The Savannah morning news., 1900-09-22
WORK or MUNICIPAL LEAGUE.
rOLITICs IN MUNICIPAL GOVERN.
MENTs DISCUSSED.

The independent Man In Municipal
Affairs IL IA Coming Factor-Coler'S
Address en- the "DarHer of the
Commercial spirit An Politics"
Trusts the Creation Of Dishonest
ommcrciaIIsm-The Remedy Is 90
Arouse Intelligent Public Opinion.
Milwaukee. Wis. Sept. 2i-The National
Municipal League held rs final meeting
OF the annual convention to-day. Charles
] Bonapatto OF Baltimore was the prin-
clpal speaker OF the forenoon session. Ills
paper was entitled THE Essential Eie-
nent in Good city Government Among
other things he said.
The one thing Indispensable. the one
thing without which good government Of
any kind or degree is impossible. is good
men II you have as public officers men
thoroughly honorable ana conscientious
ana also sufficiently intelligent and suf-
neisntIy educated TO understand ana dis
charge their duties, you will have what
ever the defects OF your statutes or Gus
toms. good government. II your places
Of public trust are filled by Ignorant. in
men. you may devise all sorts OF ingenious
oud complicated safeguards. but. your
machine OF government will. in practice,
work IN"
Municipal Political Parties.
paper on Municipal Political Parties"
By Milo r. Malgbie OF New York city was
read by the secretary. He said IN part.
The adoption by the national parties OF
municipal programmes-,he announcement
Of their positions upon municipal questions
lis / believe, the true position OF the par
~ in municipal politics Already she trend
Is In this direction. Party platforms make
more reference 20 local questions than for
merry The voter Is not 90 content 20 vote
the same ticket ia municipal as IN national
elections. He insists upon knowing what
the partys position Is upon local aues-
lions
"Whas is wanted Is not so much the in
dependent party as the independent man:
the man who has high Ideals and yet an
accurate estimate OF how rapidly progress
can be made. the man who will abandon
any party the moment II ceases 20 repre-
sent his ideas: the man who applauds vir-
tue. honesty and efficiency wherever he
finds them The larger the proportion OF
such men, the more nearly perfect demo-
cratic governments will grow. the smaller
the proportion the less viii principles be
considered. the more sluggish and TIRE
sponsible will parties become and the
more frequently Will they fail 20 express
the popular will"
CoIcr on Politics.
one of the principal topics Of the after
noon was a paper by Bird 5. Coler. con-
troller o. Greater New York hir. Coler
was unable to be present. and his paper
was read bV the secretary.
MIR Coler's paper was on Danger Of
tho Commercial spirit in Politics" lie as
serted his belief In our system OF govern
ment, its plan and endurance, but In re-
cent year,. he said. our material pro-
gross. that should safeguard the perma-
hence OF our institutions has IN reality
been the nursery Of the gravest dangers
that confront the people.
spirit Of commercialism has invaded
our politics ana our statesmanship. Pub
lie interests have been sacrificed TO private
gain
Men have discovered that there Is money
in the business OF politics and with many
Of them their greed is greater than their
public spirit
The rest OF this evil which is so dan
gerous 10 our Institutions. may be found
Ia the mistakes of our system OF politics
our machinery for the maintenance OF
political divisions has become 50 vast and
complicated that large sums Of money
are required 10 keep st in motion.
Every trust ia this country to-day IL IN
whole or part creation Of dishonest com
rnarclalism IN politics Honest govern
mcnts conducted on business principles
10 not grant to combinations Of men OF
clpital special privileges or powers that
are denied 20 the Individual citizen. Such
legislation Is q radital and dangerous de-
parture from the true spirit Of our sys-