Evening journal., 1913-09-23
pRoyrNcrArisM vs.. coMMrssroNEn WAGNER.


VATE received by mail th~ latter part Of last week
w two things. They from different sources
and yet one had important bearing upon tho
other
One was copy Of the Dover Index It contained
another provincial editorial criticizug Dr Charles A.
Wagner the new state Commissioner Of Education,
because he has decided to reside in Wilmington instead
Of in Dover. the state capital.
The other official list Of state officers boards
and commissions. compiled and issued. with
dsble foresight and by Secretary OF state Miller
II person unacauanted with the geography and
transportation facilities Of Delaware TO read tho
Index editorial he would be led TO think that Della
ware is as large as the State Of Texas and that the
trains on The Delaware division and lis branches
run weekly or b-weekly and then upon very
tain and precarious schedule He also might be led
10 think that II has been the uniform practice Of state
officials 10 live Dover and that Commissioner Wag
ner, by settling IN wilmington has broken precedent
that heretofore has been looked upon by state officials
being inviolate
Turning from that editorial that is sodden with
narrow provnoalism 20 the official list Of state Of
dcers boards and commissions. hnd several inter-
estns facts one is that Of all the State officers only
two reside in Dover One Is John 3. Hutton, Deputy
Attorney-Gen for Kent county. whose home was
in Dover when he appointed The other is Thomas
W wilson State Librarian, who also lived in Dover
at the time of his appointment Our Governor Lieu
Governor Secretary Of state. Attorney General
two of tho three deputies Attorney General state
Treasurer state Auditor, State Insurance Commits
g'oncr Adutant-General STATE Chemist state Collec-
tor Of Oyster Revenue, Collector Of state Revenue
State Cannery Inspector and state Factory Inspector
an live outside the state capital
Passing to tho State boards fnd :hat Of the seven
members Of the Board OF Health only one lives in
Dover; tha. Of the FIVE members Of the state Board
Of Pharmacy. the state Board of Dental Examiners
and the state Board Of Pilot Commissioners not one
Of the fifteen commissioners lives in Dover: that Of
The nine members Of the Board Of Trustees Of tho Della
State Hospital. only three live in Dover: that
Of tho six trustees Of the State College for Col
ored Students. only lives in Dover; that of
the State Board Of Examiners Of Graduate Nurses not
one lives IN Dover. that Of the State Board OF Agr
culture only Of the three members lives I'm Dover
and that that also Is true cf the Board Of veer
mary Examiners that OF the ten members of the
state Board Of Medical Examiners only three live in
Do-er; that of tho state Board Of Examiners in I'm
dertakng and Of the state Board of Barber Examiners
not one lives in Dover. that Of the state Board OF
Game and Fish Commissioners only one Of tho three
members lives in Dover; that of the nine members
Of the Board of state Library Commission only ono
lives I'm Dover that Of the state Board Of Education
only two Of the members live in Dover that Of
the nine members Of thc state County school Com
mission only ono lives IN over; that Of tho Public
Archi'e Commission, only Of the six commission
ers lives in Dover that Of tho Delaware state Tuber
oulosis Commission one Of the seven members
lives in Dover. and that that also is true Of the Com
mission on Uniform Motor Vehicle LEGISLATION con
sstnE oi three members and the state Commission
on Drainage, consisting Of six members that or the
FIVE members of the Public Lands Commission. only
one member lives in Dover
IN the facc Of such showing as that by what
right does the Dover Index or any other provincial
critic Of Commissioner Wagner object him establish
ing his home in wlminstou7 The official document is-
sued by our Secretary Of state would to Indicate
that our State officials have fought shy Of moving 10
Dover following their election or appointment and
that there Is valid why IN tho selection Of
his home. Commissioner Wagner should he discrim
mated against Tho Index might insist with equal pro
priety that Governor Miller and an the state officials
break up their present homes. all neighborly ties
and move TO Dover II might insist that Professor
George W. TVtmyer Of Wilmington: Harry HAYWARD
Of Newark; Henry Clay Davis. of Laurel; Frederick
Brady. Of Mddletovu and Albert Worth Of George
town, All members of tho state Board Of Education
vote In favor Of Commissioner Wagner living in Do
YER and then. manifestation Of their own con
sistency. break their homes and move there them
selves TO he in close touch with him and centrally To-
Gated for the convenience Of the teachers II is nm
necessary 10 suggest what the result Of such nsstence
would be- The commissioners and their families would
continue 10 live where they please and AS thev please
regardless Of the Dover Index ts PROVINCIAL views
Commissioner Wagner he wise he will follow
inc example SET by his official superiors and live where
h is most congenal 10 him and his family So long
= ne does his work we'll II is nobodys business but
mis- own in what part Of the State he lives Tho one
ahfmportan fact s that state is so small that ne
can get from Wilmington TO any part Of in less than
nen day and that he reach most Of the districts
outside Wilmington in hor- or two
inere arc many reasons why our new commissioner
should live in Wilmington bur the chief one as ve
view IT, Is that he and his family wish do it, and that
such residence will not interfere with nronor d,s
charge Of his Official duties