Evening journal., 1913-12-16
HAS ADVANCED
IDEAS IN CITY
GOVERNMENT
Mr.. Dole Would Dispense
With Tax Collectors; Mr..
HOag Talks City Manager
CIVICS ASSOCIATION
HAS PROFITABLE NIGHT

Irving Warner was reelected pres
ident OF the Wilmington civic Asso-
citation at the third annual meeting
Of the association in the City Coun-
ell Chamber last evening. Other Off
GERS elected were Francis p. Kane.
e-president. and Norman E. john
secretary and treasurer. The Rev.
George Henry Dole was elected "a
member Of the executive board to
take the place OF former Mayor Hor-
ace Wilson. who refused TO serve
longer. Other members OF The execu-
tive board reelected we're: Charles
r. kenworthey. A. ID. Warner, and
Caleb n. Burchenal. j. r. McGoNan
and Henry Thompson were tellers Of
the election.
The meeting was featured by an
address by George c. Hoag. secretary
of the American Proportional Repre-
sentauon League. on the new forms
OF city government and dealt partic-
ularly With the Hare Ballot rules
aud the city manager plan contrasted
with the regular recognized form Of
commission government
Before the election of officers the
Rev. George Henry Dole one of the
ablest advocates OF the commission
form Of government, declared that
the new charter which is now being
prepared for the city should contain
a section providing for the automatic
collection OF taxes. IN Wilmington
and the abolition of tax collectors.
NO system OF taxation can be
just" said MIR. Dole, unless the sys-
TEN OF collection Is just The idea
of going out into the city and col
lecting taxes is utterly absurd and
should be abolished. l have been in
many cities, but I have never seen
one with the exception of Whining
ton. that had such a system.
Taxes" Mr. Dole said, should be-
come due on certain day, and If not
paid within a specified time the
names OF the delinquents should be
advertised and the property sold"
Mr.. Dole spoke in glowing terms of
the proposed new charter and the
commission form OF government, which
he said was being understood better
by the people of the city every day.
He said many OF its worst enemies
at the beginning OF the fight are now
strongly In favor Of the commission
form Of government
He declared that the new charter
must not be a compromise charter,
but should be a charter for the people.
shall II be government by the
politicians, Of the politicians and for
the politicians or shall 1t be govern
ment by Will OF the people" he said
Mr. kenworthy a member OF tbs
new charter commission OF 10, urged
the drawing of the new charter Will
the charter draft OF last year as thl
basis for the new one, using sucl
changes as the full charter committe
, would sanction.
City Manager Plans.
Following the election or officers III
speaker OF the evening, Mr. Hoag, wa
introduced by Mr.. Warner, presiden
Of the association. Mr. Hoag said tina
he is working with what he believe
TO be the most improved plan of cit
government and one far in advance @
all others, the city manager plan II
declared that this plan Is winning It
way all over the country and ha
! many advantages over the ordinar
e form of commission government
Under this system a city manager I
selected to manage the city, He
usually a professional and can max
city managing his life work becaus
be does not have to watch out for hi
job at each election. He IL the admin
strative head of the city and the con
missiOners are the Legislative heRs
They are a purely legislative body s
that the city will not suffer should the
be defeated at the polls They ar
not professionals and can never
expected to become professionals, be
cause they have no assurance OF re
election even though they do the bes
thing possible for the city
The city manager plan, the speake
said. has been adopted IN Dayton an
Springfield, Ohio, and one Californi
city.
To arrive at the best possible pla
of city government the speaker de
clared that the people must have an
other way OF electing their commits
sioners. He urged the adoption G
the Hare system. In explaining
he said in part
Under the Hare system no primar
INANNAibiAn. oAC nCCtncuI1s AhuulQhlt
are nominated by petition. The name
ef Candidates are printed sd 1ii the bal
lot I'm alphabetical order or IN an
othe rorder that may be preferred
The instructions to Voters read q
follows.
Put the figure opposite tn
name Of your FIRST choice for IN
Council. II you want to express ais
second, third, and other preferences
do so by putting the figure opposit
the name OF your second choice, tn
figure opposite the name OF you
third choice, and SO on. You may ez
press thus as many preferences q
: you please. A ballot is spoilt II In
figure Is put opposite more tina
= one name
"The ballots are counted At IN
n precincts according to first choices
They are then sent to the centrs
election ofhcials or board unde
whose direction all OF the hfst-choic
ballots for each candidate are pu
together, the total number cast 10
all candidates footed up. and the othe
provisions for. the completion OF tn
count carried out. The next step al
ter these is TO determine whether an
, candidates have received enough fret
choice NOfea fo he deoiarad ofarfaf