The Wilmington daily Republican., 1900-04-06
THE BOARD
OF TRADE.
New Officers Elected and
Reports Submitted by
the Retiring Ones.

/: Tho annual meeting Of the Board O
Trade was held last evening with J. New
lii Gawthrop In the chair. The follow
ing officers were elected;
President, William Lawtop; first vice
president, j. Nowliu Gawihrop: SECOND
vice-president, Andrew l.. johnson treas
nrer, John II. Hudson; auditor John S
Rossell, and secretary, Daniel W. Taylor
all of whom are old offiaor with the ex-
ception of A. L. johnson. Tho reslgnat-
ion Of!Morris p. Satterthwaite aud also
Harper Conner were read by Harry Hough
chairman OF the msmbersip committee
and excepted secretary Taylor read his
| annual report.
After alluding to what has been accom-.
| plished tho past year and the necessity OF
| preparing to deal with the new theories
and projects that may arise, the Secretary
| says: desire to call your attention to one
subject worthy of Our earnest consideta-
tion: We have often considered land
now have special committee uponl NUM-
cipal Reform. The country az large Is
very seriously considering it az applied to
existing conditions 1t Is we'll for Us to
clearly lnders and that Municipal Reform
means Civil Service Reform and the abol-
ltion OF the personal and party system
from our mu1cipal administration. In
asmuch as we propose to advance rather
ours, 1t needs no argument to show that
we ought to avail ourselves OF the best pos
slb'e methods In the organization and
management Of our city's best interests.
We hayo done some things very well, in.
deed, in the city, tor the reason that en-
erSy and efficiency were at the head of the
departments. For tho management of
our. city,s besel interest We should have
tie bonent OF tho best efforts Of the best
trained men. But lhs average citizen is
prone to en- dorso things us they are, rath-
er than make change,
There should be no such thing as par
tlsnn municipal management Of public
works, and, as we advance, this system of
partnership, IN appointments in nun olpal
government becomes more and more in
tolerable. We need more Colonel War
lngs In our city administration. Orga.
nizo u municipal administration on strict
business principles. Think of Philadel-
pha acknowledging that she was incom-
potent to manage tho lighting supply Of
That city for no other reason than that the
party spirit sys EN- rather than the merit
system dominated the powers that be. 1t
seems rational that IL all good citizen Ire
respective of party and whatever their
Notwithstanding mu nicipnl Ownerthip or
that OF extending the munbipal function.
ought to be able to unite upon an admin
lstratiOn upon business principles; wo
must either progress or retrograde, tnore
is no middle ground. There oan can be |
no moro practical issue raised, So long
us existing political parties decline to ac-
cept this principle of nonpariisanship in
making appointments. There is field
left for independent action IN city elcc.
tion.
Tho uIderlaying portions of modern
civilization are crowding our titles with
large population and we must meet this
issue, if our city government was without
political patronage. municipal govern-
ment would be no longor a trying prob
lem,
Service Is as true function Of govern
ment as restraint
When the people are awakened to this
tact political parties will have to recog-
nize their intelligent demand for nomina-
tlons OF the best ma erial on city tickets
and for practical business-like administra-
tion OF municipal affairs.
We have sndeRvorcd to consider and
pass upon all matters Of intorost coming
before the board, a fcw of which will make
special mention.