El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-10-04

the League Of American Munich
palities meets in Atlanta today.
The league is a national organization
which came into existence at a conven-
ton held in Columbus Ohio. in 1896
Its object is the general Improvement
Of every municipal department. giving
to the citizen at large the greatest pos
sibIe return for each dollar Of public
money expended. 1t works in several
ways towards this goal Through It's
organization, it perpetuates an agency
for the cooperation of American cities
in the practical studies Of all questions
1 pertaining to municipal development 1t
! holds annual conventions and many
smaller meetings for the purpose Of
discussing municipal affairs Any ad-
vance in any particular department in
/ city government is promptly presented
| to every other city through the medium
| Of the league in order that all may
profit by the newly developed idea.
Has Bureau of Information.
The League Of Municipalities main
/ tains central bureau OF information at
Des Moines for the collection, compila-
/ ton and dissemination Of statistics re-
ports and all other kinds Of informa-
I ton relative to municipal government.
/ 1t issues from time to time a bulletin
/ called The City Hall" in which reports
/ are given Of advanced experiments in
/ sanitation, protection Of life and prop
/ erty, government, education. the audit
/ ing of city accounts and the like
Much OF the active work Of the league
! is done under the direction Of the sec
/ rotary treasurer, John McVicar. Of Des
/ Moines, who was its first president and
/ is generally recognized as its real
/ founder. He was the first mayor Of
/ Des MOines under the commission form
Of government, and was largely influen-
] tial in securing that form Of govern
/ ment for his city.
Growing Rapidly.
The league is rapidly increasing its
| membership and thousands of cities Of
/ the country, as well as many represeu-
I taive men interested in the improve
/ ment Of their respective municipalities,
are registered on its rolls Any munic-
/ lpauLy In the country may become
mem Der OF the league by the payment
I Of an annual fee which varies according
Z 70 the size of the city. The cities
having population under 10000 pay
/ 4lO per year for membership, while
1 those whose population reaches 100000
pay 500 with, Of course, different inter
mediate fees Membership in the
league entities the city TO send dele
gates as active members TO its cOnven-
I ton and to receive help from the league
along any needed line Of municipal i'm
prOyement.
Active members in the Ieague in
clude all those holding municipal off
ices in cities that have paid annual
dues. Honorary members include
those who have held office. Associate
members include editors of municipal
journals and firms engaged in the man
u1acture Of machinery and implements
needed in municipal equipment These
last pay an annual fee Of SIS and have
the privilege or exhibiting their ma
chinery at the conventions and other
gatherings Of the league. Every mu-
nlclpallty belonging 10 the league is
entitled to send its mayor and as many
other officers as il desires to the con-
ventfOn.
Among the subjects to be discussed
at the convention opening toby in
Atlanta, VII be Municipal Clubs and
Associations and Their Value in City
Improvement" Public Work Done by
the Days Work System" Mayor T. c.
Thompson, Of Chattanooga, viii speak
on Long Time Bonds for City I'M
provement," and the experiences of sew
eral cities IN this connection will be
given by other officials. The pros and
cons of the commission government
plan will have prominent place. Fred
er1ck III. McGregor, OF the municipal
reference board of the University Of
Wisconsin, viii open it BY describing
city Government by Commission
while J. G. Haynes mayor Of Minneap-
oils, viii tell What a Live City Can Do
Under An Anticipated Charter" The
be considered from different stand
points, and in this connection various
forms and plans for the annual city
budget viii be brought forward.
As outgrOWths of the League Of
American Municipalities. which extends
throughout the United states and Can
ada, many state and local organiZa-
tions concentrate their efforts upon the
improvement Of the towns IN their own
vicinity. There are also organizations
Of city officials which report to the
parent Organizat ton the results of their
specific undertakings One of the most
important Of these official Organiza-
tions IS the Association Of Public Ac-
cOuntants, composed entirely Of men
who have the direction of the city fl
nanCes in their hands.
Has Model Plan
The object OF this association is to
make the city budget so simple in its
arrangement that 1t viii be readily un-
derstOOd by every citizen The president
Of the organization, AlonzO Tweedale.
auditor Of the city Of Washington, has
g. model plan for the arrangement OF
the city budget which was brought
prominently before the Exposition Of
municipalities, which closed in Chicago
last week. 1t is now a feature Of the
Budgetary Publicity Exhibit which
be In progress during this month. The
League Of municipalities stands for the
absolute publicity Of every item on the
budget in order that the people may see
just what they are receiving for their
money. The budget of classificatOns
which is now in use in Washington, is
receiving the commentator Of the
league because Of its concise simplicity.
model Of it viii likely be printed for
distribution among the cities Of the
country.
VIII Lessen Graft.
The increase Of population and re-
quirements in cities naturally increases /
their annual expenditures. The per
capita expenditure for cities in the
United States having a population above
30 600 has now reached ST annually. IN
some cities it is even largep With the
system Of publicity in auditing. now
advocated by the League of Municipau-
ties, such incidents as an auditor pass
ing bin for valve wheels at $3.50 each
when they could be purchased at any
hardware store for cents each, viii
become less frequent.
The exposition, which has just closed
in Chicago, connected with the Interna-
tional Municipal congress, was con-
Quoted under the direction of the
League Of Municipalities and was the