MUNICIPAL LEAGUE CONVENTION.
THE third annual convention of The League of American Municipalities adjourned on Friday. The delegates,who were few,as will be seen by the list below,had a very pleasant time and some of them were given every opportunity to air their eloquence. What use this association is to the public will never be explained, for the reason that its members are only temporary office-holders and any desire they may have to introduce reforms into their municipalities is likely to be frustrated before its accomplishment. There are engineering associations which cover all the field of public works both practical and scientific,besides tire, water works, electric—in fact all permanent officials have their special organizations where business pertaining to the fields 'hey represent is transacted. Any innovation, encroaching upon the duties of these professional men by laymen is not only useless, but ludicrous. At the concluding session of the convention Professor Edward W. Bemis of the bureau of economic research, of New York, concluding his address on municipal ownership, said:
The two great arguments against public ownership are the dangers of the spoils system and of improgressiveness. The need of an improved civil service will only be popularly realized with the increase of public functions in city ownership und operation.
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