The daily gazette., 1883-04-03
CHANGED THEIR MINDS.
REPUBLICANS WHO DON'T
WANT THE CHARTER.
MR. BATES ON WALES MODELS. /"
The House Considering WilmingtOn's
New Charpar-A Few Facts About the
Republican End Of COunoiI's Committee.
tspeclal cerrespona.noe o. .he ea.e.ts. ]

1
DOVER, April 3.-The Republican Council
has monkeyed with the huzz saw. II was
in motion during the monkeying process
and they drew back from the revolving dis.
/ too late to escape damage. When the Leg
islative Committee first came here it brought
big bundle Of printed paper, containing
among other things, provision that Coun-
ell should district the city for elective pur-
poses, and good bit of what purported to
/ be out of the beaten TRACK and in the way
| OF advancement, but which was as old
boyish as the provision for Mayors
/ Court which was so worthless in the old
| Aldermanic days of 30 years ago that IT,
died OF pure uselessness. Council appointed
/ the Law Committee TO attend to the Legisla-
tive business, and probably expected II to do
that at least as well as Council attended TO
the business of the city, which wasn't much
to exact from 1t. That easy task the com
mittee has not done and about all 1t has
done has been to sit around and smoke
when It, was here (Which II wasn't when
needed, and about all 1t accomplished was
to keep Municipal Corporations committee
In a sweat with kilograms as to when they
were wanted. When they 0ere wanted their
presence could not be secured.
Well, the charter has been In the hands
| of the House Committee for some time and
| Speaker Bates has been working with them.
The task of getting the charter into condi-
tion which will be a benefit to the city, and
tend TO improve its government and take
politics out of some of the departments, has
not been an easy one. The act as sent here
contemplated nothing Of the kind. The
committee, acting with Mr.. Bates, has
amended It 50 that 1t will be real benefit to
the city. The amendments, providing for
municipal court, for a water commission,
for strictly executive functions to be vested
In the Mayor, for the more stringent govern
ment of the police force and for other
minor though at the same time important
details, have already been summarized In
the GAZETTE; so that they need not be
printed here to give people an
understanding of how the thing had
been fixed up. No sooner had
1t been given out that these things were
likely to be done than the Republicans of
Wilmington began to look around and see
what they could do--just as they did with
the representation question; with the same
object and the same result The Republi-
cans, particularly OF the Third ward, called
meeting. 1t was held at the beer saloon Of
Jacob Messing, a German Republican.
Among others invited were President Con-
rad, and members Of the Legislative Com
mittee. Mr.. Conrad was on hand and so
were the certain members Of the Legislative
Committee. At that meeting 1t was ad-
mitted that as 1t would probably be
amended, the charter would be a
bad thing, and that some steps should be
taken to at least prevent the undesirable
amendments from being made. II was also
admitted that an effort should be made to
change the polling place of the Third ward
from Front and Madison to Fourth and
Monroe, which would be q very desirable
change for the Republicans. What to do
was the question. The meeting quickly
settled 1t. In the first place send the Repub-
| rt NFt tha 4 -
Dover and tell the Legislature not to pass
/ the charter at all. In the second place EN-
brace the "sacred right of petition" and
! ask the Legislature to change the
Third ward polls. Somehow the matter got
mixed up, and the petition, headed by the
, name of George w. Vernon of the Third and
; King streets Apology, got here ahead of the
protesting committee of Council. Then
came the Legislative Committee. II came
last Wednesday night There was only two
a of It--Mr. Beecher and Mr.. Bailey. They
= | went before the comhittee on municipal
1 corporations and said Council had come tc
the conclusion that Il didn't want any
Ia charter passed, and would try to get along
!. under the old one. They also represented
i that If charter was passed they only
n wanted the original bill, unchanged. It hat
r. since become known that these two gentle
q | men slipped off to Dover unknown to tht
, = Democratic members of thu committee Il
- is needless to say that their tardy change o.
" mind as to the needs Of NV city charter
Il will have little effect.
CONSIDERING THE CHARTER.
10 The House reached the Wilmington char
ne ter In the calendar lac yesterday afternoon
ir and held night sessiln 10 consider it. The
70 House went into combittee of the whole al
OF night sessl N, with fr Comegys In the
@ chair, and the charfr was at once taker
IS up. Mr.. Bates proceeded to make few
ID preliminary and explpatory remarks, Tht
u charter, Mr.. Bates Aid, had been somt
ne time under the consideration of the com
sr- mittee on Municipal Corporations A grea
es deal OF criticism had leen INDUCED in from
various quarters as the length of time
Dy the committee has taen In considering tn.
In bill, and he should ~ that the criticism
on generally has come firm people who hay.
~ very little conceptionsf the labor involved
'as In the matter whichhas consisted In greai
part of looking up eonhicting portions O
to existing law. Owig to the fact that HI
dit represented the cityof Wilmington he had
ant been called upon byhe committee TO assis
it and he had gen The subject tht
lay best consideration OF which he wal
Inu capable. BE wistd 10 say that HI
. is was. ready to sssum all responsibility fol
any and all amendrents which have beer
be propOsed-In Iset 81 had Heen submitted t.
ed, the committee and lad ben passed upon
ers, and many he hal himsel originated. Tn,
pre- sole object he hadhad in tew was to seek
IDS. as far as possib, to i4roduce into th,
charter somethinwhich you'd vastly i'm
prove the governpnt ofthe City of vii
mington, and Il inte tion of all tht
ade amendments is { advafe the cause O
good governmental emdhcipate the city
,on- government as farRs possible from party
will politics To do til, of course, is next t
res. impossible, but thamend4ents have beer
the submitted in goodaith, an with the ides
con- of aiding in he god government
rom of the city as far can beione. He would
undertake, he sal to eYlain the amend
Arst ments as they cae upseridti1s, and say
sso why they should ad9ted, So far as ht
had consulted thenost tpable and intiuen.
t,,t tial people of u city he believed thai
the amendments the tharter improved II
greatly, and that woyd benefit the muni.
and cipal governmental much to rid Will
mast mington of the ey whch now exist. The
~ of COMMITTEES had do I'd best 1t could in re.
% gard to the chart an i any one was Of
tbe opinion it col \ done in shorter
rect, time he would be ad know.
last The reading tthq cnarter was theI
nder started. Sections I'd 8 were adopted
Rem Section 4,providilthala member OF Coun
were ell shall merely bI frdheloer IN the city
was amended onlotip OF Mr. Bates Il
psny read, after the pfisiP requiring that
niger, Councilman shalR ajesloenI OF tne citl
lcera. | for two wears befe hlelectlon ana rosi