Evening journal., 1912-05-31
The Association Of
FRIDAY, MAY 81. 1912
cuARTER IMPORTATION FOR VOTERS.


7 has been the policy of THE EVENING JOURNAL
to print from time to time, editorials urging
Wilmington voters to prepare themselves for nteh-
gent effective participation in the special charter
election to be held tomorrow. For weeks we have
given to our readers full and absolutely impartial re-
pors OF the meetings held discuss the provisions OF
the proposed charter We also have permitted tho
friends and foes of the charter draft TO enjoy the un
restricted Of our columns to the end mat our
readers might have the benefit Of ati the views eN-
pressed on the exceedingly important questions in-
solyed
In pursuance Of that campaign of education we
have printed at intervals sections Of the proposed
charter which thought should be called specially
to the attention of the taxpayers and the voters we
have loft il to such taxpayers and voters TO decide for
themselves whether they desire to have a charter
containing such provisions suppaht the existing
fundamental law Of city I'm pursuance Of that
policy call attention today to several provisions
which, we think, deserving of special attention
The proposed charter provides for re-adustment Of
the division line between the Northern and Southern
Districts, follows:
"in the year nineteen hundred and twonty-one and
at intervals OF ten years from that time. the Council
an the members, re-adlust the division no between
the Northern and southern Districts so that as near
tain an equal number of inhabitants provided, that
the division line between said districts shall coincide
eastern TO the western boundary of the city"
II will be apparent to the voters that in 1921 and
every ten years thereafter the party then in power
gerrymander the districts for, as shown
cQutly by THE EVENING JOURNAu, one or the other
of the present political parties must necessarily have
the TwO-THIRDs VOTE 10 do this under the pro-
visions of the proposed charter
The veto power of the Mayor also would be inoper-
atye under the provisions Of the proposed charter
Section IS OF the charter draft provides in part as
follows:
"Every ordinance, which shall have PASSED tho
Council and been duly authenticated by the Pres
dent shall within two DAYS thereafter be presented
10 the Mayor by the Clerk If tho Mayor shall re-
turn tho ordinance to the Council without his approval
Council shall proceed TO reconsider the ordinance
The objections of the Mayor TO the ordinance. which
shall be stated In writing shall be entered on the
journal If after consideration of the ordinance two-
fhirde of an tho members OF the Council shall agree
10 PASS tho same such ordinance shall become or
dlnance of said city as fully to all intents and pur-
u tho same had been approved by the Mayor
otherwise il shall be wholly imperative
II already has been shown that under the proposed
charter ono or the other OF the two principal -po-
litical parties MUST HAVE THE TwO-TH1RDs VOTE
20 pass ordinance over the veto of the Mayor and
Council is opposed politically to the Mayor,
Il always in such override his veto and
thus again It is asserted partsanship can creep in
under the proposed new charter
BY Section 46 of the proposed charter. the Board
OF Administration is empowered, among other things,
to appoint the General superintendent and the em-
ployes all departments, designate their duties and
fix their compensation"
BY Section Sc, the General Superintendent is made
"the executive officer" Of the Board Administration.
and he is TO have general direction charge supervi-
sion. and CONTROL of all the departments and em-
ployes Of the city, except the Department of Public
Safety It is conended by those who oppose the char
ter that there is human being who can properly
MI the position Of General superintendent with the
powers above given and that it would be exceedingly
dangerous to vest such far-reaching powers in any
man.
We call these provisions to the attention Of our
N he vii ho lfoht
tive some Of the important changes proposed in the
citys organic law