Evening journal., 1912-02-27
Continued From First Page

unue them in the form of ordinances, |
which could be changed by Council !
In the future as seemed wisest This 1
would prevent an upheaval OF condi- !
tons, when the new charter went into
force, but would leave a way for grad
ual changes
As point 8 to eliminate all par
tisan politics from the city of Will
mington. g. To recognize the dual
nature of city government by sep
arating the purely business and the
purely governmental functions. The
charter provides for a Council OF
Nnine to make the laws. and board
of administration TO have exclusive
charge of the city's business. Mr..
Richards explained the departments
under the Board Of Administration.
The proposed general superintend-
ent, he said, was a man hired by the
board. to continue in office as long
as they saw fit. and not necessarily
a Wilmington man.
4. Mr. Richards said the Board OF
Elections would be a city body. in
stead Of being the double-headed city
and state board it is now.
5. They had given the short ballot.
The people would vote only for
Mayor and the Council
6. They had provided civil service
examination for department en-
ployes. except certain head officers,
and unskillsd laborers.
T. They had made a material dif-
ference in the assessment and col
lection Of taxes. A chief assessor,
with assistants would make the as
easements and they would be made
against property instead Of owners.
Mr.. Richards spoke Of the controller
as an important official proposed, 10
be expert accountant of the city, and
not appointed by the Board OF Ad-
ministration 10 free him from sub
serviency to them.
Attack Opens.
Dennis ] Harrington asked how
Mavor and Council could be removed.
w f. Kurtz stated the Mayor could be
removed by the Council, and a portion
of the Council could be removed every
two years by the voters.
The Referendum sympathizers began
to hiss at the intimation the recall
was not in the charter. There's no
use in Kissing" said Mr.. Kurtz. There
was no more kissing during the even
ing
The Rev George II. Dole, of the
Swedenborgian Church, asked whether
the charter commissioners could make
any changes now? Thomas F. Bay
ard answered no the commissioners
were through and the charter In the
hands of the Mayor, and the people
voting on it in June would have the
next step. Mr. Richards stated he
thought the commissioners had come
TO this meeting to explain the charter.
that they did not think they should
be called upon to state reasons for
the things they left out, though they
would do so.
Mr.. Dole said the new charter had
many good provisions. such as the
tax assessment and collection, but he
thought the separation Of business and
governmental functions and the sub
division into so many subordinate de-
partments. made it impossible to place
+ responsibility anywhere. and would
thus make the people powerless and
lead to civic corruption. He thought
the proposed dividing of the city intC
s two wards was a mistake; there
should be no wards at all If there was
to be no partisan element. Mr.. Dole
did not think it necessary that the
charter should embody initiative, etc.
as the people might demand that as a
separate act from the Legislature.
Francis ! DUPONT said the work o.
the charter was in the main excellent
but there was already a law I'm VIII
mingtOn by which the people could eX-
press their views, which would be
omitted in the proposed charter.
A. w Francois, speaking as repre-
sentative of the Socialists, positive
~ disagreed with the charter in who'll
and in detail
He said the charter should hsvl
been drawn up by convention mad
up of members elected from the Rep
resentative Districts The Socialist
wanted to know why the heads al
well as the other employees of thl
city were not put under the civil ser
vice rule, and objected to the SO fe'
from men wishing to be candidates
for Mayor or COuncilmen, saying
was class distinction. The Social
lists wanted the city divided int
more wards than il is now. instead o
fewer, and objected to the Mayor
having power 10 demand help fron
the citizens in time Of emergency. IT
said the Socialists were opposed II
any military measure which enablel
a Mayor TO call out citizens to shoe
each other down as in the great Law
renee strike.
Mr. Kurtz said THAT is your lar
IN the charter you have now" Nj
Francois answered, II didn't make Il
and you are continuing it," MI
Francois also objected 10 the bon
issue clauses. Thomas F. Bayar
stated that the power of issuing bond
was more limited in the propose
than in the present charter
Referendum Fire Opens.
George Litz. a member of the locs
Board of Health and field secretar
of the Referendum League, asked VIII
the initiative. referendum and recaI
was omitted. and gave a history of tn
achievement of the movement in III
West He said 1900 people I'm Wi
mington had voted for IL, but Il ba
been killed by a few men.
William Tyrell created diversio
IN a buoyant speech from the plst
form, asking when the State Const
tuition became constitutional? n
said the people had not voted on th
state Constitution, and now a blank,
was being held before their eyes
We don't admit that" said Chair
man Ward.
Tyrell
Fl. c. Downward made a plea fC
party spirit saying it should not I