The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-12-08
! Trsds BOARD r,.etlns.

81 tffoo n0eso fleetmSy
q The 70 called New ..Rosseil CITY Cha
M, which has met d. feat several time
\ y the hands Of alleged lobbyists, tricks
\ tsrs and politicians, refuses to remail
Y beaten and in obscurity.
New lie was given to the unluck
4 charter n the meeting OF the Board {
y Trade last evening when the report Q
the committee that attended the Nations
Municipal League Meeting at Columbus
Y recently, reported.
New interest was awakened in the pro
posed new city charter and many mem
bers spoke enthusiastically of the grea
beneficial featuIes contained in the new
bill.
A The report made by the committee wa!
submitted by Mr.. Rossel and was a!
follows:
To THE Board OF TRADE OF WILMINGTON,
DELAwARE:--
Under your appointment we attended
Fall the sessions of the conference for
good city government held by the Ma
tional Municipal League at Columbus,
Ohio, on the 10Th, 18th and 18th Of this
month, lNovember).
1t was a very interesting and inspiring
occasion, exciting and increasing our in.
,terest in the cause of good municipal
government, especially as relative to
Wilmington. We regretted very much
4 that others OF our citizens were not pres
ent.
4! A committee of the league had for two
years been working in the preparation OF
form OF municipal charter,-the pro-
N visions Of which should be such as will
tend to the efficient management of city
affairs. IL was evident that the commit
tee had given very great deal of con-
sideration and labor to the work. Their
draft was accepted as representing in a
large degree the opinions OF those pres.
emit, and, as being, in form, tentative
charter, which any community desiring
municipal reform may accept as a basis
OF local governmental structure, and one
capable Of being nodded to suit purely
local conditions.
The State of Ohio has commission at
work respecting revision Of the mu-
niciral code OF that State SO as to place
the cities and villages under uniform
system OF government. This commission
lie nearly ready to report. We heard a
very interesting paper respecting their
proposals, which had been prepared and
was read by one Of the members of the
= commission.
We had with us number OF copies Of
the proposed charter for Wilmington,
and left them with members OF the con-
ference. Its provisions were explained SO g
far as appeared feasible, in the limited
4 Ia 60, 10
the proceedings of the conference, and
sucA Of the members as we we're able to
confer with seemed much pleased with
the general tenor OF the instrument
We may say that in spirit and trend
the draft OF the committee OF the league
and that OF the Ohio Municipal Commits
sion coincide in large degree with our
proposed charter.
We brought with us and submit here
with a few copies Of the league commit
tees draft of city charter, which has
been explained in general way through
she newspapers. We also submit copy
OF the report of the Ohio commission
which we received.
We heartily commend the good work
and purposes of the league, and hope
that the city Of Wilmington may con.
time to be represented at its annual ses-
sions.
JOIN S. RESELL,
MERRIs TAYLOR,
WI. p. BANCROFT,
Committee
Wilmington, Del, November %, 1899.
The report was accepted on motion OF
William d. Mullen and q vote of thanks
was rendered to the committee
Alter the adoption OF the committees
report general discussion OF the charter
bill prevailed.
Mr.. Rossell briefly explained the
league committees draft OF city charter
and it in many ways conformed to the
proposed new charter for the city of Will
naington.
Mr. Rossell further said that the Ma
= t,3nal municipal charter was the result
OF two years hard study by men who
were only interested in the matter so far
as good citizenship is concerned.
Patrick Neary, who was present at the
meeting last evening, expressed himself
that the proposed new charter Tor this
>ity was lar superior to the national ideal
charter.
MY ldea,' continued Mr. Neary, us
10 start in and get the people interested.
Il would take some time, but we have a
year before us. The proposed charter
could be amended and conformed almost
to this ideal charter. You have got to
.lsye the people ahead OF it. Unless you
10 it would not amount to any more than
the one we have now"
William Mullen, Jr.. suggested that a
large committee from the Board Of Trade
ne appointed to keep the matter thor
puguly alive and bring it before our next
legislature.
Tie time has come" said Mr.. Mullen
'when the greater portion OF the people
want some change in the government"
A. ;. Reed expressed himself rs being
In favor Of the new charter, and said that
he would not like to give it up. 81 be-
ileye in getting the best we can, and
anything is better than what We have
BOT said he in conclusion.
VIM. Bancroft spoke as follows: u
have no disposition to speak lightly OF
lie members OF our City Council,
sejther OF those now in Office nor OF
those who have preceded them within
he last few years. ] believe they are