Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-01-25

the frequency with which these pa
pers were and are quoted, we are
Justified in forming a high estimate
of their value. The statements were
first hand and authoritative and
were amply supported by reference
to authorities. They formed sound
basis for the student of municipal
problems, whether he was to be
found in the professors chair or the
mayors; whether in the study or in
the charter commission.
At Louisville, in 1897, as a result of
a growing sentiment among the ac-
tive members of the league. there
was feeling manifested that the de-
lscriptive work of the league was
about concluded, at least for the
present; and that there should be
an effort made TO utilize the infor-
nation gathered: TO correlate it aud
If possible to adopt definite and
concrete program of municipal ac-
ton. Consequently, when the'follow-
ing resolution was presented il was
unanimously adopted after
thoughtful discussions:
Resolved. That the executive com
mittce appoint Il committee of ten
|
municipal program. which shall en-
body the essential principles that
must underlie successful municipal
government, and which shall also set
forth a working plan or system con-
Sistent with American industrial and
political conditions for putting such
principles i'm practical operation ;and
said committee. if it finds such
municipal program to he feasible. is
instructed to report the same. with
ifs reasons therefor, to the league
for consideration.
In pursuance of this resolution the
following committee ON municipal
program" was appointed: Horace
+. Deming, New York; George w.
Guthrie. Pittsburgh. Pa; Prof. Frank
J.. Goodnuw. Columbia University;
DIR. Albert Shaw. New York; Charles
Richardson, Philadelphia; Prof. l.. :.
Rowe, University of Pennsylvania,
and Clinton Rogers Woodruff, Phila-
delphia.
| For two years this committee was
at work giving unremitting attention
TO the subject. Its preliminary re-
port was made at indianapolis,
which meeting was entirely given
over to its consideration. The final
report was presented at Columbus in
1899. where again the whole meeting
was devoted to the question. As
result of the careful work of the
committee and of. the thorough dis
cussion of its two reports. there was
adopted n municipal program which
has received as widespread common
i,
proposed.
The program. which consists of
certain proposed constitutional
amendments and Il municipal cor
poratiun act. has been published in
single volume (by the Macmillan
company) with the leading EXPOSE
tory papers and the report of the
committee. This volume ca NUM-
cipal Program) has been utilized by
such constitutional conventions as
have met since its publication and
has been generally used by the mum
erous charter commissions appointed
within the past few years. In this
way the work of the league, through
its committee, is having Il strong.
affirmative influence upon charter
and constitution makers, and bids
fair 10 have Il still wider influence
in the future. because of the grow
ing appreciation of the intense value
and SoundnesS of the recCmmenda-
lions. which are based on very
careful and lOng-eNtended study of
actual American conditions as well
rs of the fundamental principles of
political philosophy.
At the Milwaukee meeting two
other important lines of work were
;nauguratcd:
First.-The question of instruction
IN municipal government i'm Ameri-
can educational institutions.
Second.-Unform municipal ac-
counting and statistics. Committees
on each were appointed. President
Thomas VI. Drown, or Lehigh Univer-
sity. heading the first. and DIR. Ed
ward NJ. Hartwell. city statistican,
the second. Both of these commit
tees made preliminary reports at
Rochester. which received general
commentator at the hands of the
press. The report of DIR. browns
committee. together with the discus
sion of il ana the syllabi of certain
courses on the subject now being
delivered. and brief photography.
has been published in special edi-
ton and given Il very general distri-
button among the educational insti-
tutions of the country. 1t is certain
that as a consequence of the commit
tees work and agitation the colleges
at least will during the next two 1r
three years give more attention than
formerly to the subject of municipal
government and that textbook
dealing with the question will be
published. II is also equally certain
that the secondary and higher
schools will take it up, so that it is
safe to predict that within the next
five or ten years courses in municipal
government will have become an es