The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-09-21
VOID HIVt nIDEL CITES
NATIONAL PRINCIPAL LEAGUE
MEETS IN CONVENTION
AT MILWAUKEE,
PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANIES
Paper by DIR. Washington GLADDEN.
In Advocncy of Municipal own
ership of These
Utilities.


sixth annual convention of the National
Municipal league opened at the Hotel
PhSter 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-called munich
pal programme adopted at the Columbus
convention last year. The programme as
adopted recommends the adoption OF
three branches of activity: I1nlarging
the power of cities by providing as far
as possible for home rule; enforcing caro-
fully devised restrictions against the
abuses of municipal powers, and regulat-
ing the granting Of franchises.
Welcoming addresses were delivered on
behaif of the state and city, which were
responded to by Charles J. Bonaparte of
Baltimore, chairman of the executive
committee. Clinton Rogers Woodruff, Of
Philadelphia, secretary Of the National
Municipal league, then read paper on
"a Years Municipal Development The
report of the treasurer, George Burnham
Jr., of Philadelphia, was then submitted
The following officers We're elected late
in the afternoon: President James G. Car
ter. New York; first vice president, Chas.
Richardson, Philadelphia; second vice
president Samuel B. Capen, Boston; third
vice president, Thomas N. Strong, Port
land, Or; fourth vice president H Dick
son Bruins, New Orleans; fifth vice presi-
dent, Edmund ]. 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 today's
progI anime. He read paper on Does
IL or{a
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 munie-
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 forenoon's
session.
The feature Of the afternoon session
was a paper on THE Influence of Public
Service Companies on City Government"
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 ille-
Ultimate character are often maintained
between representatives of thu 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 enl-
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: 1t is difficult, and perhaps danger
GUS So 1t is, but If it is our business we
had better do it. and not shirk 1t 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 incompar-
| 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 inte.li-
| 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.''