The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-11-16
MUNICIPAL LEAGUE MEETS.
HAD IMPORTANT QUESTIONS UNDER
DISCUSSION.

- 3EGhAAy Nctueus
Municipal Ownership and Control
Talked Instrumentation of May
or Quincy of BOstOn and His work.
Evils in the Government of cities
for Which Remedies VIII he sug-
gested by the League.
Columbus. O.. Nov. l5.-The fifth annual
meeting of the National Municipal League
and the seventh annual conference for
good city government opened in this city
to-day. over 200 delegates are present. the
gathering being a most representative one,
being composed as 1t is of city officials
and municipal authorities from all over the
country
1t is called for the purpose of discussing
questions of Importance to municipalities.
The dominant feature of the discussion
viii be the Municipal Programme" the
report on which, however viii not be for
mally presented until Friday afternoon.
The report of the secretary, Clinton Rog-
ers Woodruff, of Philadelphia came first.
He said in part:
Hand in hand with the movement to
divorce municipal questions from state and
duction of the merit system. The spoils
system and national partisanship In mu-
nicipal matters go hand in hand. The
elimination of the spoils system means the
elimination of national craftsmanship in mu-
nicipal affairs. The spoils partisan recog-
nizes this and devotes his force and energy
to combating the Introduction of the merit
system; but despite his efforts, his sub
tlety and chicanery, the movement for civil
service reform in our municipalities goes
steadily forward, and is making substan-
tial Roadway. The experience in New
York state, in San Francisco and in Chi
cago, all point TO one conclusion-that the
people, when they have a chance to en-
press their opinion, are in favor of the
merit system and that the politicians
whenever they have an opportunity, will
do all that lies within their power to re-
tard its progress.
There has been no abatement i'm the
movement for charter reform throughout
the country. 1t has gone steadily on sue
ceeding here, falling for the present there
only to be followed by still more vigorous
efforts.
There has been no more substantial in
dication of the growing public interest in
municipal problems than the discussion
during the past year of the question of
muntcipal ownership, control and opera
ton of municipal franchises. AT the De-
troit meeting of the League of American
Municipalities the sentiment of the Off
cials of the cities there represent ed was
unqualihedly in favor of the municipal
ownership, control and operation of the
principal municipal franchises Since
that time the whole question has been dis
cussed with a degree of care and thor
oughness that indicates beyond question
that the people are thinking on the sub
Iafaf atn1y faaaF mill }, ,1.ffa
mining once and for all the fundamental
policy involved"
In speaking Of substantial services In
the cause of good government rendered by
city officials in office Secretary Woodruff
speaks highly of Mayor Quincy of Boston
and of Controller Coler of Greater New
York. He says: THE charter of Greater
New York makes the controller an official
of extraordinary powers and responsible
ity. When 1t is recalled that the dis
bursements of New York city in 1898
amounted to $1380000000 some slight con-
ception of the Importance Of this office
may be had. That Mr.. Coler has so adj
ministered the enormous powers and the
diversified duties of his office as to meet
with the general approval of his fellow
citizens and municipal students generally,
is of itself an enviable accomplishment.
But he has done more than this. His
prompt and efficient action has preserved
the clutch of a grasping syndicate OF
money lenders. But above all and be-
yond all he deserves credit for the coura-
geous stand he has taken in behalf of the
continued municipal ownership and control
and operation of the water system of
Greater New York"
The report Of the treasurer, George
Burnham. Jr. of Philadelphia, showed
receipts for the year of 81, 454.
DR.. D. f. Wilcox of Michigan read a
paper on IAN Examina ton of the Proposed
Municipal Programme" Among other
things he said:
There are three fundamental evils in
the government of our cities. The first
is economic, and consists in the waste of
public funds The second is political, in
the true sense and consists in the made
ouacy of municipal service The third is
moral. and consists in the corrupt use OF
civic authority for the furtherance of in
dividual ends. The chief Importance of
this third evil lies In the fact that il
throws politics into disrepute and de-
grades civic ideals, thus rendering cooper
alton for the attainment of truly political
ends well-nigh impossible.
1.-THE causes of wastefulness in public
expenditures are Ignorance, partisanship,
state interference, municipal Irresponsible
ity and Indebtedness of organization. The
causes of inadequacy of municipal ser
vice are individualism, inadequacy OF
power and undemocratic organization. The
causes of corruption are greed, lack OF
civic integrity and private control of pub
lie privileges To remove these causes OF
evil the Committee on Municipal Pro-
gramme proposes a constitutional amend
ment and a general municipal corporations
act containing MANY imDOrtant rpa s1Ires