The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-04-24
H1IENDANCE
DISAPPOINTING
When Nearly 70 Were Ex-
pected Only So Were Present.
BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
Political Lines Should be ELM
mated in Municipal Offices.

Detroit, Mich, April 23.-The attends
ance al the opening session of the ninth
annual meeting of the National Munich
paI League was somewhat disappointing
About seventy delegates We're expected,
but only half that number were present
this evening when Vice President Chas
Richardson of Philadelphia. in the alb
sence of James c. Carter of New York
called the convention to order. An ex-
haustive report of the years work was
read by Clinton Rogers Woodruff OF
Philadelphia. secretary of the National
League. The recent elections in Chicago
and Cleveland We're pointed to as teach
ing the lesson that there must be an
end to tampering with the city by the
legislature and that national parties must
cease in placing national issues 10 the
front in local campaigns, the recent cleo
tion of Mayor Samuel Jones of Toledo
teaching the same lesson.
Philadelphia and Pittsburg were refer
red to by Mr.. Woodruff as presenting a
somewhat less favorable aspect, but he
added that Notwithstanding dolefui tales
Of mismanagement and corruption there
were numerous signs of improvement,
Philadelphia now having a mayor who
received the endorsement of the Munich
pal League, and Pittsburg voters having
defeated the dominant Republican ma
chine in three successive campaigns. At
ter touching upon the recent municipal
scandals of Minneapolis, ST. Louis and
Kansas City, Mr.. Woodruff took up the
question of municipal ownership, declar-
ing that move in its favor had taken
q deep hold on the urban population of
the country.
A paper by C. c. Brown of indianapolis
On The Federation of Civic Forces,
was submitted and ordered printed.
Mr.. Browns paper was in part as fol-
lows:
''The government of the city of Indian
apolis since 1891 has been an excellent ex-
ample of the concentration of response
bflity in one person. The municipality is
q business proposition and has nothing
In common with political parties, what
ever may be the necessities of practical
politics. As such it should be admin
istered on business principles. 1t is
very common business principle that
there must be no division of responsible
fly. The theory of the government of the
city of indianapolis varies little from
this. The stockholders (voters) elect
once in two years. instead of once a
year as in the ordinary stock company,
the city council as the legislative author
fly and the moyar and executive head.
The council does not have all the power
OF the ordinary board Of directors since
IT does not elect the mayor and does not
determine the policy of the administra-
ton nor the method of carrying it out.
The ordinary political administration
of a municipality desires the greatest
possible division of responsibility. Its
safety under the too common manipula-
ton of public office for private ends is in
this division for the consequences of in
competency and dishonesty can seldom be
placed exactly where they belong, and
those who are shrewd enough con retain
their control. This is not possible in In
dianapolis. The responsibility for failure
either from incompetency or dishonesty
is definitely fixed. The autocracy of one
man power has not developed in Indian
apolis. The political boss seems to have
even less hold than in the cities with
greater. division of responsibility, and
the size Of the independent vote is such
that he must approximate veDy closely to
the ideals of the. better class of citizens
or his administration is displaced at the
next election. The voters are very free
fn their choice of candidates and vote
very largely with reference 10 municipal
con6.tions and without thought of po-
lificaI lines"