Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1889-03-18
UNPOPULAR BILLS.
THE PEOPLE WANT MORE
POWER IN GOVERNMENT.
The Citizens Association Bill and the
City Council Bill Changing the
Election of Ofieiais Both
Unpopular.

AfOhh tho OpuhNi VII nuu WIG SitlICub
Association bill providing for remode,,
ing Of the City Council, and r.y,,afino
the election Of city Offices arc unpopular
vita the general Iass OF citizens. Both
bills aim at the Same thing but there is a
great difference between them. Both
take power away from the people and
concentrate II In the commissions, but
the Council bill is more unpopular than
the Citizens Association bill. They both
reduce tho number OF members Of the
City Council TO one TO each ward and q
President, and both provide that the City
Solicitor shall be elected by the people,
hut here the similarity between them
ends.
The City Council bill legislates Mayor
Harrington and his police force out OF
power at the close OF his term July let,
| 1897, aud farther extends the terms OF all
other city officers until that time without
an election the present year. By this bill
the twelve City Couneilmen, whose terms
| expire in little more than two mouths
| from now, will be continued two whole
years In Office without having TO run the
gauntlet OF an election ard the twelve
who're terms expire June LIST, 1890, will
continue In oiiiea one year longer without
an election. As the relative strength Of
the parties In Council is II Democrats to
s Republicans, this becomts an interest
ing little "higger in the wood pile, for
Republicans 10 look at now that they
have q full assessment and have chance
of electing q majorhy OF Council and
othe- city officers wh - 'erms expire be-
fore 1891.
The Citizpns' Asso"'atlJu bill, after pro-
pidinR for pruning der tle City Council
to one mamber fr IN e. ward and max
lug the CITY Solic .or elcr'iye, the came as
the Council bill, pr3Yidss for city cleo
tionB every two Seiis iistead OF every
three years, as thI Ci'r ouncil bill pro-
vides. II slips 1veI 'uc comiog June
without an election, but :ovides for one
the next June, 1870 At that tine the
Mayor weuld have ore year more to
serve, and to avoid cutting mis- term shoit t
It provides that his present term shall be
heightened to July 1892 This gives the
Mayor one year more then he was elected
for, and IL gives tie twelve members Of
the City Council, whose terms were TO
expire the coming June, one year more
than they we're elected for. After June
|, 1890, city cleo ions are 10 be held every
two years, and no city officers term is 10
exceed two years. There are strong Oh
| lections to both bills Men Of all parties
agree that iJ concentrates more power ia
few rulers and takes away rights and
| powers from the people. The following
is a strong argument against either bill
| Suppose OF the twelve mem beTs OF Council
six should be Republicans ald six O
| them Democrats, the pres dent being
| either one or the other.
| THIN which svSr stdv hHe the sever
memLers would caucus and TIE major y
| 81 tLls saueus would be four. The othel
| thee would be bound by the decision o
the iour. The three dissenting member
may be In accord with the minority o
six, but could rot act with them on &C
count OF the CAUCUS anu .a9- .s99 Tour MOI
would rule the legislation Of the cit,
though there might 10 reality be min,
! opposed TO them, This would actually
make commission opt of the City Conn
eli more tyrantlcal than any OF the com
niasors that have already bsen set mp.
What do the people gaiu by III some
where about $4,000 every two years fol
being disiTanchi.cd out of voice In thu
city government one year out of two, un
der The Citizens Association bill, oi
k12, 900 In three years for being disfran
ch lsed two years out OF tn ee under the
City Council bill; and they would gaiI
the election of City Solicitor. Fol
these small advantages they are asked tc
stand of and let these commits Ions aud
four members OF the City Council run the
city. The people are opposed TO either
bill and fortunately mel her of them
stands much chance OF becoming law
In their present shape,
A bill TO abolish all comm ssions, and
establish Two branches Of City Council
Select aud G mmCn, with one member
from each ward 10 the Select and two
from each ward In the Common branch
would be more popular and would app al
more like popular government by the
people. The people want more say IN the
governmi ut OF the city and look with dis
favor upon any legislation which Will re.
move them from the city gov rnment.