Held April 24, 25, 26, 27, 1906 CLINTON ROGERS WOODRUFF, EDITOR NATIONAL MUNICIPAL LEAGUE 1906 Dec. 14, 1931 HARVARD UNIVERSITY The Library of the Schools of Landscape Architecture and City Planning gift of B. Paczy prous Collection J.S. Pray 7083 PREFACE THIS volume of Proceedings, the largest thus far published by the League, is a fair reflex of its expanding activities. By an examination of its contents can be seen at a glance how varied are its interests, how practical its methods, how useful its conclusions. The papers on the now always timely question of municipal ownership and operation of public utilities are particularly valuable in that they are the utterances of men who have had actual experience in dealing with the questions they discuss, either as mayors or superintendents of the plants. The one academic paper is from the pen of a long-time student who has given personal attention to both American and foreign experiments. The papers on the subject of municipal accounting are equally practical and will be found to supplement the series on municipal utilities and those on municipal experiences. The electoral reform papers are especially pertinent at the present time in view of the very general discussion of electoral methods throughout the country. There is no important community in the United States where the questions of nominations, of the registration of voters, of the ballot, of election expenses, of the referendum and the initiative, in some one form or another, are not up for discussion and determination. These papers, based as they are on a wide experience and observation by trained men in thorough sympathy with the movement for municipal and political regeneration, are a storehouse of information and suggestion for municipal and political workers everywhere. The same may be said of the series detailing municipal experiences. These have always proved to be an interesting and valuable feature of previous volumes, and the present set is fully up to, if it does not exceed the high standard of its predecessors. The description of the instructive and striking |