The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-09-21
MANY MUNICIPAL MATTERS.
UNDER DISCUSSION AT THE SYRIA
CUSE CONVENTION.

city Charities, and Special ASSESS
ments for Public improvements,
on the List-BOth Sides of the
Question of Municipal Ownership
Heard FrOm-StrOng Effort Being
Made to Bring the Convention to
Southern City.
Syracuse, N. Y, Sept 2O.-Delegates to
the convention of the League of Ameri
can Municipalities were late in assembling
to-day. Prior to the session Representa-
tives of Charleston, S. c., Atlanta, Ga.
and Peoria, Ill, busted themselves in So
Letting support of the claims of their re-
spective cities for the convention next
year.
Secretary Gilkeson announced that forty
Mayors have registered, and ia cities have
representation at the convention. The
opening session to-day was taken up with
papers and a discussion on municipal char
ity delivered by Homer Folks, secretary
of the New York State Charities Aid AS
ISOLATION.
MIR. Folks believed that city should not
grant appropriations 10 private societies
but there should always be the friendlest
cooperation between municipal and pri-
vate charities. The city charities needed
the aid and public support of the private
agencies and the private charities could
only be most useful when they work in ac-
cord with public agencies. Every oppor-
tunity that came 10 a public institution of
existing the interest of a new group or a
larger number Of citizens, should be avail
ed of, to the end that the needs of those
institutions becoming better understood,
adequate appropria tions might be made
and the work Of faithful public officials re-
ceive due recognition.
Special Assessments.
The subject of a special assessment sys-
tenn for public improvements was discussed
by Mayor ]. A. johnson of Fargo, N. D.,
end Mayor John B. Weakley. Jr, of
Florence, Ala Mayor johnson discussed
special assessments for city work
Reviewing the laws authorizing such as
sessments in various countries, but more
particularly those pertaining to such leg
islation in the United States, he instanced
the fact that Congress had recognized the
principal of special improvements by en-
acting laws for the District of Columbia
permitting the levying of special taxes for
such Improvements and compelling prop
erty owners benefited to pay the expense.
OF the forty-1ve states in the union, forty
states and one territory had laws permit
ting the levying of special assessments TO
pay for local or special improvements. Six
of these states have constitutional pro-
visions authorizing the levying of special
assessments. OF the remaining states two
recognize the principle to the extent OF
the police power of the state. Some diff
ference existed as to the method Of proce-
dure among so many states, but the main
principle of special assessments was recog-
nized in them all.
Mayor John B. Weakley took for his
subject the question of special assess
ments.
Municipal Ownership.
The afternoon session was devoted 10
the reading of papers on the municipal
ownership of public service. Henry b.
johnson. Mayor of Denver, argued Tor
municipal ownership.
He took strong ground in favor Of mu-
nicipal ownership of public service indus
tries. He commended that as the legal
right was admitted, the question was
purely one of practical business expedi-
ency and economy. He said that the lat
ter-day Capt Kidd" robbed his fellow
men by peddling to them the necessities
OF life at ten times their cost. Yet. when
such men were reminded Of this fact and
the people were shown that they should
furnish these things 10 themselves at some
thing like their true value, the men who
urged these changes were termed IAN
archlsts. socialists and destroyers of des-
tined rights" Mr.. Johnson said that they
might call all the names they could, bur
the people were awakening to the fact
that there were some things that they
could do for themselves and that they Ing
tended 10 do them. He said that this was
the day of combines and trusts. and that
the combine had come to stay. 1t could
not be legislated out of existence, but IL
could and must be controlled. 1t could
he controlled partly by prohibiting the
issuance Of wstered stock He thought
that cities, by studying the lesson taught
by the trust. would see how immense saw
ings were made and how the cost of pro-
duction could be made cheaper and cheap |
er. Cities would understand that water, |
light, transportation and telephone serv-
Ice were great human necessities, and |
that as such none should be allowed to |
speculate In them or handle them for |
profit. Cities, he thought, would learn |
that they could produce these necessities |
for themselves cheaper and better than !