The record-union., 1899-09-21
Forty Mayors Present at League
Conventions at Syracuse,
While One Ru dTed and Fourteen Cities
Have Representation.
Special Assessment for City Work
and Municipal Ownership OF
Public Service Industries the
Topics Discussed at Yesterdays
Session.

SYRACUSE, Sept. 20.-Delegates to
the convention of the League of Amer
lean municipalities were late in as
sembling to-day.
Prior to the session representatives of
Charleston, S. c.: Atlanta, Ga, and
Peoria, H., busted themselves in solicit
ing support of the claims of their re-
spective cities for the convention next
year
Secretary GiIBison announced that 40
Mayors have registered and la cities
have representation at the convention
Mayor ]. A. Johnson of Fargo, N. D.,
discussed Special Assessment for City
Work. reviewing the laws authorizing
such assessments in various countries,
but more particularly those pertaining
to such legislation in the United States.
OF the forty-five States in the Union,
forty States and one Territory had laws
permitting the levying of special as
sessments to pay for local or special
improvements. Some difference existed
as to the method of procedure among 50
many States, but the main principle Of
special assessments was recognized In
them ALL
Mayor Henry V. Johnson of Denver,
Col, took strong ground in favor of
municipal ownership of public service
industries. He contended that as the
legal right was admitted, the question
was purely one of practical business ex-
pediency and economy. He said that
the latter day Captain Kid robbed
his fellow men by peddling to them the
necessities of life at ten times their
cost Yet when such men were re-
minded of this fact and the people were
shown that they should furnish these
things to themselves at something like
their true value, the men who urged
these changes were termed anarchists,
socialists and destroyers of destined
rights" Mr. Johnson said that they
might call all the names they could,
but the people were awakening to the
fact that there were some things that
they could do for themselves, and they
intended to do them. He said that this
was the day Of combines and trusts,
and that the combine had come to stay.
It could not be legislated out of exist
ence but it could and must be con-
trolled Tt could be controlled partly
by prohibiting the issuance of watered
stock He thought that critics, by
studying the lesson taught by the trust,
would see how immense savings were
made and how the cost of production
could be made cheaper and cheaper.
Cities would understand that water,
light. transportation and telephone SER
vice 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 ne
cessities for themselves cheaper and
better than any one else. and would
then own and control all these great
public industries.
Mayor Gustav Tafel of Cincinnati, o.,
also favored municipal ownership of
public service industries. He instanced
the management of the Cincinnati Wa
ter Works by the city in favor of such
ownership, explaining that the rate
charged for water was one of the lowest
in the country. although the works were
self-sustaining and the indebtedness in
Cured in acquiring the works had
been nearly paid off from receipts. He
sought to demonstrate that under rea-
sonably good management even under
the spoils system, municipality could
supply itself with water more cheaply
and abundantly than under private
management. He thought it was es-
SeHlitl, AoWSNSA, thSle IhC liAcAA1 - S'OA
should first be introduced to prevent
the manipulation of large enterprises by
politicians for selfish or political pur-
poses. In order that the best results
might be accomplished, the greater
measure of home rule should be ac-
corded cities, rendering them secure
against the continuous meddling of
State Legislatures.
DR.. J. L. Robinson. Mayor of Colo
rado Springs, Col. was the third speak
er in favor of municipal ownership.
e. A. Gemunder. former Director of
Public Improvements in Columbus. O.,
considered municipal ownership unwise
He thought our democratic form of
government. while excellent in securing
to the members of the community their