Show MUNICIPAL LEAGUE PAPERS READ ON CITY GOVERN i MENT columbus ohio nov 17 the executive committee of the national municipal league selected milwaukee as the next place of meeting the meeting opened with addresses mr wilcox said in part there are three fundamental evils in the government of our cities the first is economic and consists in the waste of public funds the second is political in the true sense and consists in the inadequacy of municipal service the third is moral and con the corrupt use of civic authority tor the furtherance of individual ends the chief importance of this third evil lies in the tact that it throws politics into disrepute and degrades civic ideals thus rendering co opera tion for the attainment of truly political ends well nigh impossible the causes of wastefulness in public expenditures are ignorance partisanship state interference municipal irresponsibility and of organization the causes of inadequacy of municipal service are individualism inadequacy of power and undemocratic organization the causes of corruption are greed lack 0 civic integrity and private control of public privileges to remove these causes of evil the committee on municipal program proposes a constitutional amendment and a general municipal mun cipal corporations act mr wilcox ithen proceeded to apply the different features ot the program to the needs of the situation edward kibler the bill prepared by the municipal code committee of ohio appointed by the governor under the act of the legit latiere lati ire requiring the revision of the code has been completed and will be presented to the next general assembly for adoption in the preparation of the bill the committee lias endeavored to observe four cardinal ideas the abolition of all city classification the government of cities by council the prohibition of all special legislation and local self govern ment under a liberal grant of howera clelea to have a population of three thousand or over villages under three town inhabitants 2 the separation of the legislative and administrative functions of municipal offices all legislative power 10 I 1 be lodged with the council and all ad duties imposed upon the department the council in cities to consist of seven members three of whom are elected af large all city councilmen to receive an annual salary and bo required to give bond for the faithful discharge of their duties under which shall be liable tor the illegal expenditure of all money against tho advice of the director of law the federal plan haa been adopted by the commission giving the mayor supreme control and authority in the executive department which shall consist of the mayor awl four directors appointed by the mayor without the confirmation ot abo council the officers elected by the people are the mayor meni etera and president of the council and members of the board of education 3 A merit of civil service system governing the appointment tenure and promotion of all officers and employed emp loyes of tho city except officers elected by the people and the heads of the de apartments part ments 4 the nomination ot all elective candidates by petition signed by electors clinton rogers ir woodruff part jacb year I 1 fand the preparation of this annual review of municipal happenings an increasingly difficult task not because ot any lack of material but because of ita increasing abundance it I 1 were to mention each municipal achievement of the past year I 1 should unduly extend the limits of my review there has been no moro substantial indication of the growing public interest in municipal problems than tha discussion during the past year of the question of municipal ownership control and operation of municipal franchises at the detroit meeting of the league of american municipalities the sentiment of tho officials of the cities there represented was unqualifiedly in favor of the municipal ownership control and operation of the principal municipal franchises since that time the whole question has been discussed with a degree of care and thoroughness that indicates beyond question that the people are thinking on the subject and thinking with a view to determining once and tor all the fundamental policy in vol ovod the objects of the organizations of city officials in the united states are highly communed by secretary woodruff who says when our city officials come together tor consultation and conference concerning the interests committed to their care then indeed we have an evidence of arousing interest in municipal affairs which Is most promising imagine a meeting of city officials 10 or 15 years ago to discuss city affairs and yet we havo not only a league of american but there are at least ten state leagues of municipalities all manifesting a marked degree of activity in ohio indiana illinois michigan wisconsin kansas california connecticut florida and pennsylvania we find the city officials meeting in annual session to debate municipal topics and to exchange ideas as to municipal administration the evidence of municipal progress however Is not confined to officials in office and their activity the citizens of the various cities throughout the country have not been wanting in intelligence and comprehensive effort to promote municipal reform |