Show MAYONS Aim MEETING First Session In Columbus Ohio las About 150 Delegates Present I MUNICIPAL PROBLEMS ARE CONSIDERED ml OllO I Gernoir ludt > o atilto Iar of UO 11114 on 31 t uldpathirelt Lighting I Columbus Sept 2STho first annu nl conference or tho mayors and court tllmen of the U S Cannfy and Met gen Was called to order title mor In tj I Major Bannock of this city about lea regularly accredited delegates being be-ing present Gov llushnell delivered the address of welcome He said tho majors congress con-gress would inaugurate another epoch While municipal officials for centuries had dealt I with municipal problems even In long tilled llellis modern methods meth-ods and careful husbandrj ran be made to product bountiful hatvistn and he knew that this assemblage of municipal officers could effect fruitful results by the deliberation of the succeeding suc-ceeding days He continued The cloio of tho century ocm to find us In a condition condi-tion which present as trinity thing to be done In fur cites and towns as there was at the time of tin foundation founda-tion of the centers of population No city Is now so rich In excellent results but that there Is room for more m lealth In that way Each uiban com nunlty has Its vexations and Its evils cacti hni some natural difficulty to overcome even In the form and method of Its government or In objects to be accomplished for the benefit ot health economy and utility I u tint my purpose nor Is I It my province to dlscu even In n general way the various reform hlch are presently constantly to our eyes II Is the task of expressing a lilting welcome wel-come to our Ultots to the capital city Major C A Collier of Atlanta la responded for the visitors present I ng the Importance of good municipal gov ernmnt with great force an eloquence Ills address was received with enthusiastic enthu-siastic aulause Major niuck was mnde chairman of the convention mil ndltor Gordon of conventon the city government secretarj SUlLCr LIGHTING IT 1IOVV TO DO Major MacVIcur of Des Moines read n paper entitled Street lighting lly cotlCt Il municipal control or munlcl I ownership which He Mid when ho undertook I to Investigate In-vestigate the question municipal ownership he uliuut on well Informed upu the sUljet as IS the formers good wife who asked her husband I bring home some electric Plants t tlnl that they might by raising their own lights save kerosene The local con parties mad a vigorous c1mpalt to dereal the Iropollon uthorlzlng municipal olcrhl In Des Moine Money and political Influence wait free Iy ed hit the ole wa faoralle I by = three to one The plant Is not yt built ox Ing to suits threatened threat-ened by prominent tasplyels under the dlcton And Idlce of the alorne of tho local companies Whie we no geaUy coneetie tile justice of municipal ownership of jutce waleTork and are about ready to ondor municipal street lighting we hesitate I ut going further and declaring declar-ing for city ownership of such natural monopolies as gas and street rallwajs monolles me are rapidlY coming to bele In tho soundness of this principle prin-ciple Our nc spaiiers unit perlodl clan are teeming fill Intelligent In fornintion on tile subject of municipal ownership No sentiment should he 11 10od to sllld In the way of utilizing these monopolies for the benefit uf the holo people Although It be at the expense ex-pense of private gain The Irh ate lighting companies In t bell efforts to retain profitable con thlr erorls tiacts systematical endeavors to demonstrate that they are furnishing light ns cheaply as I Is I possible to furnish It They ridicule the estimates of competent engineers and criticize the showing ot municipal companies They argue the Impossibility of the city economically or honestly opernt Ing a plant because of the element of polllica that enters Into Its management manage-ment and tho manufacturers of apparatus appar-atus will frequently subhtantlalc their statements These statements are plausible to the verge of being con facing mail cause one to hesitate upon up-on Investigating a municipal plant Hut a careful inquiry Into the conditions condi-tions environing these Institutions shows watered stock unproductive Investments In-vestments and Inenlclency of apparatus appara-tus which will fully explain the high cost of production Compare such a plant with the results obtained from Improved apparatus Judicious selecting select-ing of machinery which will Insure high economy of operation that a properly designed plant with modern appliances can produce and u very difficult result will be had |