Inc pay AASiI vi ~
terest. Mayor John B. Weabley, of Flor
ence, Ala, believed that in case of paving
Improvements the city should pay one-
third and the property owners two-t thirds
of the cost Of Improvement, but said no
system could be devised which would be
absolutely just
Mayor Henry V. Johnson, of Denver,
broaehed the topic of the day the first thing
in the afternoon with his paper OH the gem
eral theme, Municipal Ownership He IS
an advocate of city ownership o: water
works, of lighting plants, street car lines,
and telephone plants. and acquiring them
| in the order named. He classed the cor
| porations that furnish these necessities as
modern pirates and highway robbers. May
ors Gustuf Tafel, of Cincinnati, and j. X.
| Robinson, of Colorado Springs, who were
not present, filed papers in favor Of ur-
! nicipal ownership, both maintaining from
| experience of their own cities that munich
paiites might own and operate pubic utili-
! ties with profit to the citizens.
! Martin A. Gemunder, formerly director of
| public works, reviewed his study of mu-
nicipal ownership, and Robert p. Porter
| sent paper dwelling upon his inyestiga-
| tions at home and abroad upon the SUBJ
| ject. He urged that should full swing be
given to municipal ownership experiments
| the American taxpayers would simply in
Nlle Hhdncidl catastrophe. From munro PAL
ownership was but step to municipal So
| cialism, and from that to State socialism.
At the evening session there was a gene. al
discussion of the topic of the day, in which
many delegates took part. Delegates from
several cities are going to put up hard
! fight to secure the next convention. At
| lanta, Charleston, Grand Rapids, Milwau-
kee, and st. Paul all want the convention
next year.
Atlanta has the largest delegation from
| the South and by virtue of that claims pri-
ority over Charleston. 1t is urged that the
! South needs the convention in order that
| the cities of that section may become in
terested in municipal Improvements.