Evening journal., 1910-12-23
PLANS OF CIVIC
ASSOCIATION
WilminCtonlanS Invited to
Join Body Working for New
Charter for City
PROGRAM MAPPED OUT
FOR IMPORTANT WORK

per year. Any person may enroll
at any public meeting OF the associ-
alton. or by sending name and one
dollar to Herbert s. Morrow. secre-
tarv. No. eos Delaware avenue. The
paper is entitled. Address by the
civic Association to the People OF
Wilmington" II reads as follows
The address follows;
"The Civic Association Of Whining
ton is not a political Organization. "
neither processes nor endorses. Re
nuhlicau. Democratic. Prohibition,
Local Option, Socialist, Labor OF any
other political party principles.
THE City of Wilmington is the
greatest corporation in the state. It's
citizens are its stockholders. IL more
nearly touches the interests Of all the
people residing or doing business
within it's limits than any other human
agency To it these inhabitants must
look for paving. lighting, cleaning ana
LAYING out its streets. for sewers, TOT
pure water. for the care OF the pubic
health and safety, for its parks and
for tha education of it's children. None
of these benefits are free gifts OF ma
ture. The people themselves pay for
avery one of them in cash. With the
consent OF these stockholders this COT
poration levies and collects taxes
without which these benefits could not
be enjoyed
whether these taxes are properly
levied and collected and advantage
ouglv spent largely depends upon the
terms of this corporations charter. so
far as the interests OF the stockholders
are concerned II is purely business
matter. For the stockholders 10 sub
NIT 10 be controlled by partisan prin-
ciples or agencies In conducting the
business Of this corporation is Just as
reasonable as It would be for the
owners Of any other business enter
prise 10 submit the management OF
such enterprise to state or national
party dictation. Usage and past prac-
tices have heretofore hidden this alb
surdity IN municipal business manage
ment from the due appreciation and
condemnation OF the citizens OF the
city. who are the persons really inter-
ested
'rThe civic association invites all the
men and women of Wilmington 10
study their own welfare; to forget, for
that purpose, that they belong TO any
political party. to take part IN the
business. and simply as business peo-
pie, OF the management of their own
affairs: and, as the frst step, TO help
10 make a charter for their own cor
poration through which their own
business may be most advantageously
carried on.
Wilmington Is not a village. but a
city growing and with future. Local
iealousies. class domination, and dis
proved theories Of business. so far as
they prevail. are drags upon the
wheels of its progress. A city Is an
association so close and intimate that
the good or III Of each part is the
good or III Of the whole. Modern so
ciety has definitely adopted so much
Of Christianity and socialism as to
recognize the truth Of the general
principle upon which the last state
nent rests. Past practices and selfish
interests NAV obscure this ideal, but
cannot obliterate Il. Everyone has the
inherent right TO this standard Of con-
duct IN public as we'll ss in private az
fairs.
THE theory and practice Of muni-
cipal government Is a progressive
science. Methods once believed to be
sound have been found TO be far from
available. Government Of q village or
. small town is a radically different
thing from government Of large town
or a city. Business theories may be
outgrown either by the growth of the
city itself or by growth Of knowledge,
OF BY experience of new and better
theories. Local conditions, social or
natural. may show that q form Of city
government appropriate in a city OF a
certain size may b. radically inappro-
pirate for another city Of the same
size. The problem Of ascertaining the
proper form Of government for any
city Is not simple. The problem Of
choosing the best form Of government
for Wilmington has great difficulties
The ideally best method Of conduct
ing the business Of Wilmington Is
quite probably unsttsinable; but the
people Of Wilmington have a right 70
the best form Of government which
IS attainable. and TO actively partici-
pate IN choosing g.
TO act hastily in the matter, oI
without study. consideration and dis
cussion. would probably be TO fai
again as in the past. IL seems, from
past experience. 70 be impracticable
and useless labor. To try TO presen
10 the next General Assembly for ~
passage such a charter as would b.
worthy Of approval either by the leg
iHlators or by the people of the cits
Such past experience has demon
etrated that no new charter. nor an
comprehensive amendment OF the oil
charter can be passed by the Genera
Assembly without practical unanimit
on the part Of the Representatives an
Senator's from Wilmington OF withoi
proven demand by the people OF Wi
mington. It Is submitted that this Is
reasonable attitude on the part Of n
legislators. Until IL can in some wa
be shown that the people Of Wilmini
ton demand new charter, why shou
the legislators assume the respol
sibility and possible criticism of giviI
to the city a charter which IL does n
wish or need?
Some method should therefore
devised first, to carefully and intel
gently frame new charter. and Sc
oud. to ascertain the wishes Of u
people Of Wilmington upon the que
ton Of it's adoption. In view Of the
conditions, the Civic ss0ciation pr
poses for discussion az its next NEE
Ing. to be held IN the auditorium
the High School on the evening Of q
frkt Monday in January. 1911.
which meeting. and TO participate
which discussion. the people Of Wi
mington generally are invited, the 70
lowing:
MUNICIPAL CHARTER PROGRAM
4 To prepare and present 10 th
Legislature of 1911. for its passage, a
act providing for,
"(s). The appointment by som
competent person or persons. OF