Evening journal., 1912-03-05
ASKS SQUARE
DEALFOR The
CITY CHARTER
MIR. Ward Asks Citizens to
Vote InteIliGentIy on
Measure
OPPONENTS RENEW
OPPOSITION TO DRAFT

ANY person who votes on this
charter on account of prejudice or
partisanship. or willfully makes
mistatement OF fact during the cam
paign. is not a friend Of the commune
ity. The men who have framed this
charter are entitled TO one thing, that
is that you vote intelligently. do
not ask that you vote for or against
Il. but that you give the charter one
hundredth part of the study that the
charter commissioners have" said
Herbert M Ward. president of the
Civic Association, in opening the sec
ond town talkfest regarding the char
ter in Turn Hall last night.
The renown OF the first meeting
had spread through the town, and
the hall was even more crowded than
on the first night. many standing
! through three hours OF continuous
rapid-hre oratory. and scattering vol
leys sill resounding through tho
hall when the meeting broke up at
II o'clock. One man said he would
give a farm for a photograph Of the
audience. and Il certainly showed that
Wilmington had at last woke up 10
a real interest in city affairs. There
were laborlng men. mechanics, store
keepers, teachers. lawyers, ministers.
doctors. women, city councillors. the
charter commissioners. editors. and
city department officials in the aud
ience The photograph should have
had a phonographic attachment, for
| II there was any subject IN the En-
cyclopaedia Americana that was not
given comprehensive hearing last
night. it was merely an oversight
! The citizens were thoroughly in
J, structed In fundamental principles
, and the American eagle screamed
q ioyously. The bewildered listeners
frequently wondered what bearing
much of the talk had upon the ques'
q tion OF what WAS good and bad In
e. city charter, but nobody was re
strained I'm any way, and no citizel
ID could complain that he could no
10 lengthily detail his pet theories q
., government. A few even took ad
u vantage Of the freedom to indulge n
personalities or roast the present cit,
- departments.
'e As on the first night, Referendum
" Socialist members were in the ma.
y iority and the meeting heard as much
!, Of the doctrines Of these organizations
as it did of the charter.
In the opening statement, Presiden
Ward told Of the formation OF thl
Civic Association for the sole purposl
. OF procuring a new charter, instigates
e because OF repeated failures TO get am
new charter from the Legislature on
+ former attempts.
q "The entire citizenship was not onll
, invited but drummed TO attend. Ever
man had right TO come there an'
b. vote. Experts in civic government
S made speeches on their particula
, speciality. The matter Of how thl
- charter commission should be appoint
ed was discussed. II things don
4 suit YOU, YOU have only yourselves Il
e blame You had the chance to com'
there and vote. The trouble is tha
q you didn't see the necessity until now
= II yoI want the initiative or womai
suffrage. or anything else, YOU car
recommend Il to the General Assemble
as an amendment to the new charter
l. was MI. Wards speech I'm summary.
A. The Fun Begins.
, Then the fun began. Frank Kan
a. wanted to know what appeal the pee
,s pie would have from the boards
decisions were unfair, citing his tro1
W bles under the present government
CONTINUED on Page Nine)