The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-09-26

Of rug weaving and basketry, the work
of pupils of the John Ericsson school,
on exhibition
oHAGE SHOWS SMOKE PICTURES
Health Commissioner Gives Ocular
Demonstrations of Civic Beauty.
Health Commissioner Ohage enter
tanned and vastly interested the dele
gates to the American League of Civic
Improvement at the Commercial club
last evening. The delegates also lis
tened to addresses by Prof. Edward w.
Bemis, superintendent of the water
works of Cleveland, Ohio, and Prof.
w. w. Folwell, of Minneapolis.
DR.. Ohages talk was effectively IL
Illustrated by stereopticon pictures ex-
hibiting what he had accomplished in
the matter of abating the smoke null
sance, cleaning the sidewalks and coll
lecting the garbage, and lastly in es-
tablishing the free public baths on
Harriet island.
Beginning with the crusade against
the smoke nuisance, DR.. Ohage, with
the aid of succession of pictures
flashed upon the screen, explained how
effectively his men employed the cam
era to secure evidence of violations of
the ordinance forbidding the emission
of dense volumes of smoke. Picture
after picture exhibited tall chimneys
and putting locomotives sending black
columns of smoke into the air.
'"These smokers used to deny the
charge when arraigned in the police
court, but when confronted with the
photographs they were obliged to adj
NIT" explained DIR. Ohage. my expert
ence in the crusade taught me that a
good fireman and q stiff fine proved
the best smoke consumer"
To convince the delegates Of the
success of his anti-smoke nuisance
crusade, DR.. Ohage pointed to picture
giving a panoramic view of st. Paul
after the nuisance had been abated.
Not the faintest cloud obscured the
bright sky.
Views illustrating the manner in
which sidewalks are cleaned followed.
After exhibiting picture of regular
sidewalk cleaner, DR.. Ohage said that
the city was also blessed with volun-
tary street cleaners, Whereupon the
next picture was that Of a woman with
a long skirt trailing along the sidewalk
and gathering up, as DR.. Ohage put it,
"a whole menagerie Of bacteria"
In discussing the garbage collection
under the direction OF the health de-
partment, DR.. Ohage said that ST. Paul
and most other cities had too much
garbage. This was due to the fact
that house servants consigned too
much stuff to the garbage pals.
In this connection, DR.. Ohage de-
clared that the average girl in this
country lacked education in house,
keeping.
DR.. Ohage concluded his illustrated
talk with a diverting description OF
the free baths on Harriet island.
Numerous pictures of the bath house
and bathers disporting in the river
were exhibited to the delight of the
delegates.
DR.. Ohage accompanied the pictures
with amusing anecdotes and comments
relative to the free baths and incidents
that have occurred there.
One great virture of the baths, he
said, was their encouragement of an
archistic tendencies which thrive amid
dirt and filth.
Views of the outdoor gymnasium
were also exhibited.
The delegates manifested the keen
est appreciation Of DR.. Ohage's
achievements and his humorous talk.
DR.. w. w. Folwell, of Minneapolis,
was the first to address the delegates.
His subject was, 1.-THE City Beautiful"
DR.. Folwell contrasted the citizen
ship of the cities of the middle ages
with that of modern cities unfavorably
to the latter. The citizens Of today,
DR.. Folwell said, were not so ardent in
their citizenship.
1--WE do not care enough for our cit
ies," declared DR.. Folwell. 81 wish
you would remember that expression
we do not care enough for our cities.
That's why we allow political bosses
to run them.
1--WE do care for our schools, and
that's why we have taken them out
of politics. We also care for state
and national affairs. Look at our
beautiful state capitol. Isn't 1T beau
tiful? But what do we care for our
streets, for the collection of our gar
bage, and for our water? l refer to
my city when I speak of impure wa
ter.
IT tell you our eyes are in the ends
of the earth We are more interest
ed in the doings Of foreign potentates
than in those of our mayor and other
city officials.
But we can and do blush for the
record of our American cities"
Dr. Folwell discussed the problem Of
municipal ownership, and while point
ing out the objections, urged against
it, asserted that he favored it.
Prof Edward w. Bemis, who sue
ceeded DR.. Folwell, interested his hear
ers with the expression of his views on
Municipal Reform in Practice"
"There are three great essentials en-
tering into the proper government of a
city," said Prof. Bemis, "the right man
as the leader, the proper machinery,
and public opinion to sustain the
leader.
"The first reform should be the inau-
guration of municipal home rule, by
which is meant the California and
state of Washington systems. You
have it in modified form in Minnesota
except that here your district judges
select the trainers of the charter, while
in California they are elected by the
people"
Prof. Bemis regards the federal
PLAN as the better for the govern
ment Of cities than the BOARD plan"
of divided responsibility.
1.-THE federal plan, somewhat pat
termed after the organization of the
federal government, contemplates con-
centratio of the executive power and
responsibility, including the veto and
the power of appointment and removal
of officials, subject to civil service laws,
in the hands of single elected execu-
tive Such plan, If without civil
service rules, may tend to the forma-
ton Of a political boss, but the board
plan does this to still greater de-
gree, and without giving the people the
opportunity to hold anyone responsible
for the character of the government.
The federal plan also holds out greater
inducements to our best and bra1niest
citizens to run for the mayoralty. Few
men Of character care for an oft1ce
without power and responsibility"
In order to secure strong and able
men in the city council in large cities,
Prof. Bemis advocated paying them
salaries ranging from $1,000 to $4,000
year.
Referring to taxation Prof. Bemis
saidl