The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-12-08

men Of much intelligence and public
spirit. But Think one Of our very great
needs is that Of a stronger and more in
fluential Council; one that will show
itself competent to accept and bear re-
sponsibility, and one whose members
shall be as free as possible from such
partisan ideas as allow allegiance to ma
tiOnal or Stale parties to control their
action respecting the affairs of the city.
would not care in choosing manager
for city affairs whether he were Demo.
crat ora Republican, nor 80 long as he
would not make our tax laws nor our
license laws, whether or not he believed
in single tax or in prohibition.
sour present system OF election does
not tend to this end. 1t sends to Coan-
Gil men of local inf1uence-not men of
general repute throughout the city. l
acknowledge that good and strong men
often become known first IN their own
neighborhood; but l think we carry this
usage Of local selection too far.
Our present system has this other great
defect, that in most wards it puts the
choice of the Councilman into the pri-
mary meetings either Of the Democratic
or Of the Republican partv-indepepdent
voters and voters of parties other than
that dominant in the ward having prac-
tically no part in the matter.
'The plan proposed by the committee
Of the National Municipal league that the
Council shall be elected on general
ticket, one-third each year, would, l
think, be likely to give in Wilmington
much stronger body. If the two large
parties should each nominate the full
number of councilmen it would not take
q very large number of independent
voters to elect those they might select as
best from both sides. But | believe the
system of nomination and baloting pro-
posed by the National Municipal League
would still more tend to strengthen our
council. They propose that nominations
sholl be by petition, and that the re-
qulred number of signatures to a nomi-
hating petition shall not exceed fifty.
81 understand Albert Shaw's book says
on Municipal Government in Great
Britain that all that is needed for
nomination to an English City Council
are the signatures to the petition OF a
proposer, seconder and eight other
voters of the district. 1t naturally occurs
to us that such system would lead to a
large number of nominations; but this
has not been found to be the case. On
the contrary, in the majority OF instances
there being but one Councilman to be
elected from ward each year there is |
no contest ut all, but one nomination
being made.
"The Municipal Leagues proposition |
OF method of balloting is that the names |
OF all candidates for the same city office |
shall be printed on the ballot in alpha
betical order, under the title of the office,
and without anything to indicate with |
which parties they are affiliated"
After the question had been discussed |
by a number OF other members of the
board, Mr.. Rossell again took the
matter up. He said that during last
Legislature he was told that there was to |
much money against the bill to have it
passed and too many people were remain |
ing at Dover throughout Legislature
working against it.
Mr.. Rossell said that person offered
to pass the bill during last Legislature for |
vi 900. "There was, | was informed
y. 900 of the city's money at Dover"
said Mr.. Rossell "to prevent the bill !
from being passed" William Mullen |
made motion that committee of five
be appointed to examine the charter and |
upon alterations ii any were needed. The |!
motion was adopted and the committee |
will be appointed in few days. W. w.
Dlmmock made the following resolutions,
which after being thoroughly discussed I
were adopted:
WHEREAS There is about to be intro.
duced in the Senate and House of Rep. |
OF the United States now as. !
sembled, bill to promote the commerce |
and increase the foreign trade of the
u ited States and provide auxiliary
cruisers, transports and seamen for the
Government when necessary; and
WHEREAS, The profitable employment
Of the surplus productive power of the
farms, factories, mines, forests and fish
cries of the United States imperatively
demands the increase of its foreign COM
merce; and
WHEREAS, The merchant vessels. of
licers, engineers, machinists, electricians
and seamen necessary to the increase OF
The commerce OF the United States are
also essential as auxiliary, to the forces
Of the United States in time OF war, and
otherwise, and to the better security of
the nation and the protection of its pos
sessions; and
WHEREAS, On the second of February
Of this year the Wilmington Board of
Trade passed an unanimous resolution
favorng the adoption OF similar bill;
and
WHEREAS, The honorable Senate and |
House OF Representatives of the State of |
Delaware then assembled unanimously |
passed resolutions in favor OF said bill.
REsolyhD, That the Wilmington Board
Of Trade tayors the adoption of the bill
now before the Senate and House of Rep
lesentatives and respectfully requests
That our Senator and Representative do
heir utmost to secure the passage of this
bill in the interest OF all the industries
in the city of Wilmington and State of |
Dc aware and that copy of these reso.
.ntions be forwarded to said Senator and
liepr esentative.
Go to II. FL. Moore III King street, for
good butter ana cheese canned goods OF |
"A Ii .lt