Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-12-16

1t is probable Washington will be
chosen as the permanent convention city
for the American Civic Association, judg-
ing from the sentiment manifested at the
session this morning, when Secretary
Watrous announced that such was the
desire of many delegates. Mr.. Watrous
said the final selection for next years
convention was in the hands OF the ex-
ecutive committee, which was considering
invitations from civic and commercial
bodies in Minneapolis, Portland. Ore; St.
Louis. indianapolis. Jacksonville, Fla,
and Birmingham, Ala.
Telling the delegates they could not at
present fight civic graft effectually be-
cause poor systems Of city bookkeeping
made it impossible to confront inefficient
or dishonest city officials with tell-tale
figures, Prof E. c. Meyer Of the census
Office advised civic reformers to direct
their efforts first at reforms in city sys-
TENS of accounting and bookkeeping.
"Unless you can go to the poor city
servant with figures showing his faults
and say you are Inefficient and can
show through figures printed in the news
papers such inefi1ciency or dishonesty,
your efforts will be vain," said Mr.. Meyer.
Must Have the Figures.
"In most places where civic reform is
needed we are talking against q stone
wall because we have not the figures and
| facts to back up our allegations, but
wherever figures have finally become OBJ
tainable what upheavais have resulted!
For instance, look at Pittsburg.''
| Prof. Meyer promised his hearers that
if they would see to the installation Of
| improved systems of bookkeeping and
accounting, the census bureau would see
TO il that the figures were obtainable in
! time to be of some use to civic reformers.
The talk of Mrs. Caroline Bartlett Crane
of Kalamazoo. Mich. on Civic Coop
| Grafton Toward Clean City" was an
astute analysis and criticism of methods
employed in the care of streets and alleys
| in many cities. Mrs. Crane is considered
an authority on this subject. She OK
planned the best kinds of pavings for
different streets; she told how to sell
| franchises to street railway companies
to the protection of the municipality;
how to collect garbage and how to pre-
| vent flies and mosquitoes.
| Mrs. Crane advocated the placing of
street cleaning and ash and garbage col
lections under the direction of boards Of
health. She wants all alleys as we'll
paved and lighted as adjacent streets.
For Well Lighted Alleys.
well lighted alleys" she said, will
be a great aid to the public morals and
the efficiency of the police department"
Furthermore, Mrs. Crane advocated the
examination Of policemen and police court
judges in city ordinances regulating SAM
| tation.
| Miss iona Gale of Portage, Wis, read
a very humorous story entitled Friend
ship Village improvement SOdality," and
| her tale was an eloquent word picture of
| the results that could be accomplished In
| the general improvement Of civic condi-
tons in small towns and villages.
After reading her paper Miss Gale
| pointed still more closely to the moral of
! her story when she said that it Is not
| leadership that is needed in the smaller
municipalities, because that leadership
already is there, though, she said, 1t Is
wasting it's energies on matters of little
| Importance.
What the towns and villages need"
| said she, ARE to be told what they
should do If they are given the best
of the advanced ideas on civics they will
| do for themselves without further outside
| assistance"
A letter was read from Mrs. Philip
North Moore, president of the General
| Federation of WOmen's Clubs. express
| ing regret at her inability to attend the
convention, and promising continued CO.
| operation both for herself and her Or
| ganization.
Billboard Question Discussed.
Clyde l.. Day, assistant corpora ton
counsel Of Chicago, addressed the con-
vention OIL. Legal Control of the Bill
board" Mr.. Day said in part:
while the billboard has existed for
several generations, it has not until the
last decade come to be looked upon as
hurtful TO attractive surroundings and a
menace to those essential elements Of
civic life, safety, health and morality
| I'm the great commercial life of today
the billboard may have it's legitimate
part as a medium OF advertising, but
| confess that / am unable to see where
any community would sustain any SUBJ
| stantial loss If all billboards We're blotted
out Of existence. But, when we con-
slider the selfishness Of mankind where a
business proposition is involved it is idle