Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-09-13
MIL WAUKEE CONFERENCE FOR
GOOD CITY GOVERNMENT.

w |
waukee, S,Itember 10th, goth, 2lst, is
attracting the attention OF students OF
municipal questions In all parts OF the
country. The meeting promises top
Of exceptional interest because OF the
wide diversity of subjects that will De
treated aud the personnel OF the men
who. will attend.
TIE League has established for itself
N Mace ia the public mind and its
efforts have borne abundant fruit;
though not always to the degree desired
by those most actively identified with
Its work. In it's membership are ~
cluded many men not only OF proml-
nenoe in their respective communities
but Of national reputation for their re,
search into aud writings on the MUNICH
pal problem.
The National Municipal League has
now been In existence six years. y
was the outcome OF the National Con,
ference for Good City Government, held
ip Philadelphia in January, 1924.
which brought together from all parts
of the country, men and women who
had long given special thought to the
municipal problem. Its discussions
showed clearly that the many and seri-
GUS defects recognized in American
municipal institutions are practically
the same throughout the country. They
arise from permannnt and general, not
from Temporary or local causes. Com.
rlaints may vary in form or degree, but
the general situation Is substantially
identical In oil the great CITIES OF the
Union.
The deductions to be drawn from the
deliberations Of that conference were
theses The municipal problem exists
because a prevalent sense OF rignt IN
favor of municipal efficiency and nom
esty does not exist. The National MUM
opal League was organized and has
been working tc supply this lack.
From all sides came the same story
wastefulness, inetiiciency, all too fire.
quent scandals in public life, and the
rule of the least estimaDle and the
least Trustworthy.
. The problem which confronted the
League was How is a new era for our
, cities to be inaugurated-how are we
| to abolish wastefulness and ineiiiclency
{ and secure the enactment and enforce.
| ment OF good laws and the selection of
l organizations in the country. There
are now one hundred and eiRhteen
I affiliated with the League and nearly
: five hundred are In existence in the
/ different cities. During this period
0 some of the associations have lapsed,
, but their places have been taken by
Z others, SO that the total has been main
]. tnined and gradually increased.
+ One of the most important pieces OF
Q work accomplished by tho League is
a the Municipal Programme, adopted
o by unanimous vote at the Columbus
9 ConfersIoe in 1899. Each annual con.
O ference of the League has been char
!. aoterizsd by Its distinctive features,
Is and The Municipal Programme OF
1t "Model Charter, as 1t has been des'
;. ignatsd, is tie logical outcome OF the
!. preceding six years OF effort.
" 1t was not until the Louisville Con
i. ference, In 1897, that the preliminary
70 steps were taken to formulate pro
eramme for adoption and to construo
platform upon which municipal cam
pnigns should be wsRed. The enrlel
conferences were devoted to con
i'd sideration OF actual municipal condi
tious. and the papers read at thes
fe meetings dealt largely with the evil
TX and defects of existing forms of lnuni
" Opal government At the meeting IL
ID Louisville resolution was adopte;
providing for the appointment OF
r committee to report on the feasibilit
IN Of Municipal Programme which vii
IN einbody the essential principles whicl
ir must underlie successful municipn
III government, and which shall also Sc
I'd forth working plan or system consis
ey tent with American industrial an
1d political conditions for putting euc
,ir principles into practical operation. -
This work involved a task for whic
lie few, IL auy, precedenis existed. III
Is, committee was working to crystalliz
n. the result Of the experiences of Euro
tn pean and American cities, and at th
he same time to make the results OF II
sel labors practically applicable to OF
present conditions. ,I
The final report OF the COMMITTEES
under the title Municipal Pr,
. Rramme," represented the results
IA. two years OF unremitting and painstal
On ing endearor on the part of the oommi
re- tee which comprised such eminent ple
as Horace E. Deming, New York, chat
A. men of trained ability and proved il
nj, tegrity for all municipal positions, an
,ed to prevent the success OF incompetel
and corrupt candidates for publ
am Office? The answer to this was
ast creating and maintaining u deeper il
,as terest in municipal affairs and
ios creating public opinion and sentimel
,ns that will be intoerant of anythit
of short of the best in all matters pertai
ing tic the welfare of our America
municipalities.
Its purpose thus plainly indicate
est the National Municipal League W
The organized with its objects set forth
ion the constitution as follows.
The First To multiply the numbers, ba
ok. monize the methods and combine d
md forces of all who realize that 1T is on
ems by united action and organization tn
ap- good citizens eau secure the adopt,
ize Of good laws and the selection CT nj,
,nd of trained ability aud proved integri
am for all municipal positions, or prove
the the success of incompetent or CORFU
will candidates for public Office.
Second To promote the thorough |
vestigation and discussion of the 90
ditions and details Of civic ndministI
ren ton, and of the methods for select
ght and appointing officials in Americ
, Nv cities, and of laws and ordinances
, If lating to such subjects.
hole Third-To provide for such meetin
;eep and conferences and for the preparati
mere and circulation, of such addresses
nate other literature as may seem likely
tiye advance the cause Of good city COVE,
a. ment. Din
one To this task the League has ,
dressed itself with an increasj
measure Of success, Since its forn,nti
it has steadily pursued iss subje
the Through its guidance and inspirnt
New new local reform organizations hi
fare been started and old ones rsorRaniz
use, and both have undert taken and succe
fatf f..ll