The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1910-07-21
NEED MORE STRINGENT LAWS
League of Municipalities Passed Reso-
luton Calling for Stronger Corrupt
Practices Act and Discusses Candi-
dates ExpenseA

One of the features OF Wednesday
of the annual convention of the League
of Wisconsin Municipalities, in session
at Fond du Lac, was the speech of
Mayor Seidel of Milwaukee on "Muni-
cipal Problems. !"
cit is quite true" said Mayor Sci
del, "that the government of com
munity is only concrete reflection of
the social, moral and economic refec
ton Of civic life. Graft in office oc
casionally exposed is nothing but the
graft in business and public life.
''And let me say there is many times
more graft in private and business life
than in public life, although heaven
knows there is enough in the latter
When man gets in trouble the French
say, 'Cherches la femme (look out for
the woman.) When an American Of
fetal gets into trouble we can pertin-
emily say, Look out for the business
man.
William j. Desmond of Milwaukee
followed Mayor Seidel, giving a paper
on Corrupt Use Of Money in City
Elections and How to Stop IT,
"There is now on file in the Office of
the register of deeds of Milwaukee
county, Said the speaker, "expense
accounts of candidates for office at
municipal elections showing expendit-
ures of more than 100000. It is not
at all uncommon for a candidate s ex-
penses to exceed the annual salary of
the Office he gets or fails to get. Can
didates have been known to beg, bor-
row and steal money to keep pace with
the activities of richer rivals in the
race for office.
This condition the speaker, contend
ed, debauched the voter, degraded citi-
zenship and handicapped honesty and
integrity in its fight against corruption
and graft. Mr.. Desmond would place a
booklet in the hands of every voter,
giving portrait sketches of each candi-
date, together with his platform.
The evening program concluded with
paper on 'EThe Relationship Between
Cities and Public Utility Companies, :"
by Ernest Gonzenbaeh, general manager
of the Sheboygan Light, Power and
Railway company.
Previous to; adjournment the munich
pal league adopted a resolution calling
the attention of the state legislature to
the need of more stringent corrupt
practice act. The action followed
spirited discussion, in which City At
torney Haughen declared he took ex-
ception to the idea that officials in gen
eral come into office by corrupt means.
Thirty-seven cities were represented
when the second days session of the
convention of the League of Wiscon-
sin Municipalities opened Wednesday
morning
Port Washingtonu leads with the
largest delegation, having nine city of
ficials here Two Rivers is second with
seven, and Milwaukee drops in third
place with five.
Superior is making an aggressive
campaign for the 1911 meeting.
The principal feature of the morn
ing session was a paper by Fred G.
Simmons of the Milwaukee Electric
Railway and Light company on ''Per-
manent Paving Of City Streets as AT
fected by the Presence Of Street Rail
way Tracks, Mr.. Simmons entered in
to an exhaustive discussion of kinds of
pavements and methods of construc-
ton, holding that an absolutely rigid
foundation for rails is not desirable.
Trouble Can Be Avoided.
Concluding he said: eve would like
to say to the large number of munich
pal officers present that any street rail
way corporation of any acumen what
ever, is just as DESTROYS as you can pos
sibly be to obtain the best results OBJ
tainable. IF you will take this into
consideration in your dealings with
them, we believe much trouble and
many misunderstanding will be avoid
ed.
7. P. Sherwood, Green Bay, read
paper on "The New Paving and It's
OPERATION and J. S. Mccullough,
Fond du Lac, read paper on econ
crete Paving
Wednesday afternoon the delegates
were given an automobile ride to Wau-
pun to visit the state prison.