Evening journal., 1913-03-03
Peoples Column
ENGLAND DEFENDs POSITION.

dO0IAANAis.
Sir: My attention has been called
to an editorial in Saturdays issue Of
your paper, relating to the Whining
ton Mercantile Association, the state
ments in which are so misleading that
il is hard to believe they were not
made purposely so. The Wilmington
Mercantile Association Is an associ-
alton composed of members whose in
terest is alive TO everything that will
prove of betterment TO the city OF VIII
mington, that will increase the num-
Der Of her industries, her population
and her commerce. This being the
fact, the Mercantile Association Us in
tensely Interested in the development
of the Delaware river front now with
in the limits OF the city of Whining
ton, and last Friday night call was
sent out for a special meeting TO take
into consideration what best ought to
be done looking toward the immediate
development OF that water front. The
call was not sent out in the interests
OF any persons holding marsh land
bordering upon the Delaware, neither
was it sent out in the interests OF
those people, who i'm the language OF
the Sunday Star, need TO be reminded
That not even the Legislature can
successfully engage in theft as long
as the courts are here to protect
private rights"
The meeting Of the Mercantile AS
sociation was held at the time ap-
pointed, expressions of opinion on the
subject Of the development of the
river front were freely made by the
members present and by several In
terested citizens, who were not mem
bers
After a general debate, the reso-
lutiOns which ] had prepared and
which ! offered at the meeting for
the purpose of placing the Mercantile
Association in the only position ten
able in law upon the river front
question, we're upon motion, laid over
for further consideration. until the
regular meeting of the association,
the second Thursday of this month
1t Is true that Mr. O. c. Purdy was
present at the meeting and spoke in
favor of the resolutions. In this con
nection I would say that Mr.. Purdy
from long years of service in the
Board of Trade, is thoroughly inform
ed on the river front question, and
took the same position as a member
Of the Mercantile Association that he
occupied as president of the Board of
Trade when, under the auspices OF
the board, an agreement was arrang-
cd last spring, mutually satisfactory
to the United States government. to
the owners of the river front lands.
and to the members Of City Council
There was no misunderstanding at
the meeting, every man expressed
himself fully and freely as ought TO
be the case in every public body hav.
ing the welfare of the community at
heart and when the committee OF five
was appointed it included the names
of those who had spoken upon the
question, viewing it from every con
ceivable angle. This committee will
meet get all the light possible to be
obtained upon the water front oues-
4 tion and Will report back to the as
sociation at this months meeting, the
result of its findings.
No member of the committee holds
any brief for the Wilmington Terminal
/ Company, nor for any other land
owner on the Delaware river front.
and the sole desire in the heart Of
everyone of us is to see that the mag
niiicent river front within our corpor-
ate limits shall be made available for
use at the earliest practicable moment.
and that this end shall be brought
about in manner that will at once
protect the rights of the United States
government and the rights of the indi-
vidual land owners in question
cannot holp thinking that your
bitter and misleading editorial was in
spired by disappointment that the
members of the Mercantile Association
would not become parties in the at
tempt now being engineered by you to
throw the question Of title to the
lands about to be reclaimed by the
government into the courts. and bv
so doing retard the development of
the river front for many years.
You suggest that it might be well if
should drop my membership i'm the
Mercantile Association. l wish to as
sure you that so long as the Mercan-
tile Association remains an active
trade body, devoted to the welfare of
the city and state. just so long will
remain member and continue to
take interest in its work. | must say,
however, that If at any time the as
sociatiOn should effect a ~eorganiza-
tion ~ which eleven Of it's members
by paying $500 per year each. could
become entitled to four directors out
of a board Of sixteen, and seventy of
It's members by paying 500 per year
each, could become entitled to eight
directors in said board. while the re-
naming two hundred and sixty mem
bers, constituting the rank and file
and orking force OF the bouy coul,
only name a paltry four of the Cirec-
tors, I would soon cease to have fur
ther interest in any such undemo-
cratic body.
Yours very truly,
Howell S. England