Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-09-13

The city charter committee Of the
Board OF Trade was addressed Thursday
evening by Clinton Rogers Woodruff of
Philadelphia, secretary of the National
Municipal League. The meeting was
held in the Equitable Building and
was attended by Chairman William z.
Bancroft, Patrick Neary, John S. Ros-
sell, A. s. Reed and j. B. Bell of the
committee, President Of City Council
w. s. Alexander, William Lawton,
Daniel W. Taylor, W., ID. Mullen, j.
Harvey Whiteman, T. A. Leisen, Frank
Woolley, Joshiah Marvel, o. @. Purdy
and Alvin K. Morrison.
Mr. Woodruff's talk was almost en-
tirely on the question of electing coun-
cilmen. The proposed plan to secure
minority representation was opposed
ny Mr.. Woodruff, vino said IL was in
opposition to the most improved
method, which is to place the RESPONSE
bility of the successful administration
of city's affairs On tie party which
wins at the election. Through the
minority plan, poor representatives
may be named. 4u
1t is best, he said, to let the politi-
cal parties make q straight-out contest
and they will then nominate the best
men in the wards or districts, because
they know il they do not nominate the
best men, or better class of men, they
could not get the support of the indie
pendent voters. In city like Will
mington, where political lines are closely
drawn and party managers know they
have to depend on the independent
voter for victory, they will nominate
batter men than they would If they
knew that no matter how the election
went they were sure of certain num-
Ter being elected.
| Continuing, Mr.. Woodruff said it is
always we'll to have u certain rumber
of members of Council elected at large
| in the city. Men chosen merely from
wards know they have to look to that
ward for future support and will cater
to that particular ward, while men
elected from the city at-large know they
have to depend on the citizens in gen.
eral and will work for the general inter-
ests of the city.
A city needs home rule. In New York
City if the administration does any
thing wrong the opposing side rushes
to Albany, to the State Legislature for
rolief instead Of doing it themsely es
The whole idea of improved municipal
government is to put the power into the
people themselves and not have Legis-
lature or State government running q
city. This idea is being carried out
now by people clamoring for the cleo
tion of United States Senators fy direct
vote of the people instead Of by the
Legislature With Legislatures it is
no longer the question of what good the
members arc going to do the State, but
who they will vote for for Senator.
There are certain men elected to the
Legislature in Pennsylvania because
they are going to vote for Mr.. Quay.
1t is best to have the wards as large
as possible Politicians can better con.
troll district or ward than they can
an entire city; therefore certain
number of your councilmen should be
elected from your oity-at-large, aud by
doing this you will escape to a large
degree the domination of corrupt
politicians over your Council. The
politicians can juggle ward, but can.
not very we'll juggle an entire city.
The question of distributing The
councilnen- at large is one that is likely
to settle itself through party custom.
In the matter of nomination by petit
tion, Mr. Woodruff thought that l0l
names might be required for council
/ man -at.large, and 20 or % for ware
| representative.
| The subject of ballots was also dis
cussed, and mere Mr.. Woodruff favored
j the Massachusetts system which give
the party name after each candidate
} and requires the voter to mark ever,
man for whom he wishes to vote Patricl
] Neary drew attention to the exoellen
} primary election bill drafted by Mr.
Whiteman, which provides that tn
! voter scratch off the name of the ma
for whom he does not wish to vote.
' After the address the committee he'll
/ a meeting and decided to incorporat
Q in the proposed charter that City Cour
Gil shall be composed of 15 members @
1 which two shall be elected from eac
{ legislative district and FIVE from til
: city at large. Under the bill ther
d will be no longer u wards, but tiv
L districts. Each councilman will b
g elected for term OF four years, there
n fore one councilman will be electe
Il every two years from each of the fiy
j. wards and one will hold over. Wit
9 the oouncilmen- at-large two will /
y elected every second year and thre
Q every fourth year. BY this system ever
i section of the city will be represente
continually and there will be five me
v who will look after or represent the 81
e tire city.