The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-09-22

Dlscu sses Maaiclpal OwnershAp Of
Private Utllttiss-ElectSea oe
OAcePa.


SYRACUSE. ". r.. Sept. 1.--Henry v.
Johnson. mayor Of Denver, was elected
president Of the League OF American num-
cipaiit.cs at today's session.
The question Of municipal ownership
was taken UP. a paper In favor OF NUM-
cipal ownership was presented by Mayor
John MacvicAr. OF Des Moincs, ex-presi-
dent Of the League OF Amer.can Munich
palities lie thought that the principal
brfbe giver In our community was not the
advocate Of municipal ownsrsh!p. but In
more than one instance had been proven
10 be the representative OF the private cor
poraticn. Ne had learned that IL Was not
alone the city official who was sometimes
brYbsd but more often the so-caiied ''infiu-
entail c.tissn." or the vensi press. By gifts
OF money or stock and by free service
these influences were more frequently pur-
chased than wers sidsrman.c votes. In
conclusion he said:
We. who believe In municipal reform.
are In the paradoxicai position Of pro-
claiming that our citixcns are doing badly
what they are doing. yet urging that they
assume new duties. Nothing could do
more to bring out the latent virtue of'the
indifferent cittsen than frsig httng the ship
OF state, already. a. he fears overloaded.
with still Aeares interests. Every cttixen
would be interested In securing the great
est efficiency I'm the public service and In
q very short time demands would be- made
by a quickencd and enlightened popular
sentiment for the enactment Of q strict
civil service Law. So long ~ the corpora
ton interests operate there public utili-
ties for private gain, just 20 long will We
have incorporating opposition to civil
service and good city Government. Re-
move first the incentive 10 this opposition
which. to my mind. can be accomplished
BY removing our public franchises from
the public mart and a new era will
dawn. In which the best citizenship viii
be the dominant force In municipal gov
eminent
Owing TO the Absence Of Mayor Tafei.
OF Cincinnati. and Mayor Robinson. Of
Colorado Springs. ths papers they had
respectively prepared on municipal own
srship were ordered read.
AT the afternoon session certain amend
msnts to tho constitution wers adopted.
Mayor Macvicar. of Des Mosnes. nom
mated for president Mayor n. v. John
son. OF Denver. a. tho representative ~
on public ownership.
mayor tecrRe ~ FIFTY. of pfahn zap
IDS. nominated Mayor w. r. Maybury,
of Detroit. and Alderman Smith, 81 DE.
troit. seconded the nomination. Upon
the first baIIot each candidate resolved
nineteen votes
Mayor johnson voted for Maybury.
Upon the second ballot Mayor Johnson
was elected. receiving twenty-one votes
To eighteen for Maybury.
Mayor J. Smith. m cbsrieni0n. noninst-
~ for vice pressdeni Mayor J a. John
son. OF Fargo. ~ ID. who was elected
unanimously.
Mayor T)riscolI ~ New Haven. vas
eI~cseh second VIC. president, AMI Mayor
Flower. Of New Orleans. fhird vice presi-
senf
Mayor Charles Taylor. ~ Bridgeport.
Coma WIS eIecs~d treasurer.
w. y. Kfhinson was reseises~d secretary
W. q unanimous vote.
Chsrtssson. a. G.. Was selsosi ss the
place ~ The nest convention.
Following the election NE debate ~, mu-
nictpai ownership was resumed.