The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-09-21
VOID HiVf A1DD CITES
NATIONAL MUNICIPAL LEAGUE
MEETS IN CONVENTION
AT MILWAUKEE,
PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANIES
Paper by DIR. Washington GLADDEN.
I'm Advocacy of Municipal own
ershiD of These
Utilities.


sixth annual convention of the National
Municipal league opened at the Hotel
Pfstcr yesterday, with about 100 del
egates in attendance In the absence Of
President James c. Carter, of New York,
First Vice President Charles Richardson,
of Philadelphia presided. This conven-
ton is the starting point of active work
in the adoption of the so-call.4d munich
pal programme adopted at the Columbus
adopted recommends the adoption Of
three branches of activity: JGnlarging
the power of cities by providing as far
as possible for home rule: enforcing care
fully devised restrictions against tho
abuses of municipal powers, and regulas-
ing the granting of franchises
Welcoming addresses were delivered on
behalf of the state and city, which were
responded to by Charles J. Bonaparte of
Baltimore, chairman of the executive
committee. Clinton Rogers Woodruff, cf
Philadelphia, secretary of the National
Municipal league, then read a paper on
"a Years Municipal Development" The
report of the treasurer, George Durham
Jr., of Philadelphia, was then submitted
The following officers were elected late
in the afternoon: President James c.. Car
ter, New York; first vice president, Chas.
Richardson, Philadelphia; second vice
president, Samuel B. Capen Boston: third
land, Or; fourth vice president, H. Dick
son Bruins, New Orleans; fifth vice presi-
dent, Edmund J. James, Chicago; secre-
tary, Clinton Rogers Woodruff Phila-
delphia; treasurer, George Burnham Jr.,
Philadelphia.
PROCEEDINGS OF CONVENTION.
Charles Richardson, of Philadelphia,
vice president Of the National Municipal
league, was the first speaker on todays
prog1 ANNE. He read a paper on Does
the Model Charter Confer Dangerous
Powers on the Mayor"
Prof. Samuel e. Sparkling, of Madison,
Wis, secretary Of the Wisconsin League
of municipalities, read a paper on "Tha
Model Charter of Small Cities
VIM. Dudley Foulke, of Richmond, Ind,
talked on Representation Of Different
City Interests in the Council" and Rev.
Albert Lazenby, of Chicago, recently of
Glasgow, on 1.-The Government of the City
of Glasgow
John A. Butler. president of the munic-
ipal Association of Milwaukee, told of
some essential features of the new mu-
nicipal programme, and paper by George
McAnenny, of New York city, entitled
IAN Essential Safeguard to Executive Re-
sponsibility,' wound up the forenoons
session.
The feature of the afternoon session
was a paper on THE Influence of Public
-
by the Rev. DR.. Washington Gladden. of
Columbus, O., who said in part:
Some Of the relations of public service
companies to city governments are open
and lawful, but 1t is generally believed
that relations of a subterranean and He
Ultimate character are often maintained
between representatives of ths city and
representatives of these companies by
which the public is plundered. Such Illicit
relations do not always involve the pay
ment Of money by the corporations to the
municipal officers; the money is often
paid to those who control the councilmen.
and other methods of influence are emf
ployed. The election expenses of candi-
dates are often paid Along with these
secret methods there is much direct brib-
cry; many who occupy high positions in
society are connected more or less close
ly with this nefarious business. Mayor
Swift, of Chicago, told the precise truth
when he said that most of the bribery of
city councils was the work Of representa-
tive citizens
what are the reasons urged against
public ownership? They all reduce to
this: It Is difficult, and perhaps danger
GUS. So it is, but If it Is our business we
had better do it, and not shirk it nor any
part of it. Public ownership is no pana-
cea; it will leave us battles to fight and
obstacles to overcome; but the line of
| least resistance to righteous rule lies
through the resumption by the people
of those functions of sovereignty which
they have surrendered to private corpora
| lions. The pressure of the traders and
] the contractors upon the officials would,
in the words Of Albert Shaw, be iucompar-
| ably less than that which is now brought
| to bear by the corporations. We have
now in all our cities millions of money
! in the hands Of prominent and influential
men who are financially interested in
maintaining weak or bad government be-
cause they could not obtain from inteili-
| gent and honest government the KIND Of
| franchises they want That condition is
! abnormal. and the only deliverance from
! 1t is through the municipal ownership Of
| public service monopolies.'