Evening journal., 1913-01-07
DISCUSS
THE CHARTER
BILL AGAIN
Referendum League Commits
sion Form Favored at
Last Nights Meeting
VOTE DOWN SOME
PROPOSED AMENDMENTS


Although the meeting of the VIII
mineton Civic Association in Pythian
Castle last night had been widely all
yeftised. not more than fifty people
f attended 1t had been announced
that the charter proposed by the Re
ferendum League of Delaware and
printed in THE EVENING JOURNAL
on December II was to be debated by
prominent attorneys but owing to
the absence of many lawyers partlc-
marly W. w Knowles and Thomas
F. Bayard. who had been announced
RS speakers, the debate was only in-
formal and discussion general
Irving Warner presided over the
meeting and prior to introducing
Caleb b Burchenal as the first
speaker, copies of THE EVENING
JOURNAL containing the charter
We're distributed. In opening his re-
marks Mr. Burchenal reviewed the
features of the bill for the Commits
sion form OF Government which he
added was not an experiment as 1S6
cities, in 33 states had adopted this
form of government This form of
government, the speaker said, repre-
scented the viii OF the people. Mr.
Burchenal said that under the com
mission form of government men
working In one department could be
shifted when necessary to another
department
Mr.. Burchenal also said he did not
think the various departments such
as legislative and administrative
should be separated. This he con-
tended might be necessary In ma
tional or state work but not IN city.
Ia referring 10 the management OF
the city under such charter Mr..
Burchenal defined a city as a corpor-
alton and as such he thought Il
should be operated on those lines
Under this arrangement he asked
who would think of spending money
like the city now does
Under the Commission government
Mr. Burchenal said the voters would
be able to place responsibility and
when the commissioners come before
the people for reelection, they toe
could be passed on. The abollshinf
of ward lines Mr.. Burchenal declar.
ed was another good feature of the
proposed charter He said Whining
ton has twelve wards but not twelve
separate ideas or interests. yet under
the present system such interests
exist he thought
William + kurtz. a member Of thu
Commission which prepared the char
ter that was rejected by the peopl
5 last June, was the next speaker. say
ing that as the proposed charter
IN general act. other towns IN the Stat
( might be In favor of II and the Leg
= islature might take some action on 4
Mr. Kurtz made several suggestions
che of which was calling the appoint
= ing of a superintendent. or supervisor
who would hold over when the Com
missioners we're elected. This sul
eested amendment was voted down
and the same treatment was accord
cd the motion suggested by Mr.. Kurt
TO elect the Commissioners alter
nately.
DR. George Henry Dole spoke
place of w. W. Knowles and explain
ed the various phrases of the pre-
posed charter. and at the close pre-
scented an amendment relative 10 tn
tax laws In the proposed charter
This was referred TO the eXecutiv
committee The amendment pre-
'tNhn A'A 'hN RiNiAHf AAt va ~ WY =
the taxable property together wit
the name OF the owner and "a
amount owed to be open to the pull
2 lie at all times
Norman Il. John. secretary Of Oh
Association, tho last speaker. told ,
his recent visit TO Trenton. A.
where he interviewed Mayor Dor
nelly and the other Commissioners
relative to the plan Of government
vogue there Mr.. John urged a
present 10 bring at least ten friens
to the meeting on next Tuesday ever
ing when Mayor Donnelly will NAL
z an address TO the meeting on ~
& commission form OF government III
place for this meeting has not yet bee
selected but it Is thought it will
held in Pythian Castle
Among those who attended Ia
nights meeting were: William p Ba
croft, II H. Ward. Caleb b. Burch
nal, Charles r. White Irving Wa
ner A. d. Warner. Peter J. Fol
Norman f. John. William r. Kur
s William p White. william J. Burr
John McGrory. George II Litz. Geor
b. Miller. Francis L. dupont John
i. Mullin, Frank P. Kane and John ID
~ zell.