Omaha Daily Bee Newspaper, April 24, 1910, Page 21

| P capling it ». HALF-TONE VOL. XXXIX-NO. 45 + EBRASKA cities are no lag- | gards in the march of pub~ | ic improvements. On the !\ contrary, they are well up n the race for civic beauty 1 municipal betterment A few years ago the man would have been regarded with suspicion who proposed to pave the streets of a Ne- braska city of the ordinary -class. Sewers were unknown, sidewalks were dflapidated, oil lamps were used to make a bluff at lighting the public thoroughfares; and to hold things level and avoid debt was the great desideratum that made city officials popular. Today this Is all changed. Many years of continuing prosperity, greatly increased land valu the influx of settlers to the country and of ambi- tions people to the towns—the all- round demand for the best of every- thing—has stirred to actlon a spirit that did but lie dormant during the lean years when inapired states- men were setting the country by the ears over the rainbow-like promises of panaceas that did not paa. Having come into their own in the practical advantages of life the people of Nebraska shortly became of one mind in the determ nation to make their muaicipalities more pleasant places in which live. The larger cities set the example, the next in size followed suit and today even the larger villages are bursting into the line of prog ress with a pride and a vim that is forcing the scales from the eves of the old fogies, very few in number, who may be, here and there seeking to curb advancement The desire for more satisfactory living has spread far into the country, until in the older counties it has become the usual thing for pretentious names to be given to fine farm homes; and their owners are making the surroundings justify the poetical, fanciful or old world appellations they have attached to their farmsteads. Today it is not the fashion for the rulers of Nebraska cities to preach a pinching economy, so much as a wise expenditure of all the money necessary to make their municipalities blossom forth in mod- ern panoply of up-to-date conveniences, trimmed with some of the luxuries. Better buildings, for one thing, needed more appropriate settings, whether they were ownd by the public or the citizens indi- vidually. To provide this appropriate setting involved improved streets. That town which became most attractive to farmers and transients went ahead in material things. Neighboring towns discov ered this patent fact without much delay, and they in turn sent to e front as municipal officials those men who proved themselves to @ capacity and a grasp of modern forward movements A mafjority of the Nebraska cities of t nicipally owned wa every instance the abi and faithfulness and with profit to same time satisfactory service is furnished the patrons. Some of these municipal plan quite pretentiou i so drawn that extens demand increases On January 26 last a good push ahead was given the movement for improved city conditions when the League of Nebraska Munici palities was organized at Lincoln, The init onvention was at- tended by nearly one hundred delegates from various cities and towns in the state. The deisgates represented not only the cities as such, but & good many commercial clubs sent delegates to learn what {s being dome by their neighbors. A permanent orgaaizatio e second ciass have mu- lighting plants. or both. In nearly aged w g works o ants are ma; city tre: s are instance the plans have been time to time, as the o was rmed and standing committees appointed to give attention to vari us features of city government, from accounting to street cleaning Among the matters to which the committees will give some study before the mext meeting are Legislation, C. J. Miles, Hastings, chairman Street paving, George L. Campen, Omaha, chairman Street lighting, James Nicholson, jr., Grand Island, chairman Sewerage and sauitation, Adna R. Dodson, Lincoln, chairman Water works, John Martz, Seward, chairman Tazation and assessment, W. L. Kirkpatrick, York, chairman Municipal franchises, A. G. Edlund, Axtell, chairman. Muaicipal aceounting, Henry Schuff, Grand Island, chairmaa. Parks and playgrounds, W. B. Hardy, Lincoin, chairmaa Public health, Dr. George P. Shidler, York, chairman. Membership, Robert P. Starr, Loup City, chairman Public safety, Mayor Dahiman, Omaha, chairman. v Judicial opinions, E. J. Clements, Ord, chairman. During the sessions of the first gathering of representatives of Nebraska municipaiities the discussions were lively and covered the whole range of civic government, from direct legislation to woman suffrage. It was learned through Frank G. Pierce secretary of the League of lowa Municipalities, that the Hawkeye organization is the largest of its kind in the country counfined to omne state, with Califoruia second. Mr Plerce pointed out the great benefits that have acerued to the towns of his state through the league, which last year had an income of §$1,200 from memberships. Individuals are not admitted as members, nor will they be taken as members in Nebraska. Ouly municipalities can join, and the fees range from $50 » year for Ujphha and $40 for Lincoln, down to 35 for the smaller places. The membership is $5 for all alike. The officers of the Nebraska league are: Presideat, Don Love, COL WELLINGTON BARTFORD ~TERAMAE. W2 EINDFRS — TECUMSEH Lineoin; vice president, C. J. Miles, Hastings; secretary treasurer, R. C. Ozman, Lin- coln; trustees, BEd Lemkuhl of Wahoo, John H. Morgan of Chadron, C. O. Lobeck of Omaha Laws to 1gt leag @ the 1 w be fed on 1 b nsion 14 municipalities in the privilege of m own charters, pla: tem of accounting a rers of that stal eague is bu an er mpetus to a pe f ad vancement already well un- der way in N raska Not a town of 2,500 people more but has been purting on @ better dress in p the eities of 5,000 or better have installed not onl water plants, but have also gone in for concrete walks and p Fences have been abolished on the main re pavements are not laid in the bu put down. Wide gutters are also p abolishing the sinkholes in w 5 36 fch fiith and flies uate while the farmers’ teams stood knee weather Fremont ia a typical city, favored with good ahead at all times. Mayor Fred Burrell is a eivi tendent of bridge: civic duties the same faithfulness and a business for the Northwest rn road Equipped with water works sewers, Fremont is now turning its a eation ctions maca ention t electric F.5TUCKER — FLORENCE 1c affairs, while electrie nce streets ced along the main s were wont ers and pu o detail ight to more paving, and shortly will present as fine a froat in this respect as an flar size in the country Grand Island put in 40,000 yards of new paving last year, Hastings is also i . to keep pace with the better buildings soing up every year. Not only the main streefs where the stores are located are being paved in cities like these. but every area is spreading out to comprise the principal residence 2 What is true of Fremont, Grand Island and HasUngs is also true will lay a great desl more the present season the paving bDusiness just now vear t eer, en Chosen at Lake Election to rveck QOI[IIHU_TII tIC«S C.E.SCHILLER - CENTRALCITY ¥V W L_DOWLING -TTADI™S York, Sewara rtolk, Be- atrice, Plattsmouth, Ne- braska City, Falls City Crete, Kearney, Alliance, Aurora, Columbus, Holdrege and other progressive towns, in greater or leager degree Where no paving is yet done s largely because the r systems have not yet ompleted. Some are nished e have heen starteda and others are planed for. Paving follows rer it be macadam or brick year sees the area provemen tended Brick is the pavement sc far tried in the cities of braska o f Omaha In some towns, lik nstance, native brick has beem pur down ?J mon _.suow with considerable satisfac tion where carefully laid But a8 a rule Purington block is the material used A gentleman from anoth state, who recently made a trip through western Nebraska, expressed his surprise at finding the towns so well improved. He mentioned D Scott’s Bluft Th jeularly the little eity of have out there,” he said, “as fine sidewalks and rosswalks of 'rete as one can find anywhere. In Alliance and Chadron and other towns we saw the same spirit of progress, but Seott's Bluff appealed to me because it 4s a town, and in what s 8o recent in construction e used to consider the desert country. No finer homes or more presentable streets will be found in any eastern or coast town in the country. And in the other places mentioned we saw stretches of residence streets that were a delight to the eye. It was amazing to a seeing your newer towns for the first time."” Harking back now to the League of Nebraska Municipalities and what expects to accomplish, City Comptroller Lobeck says there is really no limit to its fleld of usefuiness. “The fowa and California leagues have been on the order of college extension in the education of mupieipal officials,” said Mr. Lobeck Our officials rotate in office more than in any other country, and necessarily it follows that anything which makes all the citizensisip alert to the best, acquainted with most recent developments, {s a good thing for the city or town. By extending the league and making its influence co- extensive with the lines of the state, we hope to arcuse an interest that will result io better municipal government, from the standpoint tOM ALL THe NEWS THE OMAHA BEE BEST IN THE WEST SINGLE (OPY FIVE CENTS Durmg E}leYc-‘aP 4 economy and :lement af *betterment. Our municipal of- are, as a rule, fa ressnta~ »f the business force reir com- munities, and w e ence by the legislature cal affatrs will come th pportunity to make ail the towns of Nebraska as beautiful and as desi for residence as any in the eonn The start I been made everywhere and all we have to do now is to stir a epirit of emulation that will demand the best The men who were recently elected to be the executive officers of their respective towns in Nebraska are chosen ause of their energy and ability, and because thelr fellow towns. men expect them to make good. It is to be another year of growth in N braska; the people of the state are prosperous Freedom of the City of London HE honorable freedom of the city, which is to be conferred on ex-President Rooseveit shortly, is the highest gift that the city of London has in its power to bestow. It was re- cently bestowed on Miss Florence Nightingale, the ouly woman who has ever reecived it The wall of the ant the busts of those whom the city has honored in this way In conferring the hono treedoms the ancient forms are stil} preserved. Six citizens will vouch for Mr. Rooseveit's worthiness I8 the following terms — That Theodore Roosevelt is a man of good name and fame; that hes does not desire the freedom of the ecity whereby to defraud the king or this city of any of their rights, customs or advantages; bu# that he will pay his scot and bear his lot; and so they all say.” These six eitizens are called “the compurgators The city chamberlain addresses the distinguished visitor, enlarg- ng on the deeds that make him worthy of the honor that is being bestowed. Mr. Roosevelt will then reply The city chamberlain then offers him the rizht hand of fellow ship and presents him with a gold box, hemldically decorated, com- taining an illuminated copy of the cote of the Common Counecil, by which as resolved that he should be presented with the freedom. © In the case of a soldier a sword is sometimes given instead of a bex. The box usually costs a hundred guineas ish he would then have to sign the fol- om of the ¢ eil chamber is lined with f Mr. Rooseveit were Brit lowing declaration I do solemnly decide tha « and true to our sover- he mayor of this citys nchise istoms thereof and will keep r which in me is na. B also keep the ng's peace in my own person; that [ will know no conspiracies made against the king's peace 1 wil mayor thereof, or hin. der it my power; and that a a articles I will well and truly keep, acc ng to the la ms of this city, to my power. But not being a subje t the king x of course, not be asked to sign th ioes the eity t has several gift in sueh prize its ri mes been ases ol Garibaldi. the sseps. who made n each case, ument received n Council, not the chamber- sanal, ha as it ma: in such cases is e vote of the ( actual resolut onferrigg the freedom. And lain’s books it is not recorded that they did receive the freedom So that M ~.'¥n t will be only nomimally a freeman. No ree- ord of the a Yot the freedom will be found in the chamber- lain’s boolk: 3 There are sovera: other ways by which an Englishman may obtain the freedom. Yiu may get it patrimony, by servitude or by re- demptior %, You may be admitted as a freeman cause your fatzer Wt v freeman, o use you have served your term as ap- PrURLC# to & freeman, or you may buy it for eash down In each of these cases you pay a gu Feeman’s Orphan school nor have a Parliamentar: a fee, which goes to’ the If you are neither a ratepayer of the ecity, ote here, however, you pay £2 6s 8d Many posts in the city can only be held by freemen, especially those in the gift of the great guilds and livery companies. Foreign sovereigns do not get even the nominal freedom whes the city wishes to homor them. They address eive only a complimentary Queen Victoria on her accession only got a complimentary address, as she was only entitled to the freedom by patrimony King Bdward is similarly a freeman by patrimony, or because his father was a freeman. When Mr. Gladstone was prime minister it was found impossible to v treeman by redemption Between the freedom by pa mony, servit the homorary freedom there is, of course, a Weekly. te him the freedom, as he was already & 1de or redemption and wide gulf.—Pearson’'s