The daily Republican., 1902-10-07
WOODRUFF GIVES
COMMITTEE POINTS
He Feels to Govern City The
Size Of Wilm ing
ton.
CHARTER SHOULD Be BRIEF
After Few Opening Remarks
The Philadelphian Allowed
Himself to be lnterrogat-
ed by City Fathers.

! "NtVAplii"' Asiop VNChlllS5 ldlhttl VIII
the members of the City Charte
| Committee and City Officers o.
Municipal Government" After
few words Of introduction he answer
ed questions put to him by those in
terested in new charter for Viii
mington. Mr.. Woodruff is consider
ed an authority on municipal gov
ernment. The Philadelphian recon
mended that the proposed chartel
be brief, embodied with Legislative
power, and to deal with generalities
He thought that the charter
should have a broad general power
rather than narrow specific one.
John $. Rossell said AIR. Wo)I-
ruff had given him the wrong i'm
| preston. lie said his idea WIS a
delegation of powers, and referring
to Mr. Woodruff's remarks, he
pointed out the comparison between
the Constitution Of the United States
and a charter for the city of Will
nington.
Mr.. Woodruff replied that he did
not want the idea to prevail that he
recommended a charter that could
he wrlttth on Il sheet of fools cap
paper.
lie did not want the idea to pre-
vail that while it should not be writ
ten in the charter that the city should
own its railway lines, it's gas and
electric plants, yet the municipality
should be given the power if the
people SO desire.
If you have abroad general pow
er instead of narrow, speciii: grant
of power, it makes the charter ad'
Unstable to changing conditions,'
he said that he read section from
Municipal Cory Ioration Act, where
it provides that the citizens to every
city shall have the power to adopt
and enforce all ordinances relative
to the health and moral conditions
Of municipality and shall have the
power to lay out andimprove streets
and regulate water works, markets,
schools, libraries, contracts, taxes,
assessments, etc.
J. Harvey Whiteman asked Mr..
WOodrutf's s idea Of the best plan for
electins councilm0n. Mr.. Woodruff
thought that two-thirls of the
members should be elected from
wards and the remainder at large
and that tho voter should have the
right to vote for the entire number.
William f. Kurtz and William P.
Bancroft asked for information in
this respect. Mr.. Bancroft asked if
this method was not employed in
the Illinois General Assembly.
Mr.. Woodruff thought il the en-
tire number were voted for the re-
suit would bo better than if it were
restricted. The contents would
be a genuine one, and with each
member being voted for by
the entire number of voters, he
thought that tho result would be
better as in the case of selecting
portion of the Councimen at-large. |
''ln case Of two.thirdS majority |
being elected would it not result in
IN abuse of power?" asked Council
man McCatrerty.
Mr.. Woodruff agreed thatin the case
1fa b Z majority, including the may
u, there is likely to be an excess Of
power, but he said these cxccsses
would not remain unrcbuked.
j. b. Bell asked if in advocating a
general Instead of u specific grant,
'lr. Woodruff inferred that the
harter should not specify the num-
'er Of council members. Mr.. Wood
uT thought that it would be best
o leave it to the community. He
aid it was matter for the colsti.
utional lawyers of Delaware. lie
I'd not believe in home rule.
Mr.. kurA for the inform alton Of
II. Woodruff said there was no con
titutional provision in this respect
nd that the decision Of The courts
) that the legislature is the creator.
Mr.. Woodruff hrmly believed that
lc people Of the community have
lc power tc apply remedy, adding.
we have to work out our own sal.
alton"
President Of Council Blaine, asked
the twelve wards in the city should
. cut aud made larger. Mr.. Wood.
lif thought So, adding that with
We instead Of twelve the area of
Ich would be larger. This would
axe the constituency larger. which s
turn be believed would produce '
,tter results. q
In reply toa question asked by !
r. Whteman about the best tinan. l.
al method, Mr., Woodruff explained L
e system OF taxation of Philade!.
lia which has board of revision.
The assessors are appointed by
G board aud that the result was q
tisfactory. As the speaker had to 7
turn to Philadelphia on the 0 -
clock train, the meeting closed q
rlier than was expected. i
At The close Of the meeting the -
y charter committee held ses. ~ ~
N at which the amending Of the VI
esent city charter was discussed,
The section prohibiting the city
nj ccndemuing water rights for ,,
G use Of the city was discussed u
d it was decided to amend the n
ragraph covering the matter 50 b
1t it no longer will be prohibited. Il;
rhc next meeting will be held on "
nday evening. II