Evening journal., 1911-04-04
CITY CHARTER
COMMISSION
Civic Association Executive
Commission viii Suggest
Men for appointment
ASSOCIATION WILL
GO AFTER MORE MEMBERS

first Monday evening in May, prom
ises to be one Of the liveliest meetings
ever held in Wilmington, as 1t is ex-
pected to be a general discussion Of
whether new city charter Or an
amendment of the present charter is
the best step. Opinion is divided and
as the discussion is open to anybody,
and the Association is noted for not
choking off debate, there is likely to
be a lively meeting.
Last night with the charter COM
mission bill safely through the Leg
islature, and with assurance that It is
to be signed by Governor Pennewill
Chairman Herbert H. Ward at the
meeting of the association I'm the High
School called the attention OF the as
sociation to the fact that as they had
so pushed the bill. they were in way
, responsible for continued interest in
} II, and suggested that the Association
send to Governor Pennewill and Mayor
Spruance a list OF names they think
, would be suitable for charter COM
) missioners. Chairman Ward said that
4 except that Il had been accidentally
killed once, there had been practically
8 mington legislator I'm particular Rep
resentative Moore had voted for Il.
n Mr.. Ward then said that the ninety
r eight members now enrolled In the
association we're not enough. He
feared that Il showed there were many
n Wilmington citizens not interested in.
:. how their city was run. and II T. was
+ an indication that the charter cleo
u tion was not going to call out vot-
i ers, the election would be a failure
q Mr.. Ward said the association must
v get new members and stir things up.
Want New Members.
- William r. Kurtz suggested that
= each member be pledged to secure Ave
\ new members, and this was finally
y adopted
- - Representative Moore asked with
y considerable interest whether the
n charter was the only thing the Assoc
~ citation was to talk over. Secretary
Morrow read the constitution, show
IN ing that anything concerning good
a. city government could come up before
a. the society, but Caleb Il. Burchenal re-
N marked he thought the charter sub
n, ject was enough to keep them busy
rh Just now.
IS The question then came up as to
he how the names sent to Governor PEN
he newill and Mayor Spruance would be
si- determined and there was a warm
ra- tilt over popular vote" and auto
cratic authority" William p. Ban.
the croft made the motion that each mem
ere Der be written to by the secretary ant
asked to send a list of ten names al
re- suggestions for charter comV zion.
the ers. Further the motion TX to the
mt executive committee the choice OF the
,ed list to be forwarded to the Governor,
and the Mayor, and left IL to their
ng Judgment whether to indicate how far
lat this list was made from the majority
nd preferences of the members. The
to committee was not bound to use the
ne names submitted. A. ID. Warner ex7
si planned that the advantage I'm leaving
ar Il to the committee was that there
was no other meeting of the associa-
d. ton before May /, when the commis-
ly sion has to be named, and that II
ls- might easily happen the ten namesl
sent In receiving the most votes might
ge leave out the best men for the place,
M or include names not at all suita-
-, BILE.
en- Oppose Authority for a Few.
Sc John S. Hamilton and Charles r.
an Kenworthy said this was going
lp- against the democratic principles OF
ted the society, and was a good way to
ors keep new members from joining. It
de- was putting all the power in the hands
ast OF a few, they thought and would be
sending the Governor and Mayor a
- list thai did not represent the Civic
- Association's choice. They also
thought the motion was reflection
on the intelligence of the members
OF that organization.
Mr.. Kurtz said that on the other
hand, the amendment suggested by
Mr. Kenworthy, to have a list made
\ from the highest number OF sugges-
\ tions and a second list from the ex-
ecutlve committee as a committee,
was absurd, and would place the AS
sociation in a curiously divided posi-
| ton. Howell s. England expressed
| the same opinion.
The amendment was lost by two
votes. The original motion had grown
misty by this time. and was on the
., point OF being withdrawn. when its
: second. Miss Jeanette Eckman, refus'
ed to withdraw and restated the mo-
ton clearly after every man In thu
room had failed to do So The motion
..,. which was carried leaves matters
kes entirely to the executive committee
per TO make ND a list Of thirty names ol
'una so as they see At, but each member 4
asked to send ten names to the com
mittee.
Representative Moore answered
ings question as to whether the Governor
Pennewill and Mayor SDruance. VINO
each appoint five of the ten commits
~ sioners would welcome suggestions.
hv saving he understood the Governs 70
exnected recommendations from tns
association as they were In a way re-
sponsible for the bill.
The chairman was authorized ny
the association to appoint a commit'ee
70 consider ways and means OF Great
inc interest and enlarging the mem
bersbip of the organization. Several
members said IT could be done by
stirring matters up in more lively
- fashion. Mr. Hamilton said IN the
words Of John B. Johnson, Lets
think up something to make trouble
and then people will come to see the
fun"
II was suggested that debates or
other topics might be good, single
tax evening. for instance. Speaker
were suggested. among them Scot
Nearing. who has criticised this fai
city, and the Rev. Dr. William Temple
who has studied municipal condition