Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1902-05-10

country were represented In the dele
gates who met here yesterday to par
ticipate in the proceedings of the eighth
annual meeting of the National Munich
pal League and the tenth national con-
ference for good city government The
sessions will continue until Friday even
ing. The opening session yesterday af-
Twentieth Century club, James G. Car
ter, president of the National Municipal
League, presiding.
Samuel h. Capen. on behalf of the
committee of arrangements, welcomed
the delegates to Boston; Speaker Myers
of the house of representatives Oh be-
half of the state, made n welcoming ad-
dress, and Mayor Collins spoke In behalf
of the city.
The secretary of the National Munich
pal League. Clinton II. Woodruff of
Philadelphia. presented paper on "a
Years Municipal Progress" in which
he said that the concrete achievements
of the past year have been more numer-
Gus and far-reaching than in any pre-
ceding one.
Said he: "The city has assumed a
place in our political, social and indus
trial life, which can no longer be safely
ignored. Asan illustration of the grow
ing appreciation of the municipal prob
LEM need only cite the countrywide
interest in the recent Greater New York
mayOralty campaign. Nor has the in
terest in the situation abated. Keen
eyes and interested ones are watching
every move of Mayor Low and District
Attorney Jerome and their colleagues.
Their successes are rejOiccd over, their
missteps criticised and discussed.
Il think it can be said without the
slightest eXaggerati0n that the affairs
Of New York city are attracting as much
attention as any other phase of political
activity, city, state, or national. This
Is just recognition of the Importance
and position of municipal affairs. This
appreciation Of and interest in the mu-
nicipal affairs is not confined to New
York. Those of Boston, Philadelphia,
Chicago, Cleveland. San Francisco st.
Louis, not to mention many another
which might be appropriately included,
are written about and discussed in q
way that clearly indicates that the peo-
pie are awakening to their true ralue.
"At the same time that the business
men are going into municipal politics.
the wage-earner is doing likewise. In
many respects the most significant fea-
ture Of the past year from a municipal
standpoint has been the election of In Dor
men to important municipal office.
'Whatever else these events may in
dicate, they show cOnclusively that mu-
nicipal citizens are ignoring party lines
TO Il hitherto unprecedented extent.
Thus far the experiments have proved
successful, but, putting this question
aside, it Is clear that the consideration
of state and national party politics is
having less and less Influence in many
sections of the country. The Greater
New York election indicates the same
thing.
"The overwhelming vote in fay vOr Of
municipal ownership at Chicago's elec-
tion Of last month shows the drift of
public sentiment. Chicago. it is true,
may not be ready for such an expert
ment, but this vote indicates how heart
lily tired its people are Of the scandals
and corruption incident to the private
ownership of municipal monopolies, and
1t may also mean that the people realize
that 1t is doubtful whether they have
the right to put it into the hands of a
few to make enormous profits at the ex-
pense Of the many, even If there were
no corruption.
"The work of establishing the merit
system in the cities proceeds with sub
staDtial If not rapid progress. AS in
other fields of municipal activity, New
York forms the storm center."
At the evening meeting the chief ad-
dress was by Charles j. BOnaparte of
Baltimore on "Thc Movement of Honest
Government" He spoke of the decline
of the otficehOldcr from high ideals to
the position where he willingly toler-
ated bribery and stuffing ballot boxes.
According to the idea of some people,
politics was not a matter of concern for
those interested in city affairs, but for
those who hoped for money or office.
Quoting from an Interview of Richard
Croker, Mr.. Bonaparte declared that
civil service reform is the key to the
situation.
]. II. MacFarland was the last speak
er. illustrating what he said by
stereopticon views, he related the his
tory of the last campaign in Harrisburg,
by which they had elected a good mayor
and inaugurated progressive admins
/ tration.