The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-11-25
IN topeka JAN. 9.
Date for Meeting of Kansas
Municipal League.
Mayor Bergundthal Is President
of the Association.
WILL BE A BANQUET.
However There Won't Be Any
Liquor.
Neither Will There Be a Tour
of the Underworld.
WILL BE A BANQUET.

Mayor Bergundthal, who is president
of the Kansas Municipal league this
year, has announced that the meeting
OF, the league will be held in Topeka
beginning January 9, the day before the
meeting of the legislature. The league
VIII probably be in session for several
days, and plans are being made to give
the delegates a banquet as the closing
event of the convention.
Mayor BergundthaI has not yet ap-
pointed the committee from the city
council which will arrange for the en-
tertainment of the delegates to this
convention. The custom has been in
previous conventions for the council
men and city officials of the city which
Is acting as host to put up for the e7<-
pense of entertaining the delegates.
There will be no liquor at this ban
Quet This is the advice of Mayor Ber-
gundthaL He said a few days ago:
Previous banquetS of the league
have been disgraced by the conduct of
certain delegates who overestimated
their capacity. They have so far for
gotten themselves as to interfere with
the carrying out of the programme, and
1 don't think Topeka will try to emu
late the example set by former conven-
tions.
Nor will there be any relaxation of
the police regulations so far as joints
are concerned. Things will stay shut.
1t may be quite interesting to some of
the delegates to find out that the pro-
hibitory law can~be pretty well enforc-
ed, even in a city large as Topeka"
One of the features of some previous
conventions have been the tours of the
underworld made by the visiting city
officials. under the protection of the po-
lice In Wichita a few years ago, May |
or Parker and nearly all the council |
men and city officials, went through
number of big gambling houses and
saloons just to see how they were be- |
ing conducted under the license system. |
Here in Topeka the delegates will have |
TO content themselves with the legisla- !
tive poker games, which will be in pro- |
gress about the time of their visit.
w. A. s. Bird, the permanent Secre- |
tary of the Kansas Municipal league, is
not yet ready to announce the pro-
gramme for the meeting. He said:
4 am communicating with a number
of city officials who have been invited
to read papers before the convention,
and l expect within a short time to be
able to issue a programme for the
whole meeting. The convention will be
in session two days. 1t is called the
day before the meeting of the legisla-
ture so that if there is any legislative
action needed by any cities of the first
class. we can go before the Legislature
and present our case"
will any changes be asked for in the
city charter act passed by the last leg
islature?" was asked.
II don't know" replied Mr.. Bird. II
have washed my hands of that whole
business since the legislature mutilated
the public utilities section of that law
as I wrote it, and made it almost
worthless
1t is highly probable that the league
will recommend some changes in this
charter act. The public utilities sec
ton, which regulates the granting of
franchises will probably be %svised to
some extent. 1t is believed by many
that the law as it now stands is too lib
eral with the corporations. 1t is not
likely that any radical changes will be
made in the law, however.
The principal business of the Munich
pal league seems to be to influence leg .
islation. It might with propriety fol-
low the footsteps of the city of Chi
cago, and select a municipal league lob l
byist
Chicago city council authorized the !
mayor to appoint a representative at a
salary of So 600 per annum to look af- .
ter legislation affecting the city's inter-
ests, and Mayor Harrison has appoint
ed Henry Barrett Chamberlain, for !
merly assistant secretary of the NUM-
cipal Voters league, to fill the place. {
Large corporations maintain not a lob
byiSt only, but a whole lobby to watch
and influence legislation, and there is no
still greater interests to protect and ad-
vance, should not follow the same prac-
tice Already increasing list of re-
form bodies have followed in the footsteps
representatives to watch every step in
NO small part of the success
of the Municipal Voters league of Chica-
go Is due to the fact that its representa-
tives know at least as much about city I
legislation as the city fathers themselves.
OF the many reform bodies affiliated
with the National Municipal league a
number follow a similar policy. The Leg
tslative Voters league of Chicago MAIN t
talns a representative at Springfield. The ?