New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-09-20
MUNICIPAL PROBLEMS.
cry OFFICIALS IN CONVENTION All
SYRACUSE DISCUSS THEM
THREE HUNDRED DELEGATES PRESENT
ADDRESSES BY MAYORS INQUIRE AND
JONE|THE GARBAGE PROBLEM
IBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TEIBuSE.l


IBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TEIBusEl
SYRACUSE n Y Sept. 19-Over three hundred
delegates have arrived here to attend the third
annual convention Of the League OF American
Municipalities, to be held at Alhambra Hall in
this city the present week 1t is a non-partsah
meeting Of city officers, merely intent on learn
ing improved methods OF managing water supply
systems street paving. parks, sewerage street
cleaning. fire service and other like affairs.
Among the chief delegates present to-day was
Mayor Samuel VI. Jones Of Toledo Ohio Mr'
Jones arrived here with big bundle OF his
ncwspapers. THE Toledo Non-Partisan few
Of his campaign buttons with his picture labelled
"Non-Partisan Candidate for Governor. Samuel
NJ Jones'" and a number Of pamphlets Mayor
Jones will leave for Ohio at midnight to re-
sumo his campaign for the Governorshp
There were also present Mayor Dieh OF Buff
falo. Mayor Johnson OF Denver, Mayor Johnson
OF Fargo. ~ D.. and Mayor Mcclure OF
Syracuse There was a Mayor OF Buffalo once
who was nominated for Governor, and later be-
came President Mayor Van Wyck Of New-York
nevertheless was absent.
THE CITIES REPRESENTED.
Among the cities represented are Akron. Ohio;
Altoona. Penn; Amsterdam. n. Y; Atlanta.
umbus. Denver. Des Mones St. Louis East st.
Louis. H. Erie. Penn. Florence. Ala; Hart
ford Conn; Houston. Texas; Ithaca. y. y;
jacksonville. Ill. La Crosse Wis; Macon, Ga;
Mansfield Ohio; Montreal Mount Vernon,
n y: Bedford. Conn. New Orleans, Paw
tucket, r. l.: Peoria. H. Poughkeepsie Rich
mond Ind: Schenectady, Terre Haute. Toledo,
Trenton. Watertown. ~ y; Westmount. Ont;
U-ilrninptOn Del and York Penn.
The convention was called to order by Samuel
l. Black former Mayor Of Columbus Ohio.
and the roll was called. Secretary b. f. XIX
inson stated that although only two years old
the league had on It's membership rolls cities
representing about one-siXth of the entire popu-
laton Of the United States In all 124 cities
were on the roll of the convention. Its central
bureau has received 7s2 special letters Of in
quiry the last year relative to municipal affairs.
James X. Mcclure. Mayor Of Syracuse. de-
ivered speech Of welcome.
PRESIDENT BLACKS SPEECH
Ex-Mayor Black Of Columbus then as presl-
dent Of the league. opened the business por-
tion Of the meeting. Below is an extract from
his address:
Take all the Natloral and State questions
before the public. and how they are lost in inslg-
/
for a moment what the city means to you. It
means the street you live in the quality Of the
food you eat and the water you drink; it means
health or disease. education or Niteracy for your
children protection for your life and property: In
fact. It means everything which IS near and dear
10 men.
a mans happiness may not be much disturbed
whether We annex Cuba not but 1t makes a diff
ference whether he goes TO and fro upon a road
which blows dust upon him in summer and
spashcs mud upon him IN winter, or upon a clean
broad shaded avenue Whether he gets free sill
sound money. he will want an abundant
supply OF pure water and he will want properlv
Inspected and healthy food A high tax will dis
turb him more than trusts and il his children arc
educated In good schools and grow up amid health
full surroundings. he can walt until the question
OF free trade and protection IS finally settled.
Whatever plans arf proposed and whatever hopes
indulge in # comics to this at the bottom that
the bulk Of our voters are educated upon
municipal affairs and not Informed Of the
advantages which they by a proper
exercise Of their SURFACES.
A few illustration Will make this clear. In some
OF our cities a reduced rate streetcars is given
at those hours Of the day when workngmen go TO
and from their work This is entirely just. just 10
the workingman and just to the company for
while IL lessons the cost OF living 10 the aborer Il
imposes hardship the company, because
during those hours the traffic is heavy empty
cars are hauled and the cost OF hauling passengers
| Is less per capita. And yet In great many cities
a fare ranging from 81 10 80 per cent higher than
,ha, IMPOSED in the most favored cities. IS exacted
and maid This difference will from so to fl5
! 10 the workingman In year, and this sum Will ada
much to the scanty comforts of a home. Now, the
laborer should he taught that his vote inteigenty
cast Will save for his family this $40 or Sl5.
! Again We have the anomaly Of gas sold In one
CITY for from % per to 100 per cent more than
In other cities Cheap gas IS within the reach OF
/ every community. Thus in Ohio. where by statute
tho CITY Council arbitrarily fixes the price or gas
/ every ten years. and where the conditions which
determine the cost OF producing 1t substantially
the same a wide diversity Of prices Will he OBJ
served IN different cities II il simply question Of
educating the voter the subject.
4 TALK BY TOLEDOS MAYOR.
Mayor Samuel NJ Jones Of Toledo spoke at
the afternoon meeting. his subject being The
Golden Rule Government" He argued that
nartisan action in regard to the government Of
a municipality is a mistake. He then added:
| Tho growth Of the sentiment favoring municipal
socialism in the cities OF America IL one OF the
! rron,i-iuc signs Of the better day. Hundreds OF
thousands OF dollars have been appropriated within
. tb. last few years 20 such hrmanizns and educat-
ing influences children's Fairgrounds free baths,
free, music in parks for the people and In some
I instances our municipalities have provided free
lectures and free concerts for the winter evenings
Every movement Of this kind. everything that
tends to bring tho people together Is educating in
/ fh. right direction tends toward liberty and the
realization ~ that freedom and equality guaranteed
bv the Constitution and outlined in the Declaration
| Of Independence
The people are beginning 70 understand that We
/ have been pursuing a policy OF pundering our
solves that in the foolish scramble 70 make IN
divlduais rich We have been making all poor.
II IS one Of the paradoXes Of public opinion that
tho people Of America, the least tolerant OF the
/ theory OF anarchy and political government lead