Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1913-03-20

CINCE Clinton Rogers Woodruff, of Philadelphia one
- Of the foremost authorities in the United States
ON municipal government came to this city recently
and spoke under the auspices OF the Civic Associa-
ton and the Chamber Of Commerce. on the question
of the commission form of for cities much
interest has been manifested in the subject by Will
mngtonians While THE EVENING JOURNAL never
has committed itself the question of the wisdom or
unwisdom of that form of government Il has recognized
at all times that IL has and very good friends
who believe sincerely and periodically that while
mission government is the best and last thing it
is step in thai direction and better than the forms
OF government now i'm use I'm many cities and towns.
We hold TO the theory that those readers and good
friends of THE EVENING JOURNAL are entitled to the
free of the columns of paper tho Intelligent
discussion of this highy-important question, just as
those columns open to the free Of persons
hold to contrary opinions We also hold to the the
that Il Is the duty of a peoples newspaper to lay
before it's readers Illuminating information it may
receive bearing upon a topic of current dscusson
I'm pursuance of that open-door policy printed
recently interview with the Mayor of Galveston
Texas in which he told Of the accomplishments of
commission government there where it has been in
operation for We have received Mayor
Edward HUH Crump of Memphis Tenn, which has had
three full years Of commission government informa-
ton to which, think, those who studying the
question entitled.
That information shows that Memphis is OF the
largest cities in the world under commission form OF
government Il the heahiest city In the South and
has OF the lowest death rates the United States
This entcrprisng Southern city has 40 miles
ufully paved thoroughfares; it washes its streets
Pushes and fights fires with the artesan
water in the world. With II railroads and the Mis-
sisspp river the city enjoys the freight
rates in the South. Il is the worlds inland cotton
market, handling more than 100000 bales annually.
United States authorities give Memphis credit for
ing the largest hardwood lumber market in the world.
IL also produces cotton products than any
other city in the world is the third largest grocery
iobbng market in the United States The estimated
value OF the si4 Of parks "a miles Of park
is S4O0o0oo The largest and complete
geological garden in the South 100 miles Of street
railway serving $4,000 persons magnificent public
buildings 175 steamboats, leo churches 25 colleges and
seminares, six business colleges and medical col
leges superb public school system. ten hospitals
and three public libraries also among the things in
Memphis that being conserved by a commission
form Of government
Mayor Crump and his associates say that tho first
and most Important question to he answered by any
city 10 the prospective investor is what is your tax
rate?" They add that under commission form Of gov
eminent Memphis taxpayers enjoying the lowest
rate in the ctys history total reduction is
having been made since the advent of commission gov
eminent three years In support Of their asser-
ton they make public the following tax-rae record for
the last q years: