The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1901-02-28
wANTEp:--AN ATM0spHEREs

q 4 -
citizen of this city anent. the new city
charter. This citizen given mnesa
time, study and labG. % the question
Of municipal civics, and concludes that
the present local civic atmosphere is moi
favorable to the promotion Of non-parti
Fan city charters. In this condition the
proposition is to follow the example OF
the New England cotton spinner who,
finding the New England atmosphere
unsuitcd for his business, set about max.
ing an atmosphere that would suit, and
succeeded.
We suggest that making an atmosphere
in physics is quite different thing from
aking an atmosphere in civics. The one
is an easily drhnable thing The other
is an undesirable something which men
feel and recognize, but which they can
not accurately analyze or measure. 1t is
always existent but never the same.
1t is compound Of contradictory and
antagonistic elements that cannot be
compounded at will or mixed for the
occasion. The making of civic atmos-
phere of any particular grade or quality
may be possible, but is hardly probable.
In ciyics, therefore, we should suppose
the better plan would be to mako the
proposed measure to fit the existent at
mosphere. We think this indicates the
difficulty in the proposed new city char
ter business. 1t has been made upon
lines that do not commend themselves
to popular favor. In saying this we
are not disposed to question either the
character of the work done, Or the
sincerity of the gentlemen who have for
INFLATED the proposed new charter now
before the State Assembly. The char
ter may be the very best thing Of the
kind ever produced, but if it is not what
the people want, if it does not commend
itself to the powers that be, it is neces-
sarly not the right thing for this time,
circumstances and place-it does not
suit the local civic atmosphere, and an
atmosphere TO suit it cannot he made.
A little thought about this will make
it plain. The new charter movement
here is concident with political revolu-
ton. 1t is confessedy an attempt to
improve upon the charter made and ap-
piled by the party in power, that OK
pectcd to continue in power indefinitely,
prior to the revolution, and does not
recognize the fact of the revolution. 1t
is an attempt to make nonpartisan city
government in community where parti-
sanship and factionalism are rife-an
attempt to improve upon and retain
character (profcssetn of city government
which has been tried and voted failure.
Under these conditions it appears that
a new charter for this city ought to have
been made with special reference to the
favor of the party in powcr-the party,
or individuals to whose hands it must be
resigned and whose decision fixes its
fate That would have been suiting the
measure to the atmosphere.
1t is evident that the non. partisan at,
mospherc has not yet been developed it
Delaware. Government, whether it be
or State, is not only decidedly
a matter OF politics with all which that
can reasonably include, but matter of
arty or partisan politics. Sincere non
paItisans in Delaware are very scarce.
There are none Of them in the General
Assembly-none in the Assembly to
which the new city charter must be
cOnfided. In this case it is an Assembly
over an important political
question. Into this Assembly the pro-
posed charter comes from, and carries
with it the characteristics of an atmos.
phcre of opposition to the majority side
Of the Assembly struggle. The partisans
of the charter are thus put in opposition
to the controlling element Of the As
scrnhly, and consequently in opposition
to the peoples majority decision .nadc
at the last general election. The people
did not vote for or against n new city
al, ii, ,.at1 f,,, Ia, i
of two Republican United States Srna-
tors. They voted for Republican State
Administration. They elected legis.
laturc, the majority members of which
are Republicans, and in electing them
commissioned the election of two Sena-
tors. TLey did more than that. They
voted in commentator of one candidate
for Senator by electing majority of
members to the Assembly who were
known to be favorable to his election.
The struggle in the State Assembly is
for the settlement of that question, and
the ajority of the majority element
there has taken its position in obedience
to the decision of the people, while the
minority, representing the influences and
interests that are behind, end involved
in this proposed charter, are opposing
the majority, and ignoring the will Of the
people. SO it is that this charter, with
its odOr of non-partisanship, but cir
cumstantial characteristic of partisan
ship, projected into an atmosphere
charged with partisanship of the most
decided character, appeals to those who
cannot help it, and opposes those upon
whom its fate depends.
These ara thp conditions out of u,h;.h