The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1904-08-11
MUNICIPAL LEAGUE NOW IN
SESSION AT APPLETON,

League OF municipalities which is now
being held at Appleton began yesterday
and Will come to Il close today The
league was organized at the time of the
semi centennial celebration of Wiscon-
sin eight years ago. The present meet.
ing Is one of the most important in the
history of the league in point of attend
ance and interest manifested. The
membership of the league has grown
rapidly of late and now every import
ant city i'll the state is represented in
the organization. Manitowoc is u MEM
ber Of the League and is represented in
the present convention at Appleton by
Mayor w. c. kemper, City Attorney
Schmitz, City Clerk Arthur Reichert
and City Engineer Louis PITT. One of
the subjects for discussion at the present
meeting is the laws governing cities
of the state. Local officials have pre-.
pared bill relative to the local taxa
ton of railway property; and the Mani
towoc delegal ION at the convention are
making an effort to have it adopted IN
one of Il number of measures which the
League will bring before the next
session of the legislature Mayor kemper
OF this city Is taking II prominent part
in the discussions. As the law does not
at present, provide for the local taxation
of railway property. which in many
| cities comprise from five to twenty per
cent of the total value of the property
within the municipal limits, the clries
Of the state lose large sums in taxes
every year. The bill drafted Ivy the city
attorney of Manitowoc provides that
cities receive returns from the railway
property within their limits The two
special committees that have been at
work since the last meeting of the
league preparing II number of bills. and
amendments 10 the general charter law,
have made their report To the Conven
tlon now III session j. Warich mayor
of the city of Shawano and a member
OF the legislature, was the chairman Os
one of these committees This commit.
tee had charge of the proposed leglsla
ton that Is to provide for II system of
uniform accounting for all the Wi4con
sin cities. The other members on this
committee We're Mayor John Mnlva of
Oshkosh and Judge John A, Gaynor of
Grand Rapids. This proposed improve.
ment III municipal government has
attracted much attention. The necess-
ity of more systematic accounting of
public funds is now fully realized by
city officials and others and it il to be
hoped that much good will come of the
work of this special committee. Mayor
II. B. Nelson of Racine WAS the chair.
man of the other committee which has
worked upon the amendment of the
general charter law, aiming to simplify
it. Other members on this committee
were the mayors and city attorneys of
the leading Wisconsin cities. This
csmmittee met ut Milwaukee, few
weeks ago and outlined Its work, assign
| ing 10 Its members the various phases
of the problems to be reported on mt the
present meeting of the league In view
of the fact that II * generally recognized
that the general charter law for the
cities of the state ls in need OF thorough
| revision, the Importance of the work of
this committee can hardly be Overstated
Because of the mHnN unnecessary. mi 4,
leading and complicated things con
tanned III the law referred to, many
cities have failed to adopt it, The
seven preceding conventions of the
league We're held III Madison, Fond du
Lac, Monroe, Jane4villr. NirOqua, Osh
kosh and Grand Rapids 1t is the in
tentlon Of the association To hold its
annual meeting ut u different city each
year, SO that the work of the league
may become more widely known Fol
| lowing are the names OF the officers of
the league:
President Mayor w. A. Wyse of
Reedsburg.
Vice President Mayor II G. Trues
dell of Berlin
Secretary $ Il Sparkling of Madison
The executive committee consists of
the former presidents of the league aud
the * MAYORS of the following cities
w G. I.eitsch, Columbus, Hon G. f..
Whelan. Madison; l.. {. Boyle, Niroqua
Victor = Richardson, GAINESVILLE, A. s.
Douglas, Monroe; and Burt Williams,
Ashland.
Appleton il favorably lo, ated for a
convention of this kind, and the city
couucil has made all necessary arrange
ments for u pleasant and profitable con
ference
An additional purpose Of the league
IL To- enable the city officials to- hecomt
acquainted and interchange views rela
tive to municipal matters