The St. Louis Republic., 1904-10-07
SAYS CITY CAN'T
STOP CORRUPTION
Former Mayor Head of Nashville
Declares Remedy Rests With
State Legislatures.
BANQUET FOR THE DELEGATES.
National Municipal Convention
Proposes Convention for I'm
provement of the American
Urban Communities.

When the ban Ia removed and municipal
governments are no longer treated by the
| legislatures of the several States either
| as infants. idiots, lunatics. or as married
| women are treated by the general body
| Of the laws. then and not till then may
| We expect to see municipal governments
| OF America carried to a degree of perfec-
t!on. where they will no longer be n re-
proach to our civilization" declared John
NJ. Head. former Mayor OF Nashville,
Tenn. in his paper before the convention
of the National Municipal League, at the
Worlds Fair yesterday.
AS long" said Mr. Head "as munici-
pal governments are treated b., the gen.
eral laws OF the land as mere appendages
OF the State government to be dealt with
at the pleasure or the caprice OF legisla-
tors who know nothing of municipal con-
ditions except as they may be used for
pohtlcal effect. We may expect rotten city
governments TO continue to flourish
Muhicipal officers from all parts OF the
United States gathered In the Town Hall
on the Model Street TO listen to papers on
municipal government. The meeting was
called TO order by the secretary of the Ma
tfonal Municipal League Mr.. Clinton
Rogers Woodruff OF Philadelphia. who in
troduced the presiding officer of the meet
ing, John A. Butler OF Milwaukee Wis.
Mr.. Butler spoke at some length on the
practices and abuses OF the nomination
and election Of municipal officers, and
gave 1t as his opinion that pure city gov
ernment could only be had when county
and State politics were eliminated from
those Of the municipality
Mrs. Conde Hamlin of ST. Paul, hos
tess OF the Twin City building, described
at some length the various municipal ex-
hibits on the Model Street and those
SHOWN by the foreign countries in the
declared that an Exposition of purely
municipal character and participated in by
an the prominent cities of the United
states states would tend to do more good for the
country than any other
The Aims and Accomplished Work of
the Society of Municipal improvements
wa was the the subject Of very interesting pa.
Indianapolis; first vice president Of the So
ciety. In his remarks he defined the no.
slt!on OF the society as follows:
me society stands in an intermediate
position between those who discuss mu-
nicipal questions from theoretical stand
points and from those of the legislative
and directive departments. and those con-
H.
gineering nature. For. while much of its
work can be classed with each of these
groups or associations. the needs of the
supervisor Of design and construction.
|hcther engineer. Commissioner Council |
man or Mayor. are In mind and the papers
and discussions are turned in this direc- |
ton The result is a volume OF practical |
aid to the supervisors of public work each |
year. which has the technical value which |
the engineer requires and the practical |
application which the nontechnical direc- |
tor of public works needs'
Clinton Rogers Woodruff secretary of |
the lea que. In his address. traced the ac-
work OF the organization.
CIVIL service as applied to municipalities |
amples of its efficiency were cited in an |
able paper, entitled "fThe Civic Problem |
Discussed From a Ciyic-Service Point Of |
View. read by Mr.. Charles Noble Greg |
ory. dean of Law School, Iowa State Uni !
versity. ~
Owing to the scarcity of time and the
to eliminate the afternoon
session. AInasa NJ. Eaton. president of the
Municipal League. Providence r l.. read
but brief portion Of his paper, "The
Siy1c 9, Problem Discussed From a Legal
sioner for the city OF St. Louis gave a
'rlef address on the Suppression Of E;pi-
iemic Diseases" Doctor Simon illustrated
ns rs taik with numerous charts and mod
The last speaker was Professor L. w.
aowerth OF the University of Chicago.
who discussed the civic problem from
theological point of view
More than a hundred Mayors were at
he meeting The new officers Of the
eague elected Wednesday were present in
body. Following is the list: President,
list M vice president Mayor R. q. Rhett.
bird vice president. Joseph B. Mccaffer.
Y, Wilmington, Del; secretary, John
dacVicar. Des Moines. Ia; treasurer,
Mayor Y T. William D. Morgan. Georsetown,
Columbus. o.: Mayor William NJ. Dren-
IAN. Birmingham; Ala; Mayor silas Cook,
kokomo: Ind. Comptroller Louis Betx,
1t. Paul. Mimi; Mayor James Baker,
Iockport, n. Y.
The Mayors and other officers were the
yuests Of honor. at a luncheon given in
iale's Fire Fighters Restaurant by the
officers of East ST. Louis i'm
nediately after the adjournment of the
morning session.
The municipal exhibits were visited BY
he members Of the league In the after
oOn !