The bills for sewage disposal and sanitary districts, common outlet, were passed; as also a bill providing how cities with water departments must supply adjoining cities or villages.

House Bill 465 to permit street railways to surrender their franchises and compel city councils to issue to them an indeterminate permit, and House Bill 466, to put municipal utilities under the public utilities commission, compelling a municipality to prove necessity and convenience before such municipality could engage in commercial utility business, were presented.

Your committee on March 31, 1917, mailed a letter of protest to each mayor and village president in the state. These bills never got past the house committee.

The senate passed a bill creating the Municipal Reference Bureau at the University of Illinois, to be financed through the university budget. The house killed the bill.

The part of the resolution that would do the most universal good and relieve more troubles of all the cities and villages in the state, was that to change the tax rate from twelve mills to twenty mills. As the resolution of the league authorized and directed its committee on legislation to use all honorable means to secure an advance in the limit now placed by law upon taxes for general corporate purposes, Attorney A. D. Stevens and Commissioner W. J. Spaulding of Springfield and H. J. Rodgers of Jacksonville, being in and near Springfield, were appointed a special committee to prepare proper bills to present to the legislature which would make possible the desired increase in revenue. Mr. J. A. Fairlie, your secretary, prepared Senate Bill 192, which provided for the increase from twelve mills to twenty mills per $100 equalized valuation; and Senate Bill 193, a companion bill, which amended the Jual Law, which places limits on the total rate. These were introduced in the senate by Senator Barr of Joliet, and were referred to the judiciary committee, of which Senator Barr is chairman. The bills as presented extended the increase to all the cities of the state. They were amended in the judiciary committee to apply only to cities of 150,000 and under. The senate committee amended Bill 193, granting an increase to

the schools of Chicago of five cents, to take over the forty-eight or more play grounds of the city which were being maintained at the expense of the municipality at a cost of $500,000 per annum. This change gave Chicago $500,000 or more revenue. Eight cents was added for libraries in Chicago. The bill was passed by the senate and sent over to the house.

In the house, it was referred to the municipalities committee, Mr. Dahlberg, chairman. Opposition to these bills had been previously expressed by Representative Gorman of Peoria, who took the position that there must be a referendum clause attached. After a long debate, the bills were reported out, that they do pass as amended, etc.

After a long wait in the committee, the bills were put to first reading; and were not up for second reading until June 16, 1917, the last week of the legislature, at which time your committee wired twenty mayors of the larger cities of the state to be on hand to encourage the representatives. Eighteen arrived and were active in their support. Speaker Shanahan was against the bills. The result was that he would not let the bills come up as agreed, until Saturday at one a. m., of the Friday session, when they passed second reading. On Sunday morning at one thirty a. m., of the Saturday session, they finally passed third reading, after an extended debate and adding a referendum clause and an amendment to Bill 193 increasing the scaling limit for county taxes from fifty-five cents to seventy-five cents. The bills went to the senate for concurrence, which was completed at five thirty a. m. Sunday, just before final adjournment.

Your committee on legislation gave a banquet at the Leland Hotel in Springfield some time in February, soon after the General Assembly had been organized and the various committees appointed. To this banquet were invited about seventy-five guests who were chairmen of various committees, Speaker Shanahan, Lieut. Gov. Oglesby and others. Various subjects in the interests of cities were discussed.

Your committee employed Mr. Froman Smith of Springfield, as an active agent, to attend all sessions of the legislature and keep

us posted as to bills that were presented for and against interests. of cities, etc. He was a faithful and valuable assistant to the "last trench."

In order to obtain the necessary funds, about $1,000, to carry on this work, your committee mailed a letter with synopsis of Bills 192 and 193, to each city and village, and a bill for their dues as allotted to them by the Illinois Municipal League. The need for more revenue was so universal that response was quick by remittance. Some towns did not have any funds or money to pay with, but expressed their hearty approval and desire that the bills be passed. Numerous letters and copies of the bills were mailed to each city, so that friend or foe to the measure had notice of what was being done. Some few mayors would not consider anything except just how it would affect them and their city, losing sight of the broader vision that other cities needed the relief if they did not, also that they would not be compelled to levy a twenty mill tax unless they so desired, any more than they have to levy the twelve mills as now customary.

All legislation should be considered as to the benefits to the largest number and not as to a selfish or personal interest. For instance, the finance committee of the Chicago city council. would not give any assistance last winter. They said they were not interested, but other city officials of Chicago were interested and did do good service for the down state cities. Yet your committee encouraged and assisted in having our Bill 193 amended to add the five cents for schools and the eight cents for libraries of Chicago, believing that they were entitled to relief, whether we received our relief or not.

While the referendum clause on Senate Bill 192 practically destroyed the usefulness of the bill, yet it was a distinct victory to get it and Bill 193 enacted.

While the Chicago finance committee were not interested then, they are now. Recently the Chicago city council passed a resolution requesting that Governor Frank O. Lowden call a special session of the legislature to relieve their financial distress, because they lost $600,000 income by 600 saloons quitting business. I agree

with them that they should have immediate relief. But there is nothing in this state but that we should not enjoy in common. It has been reported that the Chicago finance committee and other civic bodies of the city were to call on Governor Frank O. Lowden on Friday, November 30, and request that he call a special session. In the interest of the down state towns, as well as Chicago, I took it upon myself to send the following telegram to every county seat mayor outside of Cook County:

Jacksonville, Ill., Nov. 28, 1917.

"Have mayors your county and yourself wire governor to call special legislature immediately same as Chicago has done, to enable increase revenue by taxes. Chicago delegation will call on governor Friday. Down state needs relief by removing referendum clause Senate Bills 192 and 3. Wire now.

H. J. Rodgers, Mayor."

So that when a special session is called, we will all be of one accord and get proper relief.

Taxes general and special are all taxes, a distinction without a difference. They should all be in the general fund, so the tax money could be used to the best advantage of the individual city. and community. This is not a wet and dry proposition. Saloon licenses are a tax just the same. Do you realize that cities are not receiving any more dollars in taxes and licenses now than they did three years ago; in fact, not so much; while on the other hand, we are compelled to pay two, three and four dollars more for the things we have to buy. Money is the cheapest thing there is today; it will buy less. So unless we get more dollars as cities we will all be bankrupt. It therefore behooves each city and its officials to get behind this movement and get the special session at once, if possible.

ILLINOIS MUNICIPAL LEAGUE1

ARTICLE I-NAME AND PURPOSE

Section 1. This organization shall be known as the Illinois Municipal League.

Section 2. The purposes of the League are the improvement of municipal conditions in Illinois, and to that end to hold an annual convention for the discussion of municipal problems; and to promote the establishment of a municipal reference bureau.

ARTICLE II-MEMBERSHIP AND FEES

Section 1. Membership in the League is open to any incorporated city or village in Illinois; to the mayors, aldermen, commissioners and other city and village officials; to chambers of commerce, boards of trade and civic clubs; and to other interested citizens, on application and payment of the membership fee.

Section 2. The Annual membership fee shall be as follows: For cities and villages of less than 2500 population...$5.00 For cities and villages between 2500 and 5000 population...... 10.00 For cities and villages between 5000 and 10,000 population.. 15.00 For cities and villages between 10,000 and 20,000 population 20.00 For cities and villages between 20,000 and 50,000 population 30.00 For cities and villages between 50,000 and 100,000 population 40.00 For cities and villages of more than 100,000 population...... 50.00

The annual membership fee for chambers of commerce, boards of trade, civic clubs and other organizations shall be the same as for the city or village in which they are located.

$3.00.

The annual membership fee for individual persons shall be

ARTICLE III-MEETINGS

Section I. An Annual Convention and other meetings of the League shall be held at such times and places as may be determined by the annual convention or by the executive committee. Section 2. Each city, village and organization holding mem1As amended December 7, 1917.