The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1893-03-15
WEDNESDAY. MARCH 10, 1903.


Under the present plan. the Street
and Sewer Commission and the Police
Commission still have some hold upon
the voters Of Wilmington. For the
Street and Sewer Commission the
Mayor Of the city has been designated
by law to appoint the Commissioners.
As the Mayor Is elected by the people
this is not very distant remove from
popular government. The political
aspect OF the Commission depends en-
tirely upon the politics of the Mayor.
But at no time Ia he permitted to APP
pont all three OF the Commissioners
from the same political party. The
fact that the city has now Republic
can Mayor accounts for the cause of
the Commission being composed of
two Republicans and one Democrat.
Had Democratic Mayor been elected
the reverse would have been tho case,
and the commission would have been
composed Of two Democrats and one
Republican.
Should the Democrats elect the next
mayor the commission Will again
swing back under Democratic control.
This does not suit our Democratic
friends, who are now making an effort
to entirely change the mode of ap-
pointing street and sewer commits
sion. They propose in the first place
to make 1t consist OF five members,
three OF whom are to be Democrats
and two Republicans. This, Of course,
Is to overcome the present Republican
majority in the Board. Not only this,
but In order TO Insure that the Board
shall be Democratic for years, at least,
: to come, they propose to invest Gov.
Reynolds with the power to appoint
oil members OF the Board hereafter.
This removes every vestige, ell sem
blance of popular government from
the people of Wilmington and gives II
to one man with his Office at Dover,
and who Ia in no way controlled BY
the popular will of Wilmington. Are
the voters Of Wilmington in favor OF {
radical change like THE?
In regard to the Police commission
1t comes If anything little nearer tc
the popular sentiment OF Wilmington
The Mayor Is himself one Of the Boart
Of Commissioners, and the appoint
Inent Of the other two is entrusted t.
three persons, the President of tn
City Council, the President of tn
Street and Sewer Commissioners ant
the President OF the Board OF Wate
commissioners. The Mayor Is elccte,
directly by the people and the person
who appoint the other two are appoin
ted by the Mayor. This brings til
Police Commission practically quit
naar to the popular will. But on
Democratic friends propose sto entire
iy change this mode OF selecting
Commissioners. They propose 4
entirely abolish the old board, no
permitting the Mayor at eny time 0
under any circumstances to be mem
Der Of ii. They propose to constitut
II of three PERSONS. two OF whom are o
to be Democrats and one
Republican.
This ia the common idea of Demo
7 cratic non. partisanship. They furthe
propose that instead OF the people c
Wilmington having any say in the al
potntment of Police Commissioner
TO put the whole corcern into th
hands OF one man, and lie, the Go
ernor of Delaware, with his office {
Dover. Whit do the free voters {
Wilmington think Of this chang
What do they think of the insult cai
upon them, that they are not comp
---4ent to select their own Board OF 7
lice Com missioners. Though til
plan is to Insure a Democratic Boal
for the future, do the well.thiukin
Democrats OF the cityapprove Of SUI
q high handed measure?
What fairer plan can be proposed f
the selection OF Police Commlssic
than that embodied in bill by Il
City Council and sent to Dover. III
plan continues the Mayor whether
be a Democrat or Republican, as
member OF the Commission, and fl
ther proposes that the people shi
elect the other two, tho same as ty
! County Commissioners are elect
Wilmington, one north Of Six
IT and the other south Of it. IL
- would be entirely non.partisa
and would be In accordance with t
popular will Of the people.