Evening journal., 1914-09-26
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
GETS NEW START WITH $50
BUSINESS MEN AT DINNER
Former Judge George Gray John S. Mulin, Ir., Mayor
Howell, Former Judge l. c. Grubb and Harry r.
Atwood Voice Pleas for Team Work and Up
building Cooperation
MAYOR TELLS OF NEED FOR NEW
SYSTEM OF CITY GOVERNMENT

Three hundred and fifty Wilmington
tans--the largest number ever gathered
at banquet in the Hotel DuPont-at-
tended the Harmony Dinner" OF Viii
mington Citizens" under the auspices
of the Chamber OF Commerce in the
Dupont auditorium last night. Judge
George Gray, one of the speakers,
stirred his hearers to great enthusiasm
by his eloquent address, in the course OF
which he exclaimed: Thank God, we
have no war lord in Washington II
was q great gathering Of representative
business and professional men of the
city. Judge Gray brought home to his
listeners the great privilege they are
enjoying by living in the United States,
and most of all. in Wilmington, My
City" He pointed out the wonderful
growth of the city since he was boy,
a conservative growth, but substantial,
and the peaceful, neighborly relations
emphasized as the wilmington spirit.
The "harmony dinner marked an epoch
In the history of Wilmington.
The spirit Of harmony and of doing
something was spontaneous, and in
fected every man of the large assem-
blage, as was shown by the enthusiasm
that greeted the remarks of each
speaker toward the advancement of the
city and the enlargement of the Cham
ber of Commerce to a membership of
25OO.
The dinner was presided over by John
j. Satterthwait. president of the Char
ber ON Commerce as chairman, and
Josiah Marvel was toast mestc. Ad-
dresses were male ly ths Hon. George
GRAY. former Judge of the United
States Circuit Court of Appeals for the
Third Judicial Circuit; John S. Mullin,
Jr., Harry F. Atwood, of Chicago, ILL.,,
of the Chamber of Commerce of the
United States Of America; Mayor Har-
rison W. Howell and Judge Ignatius G..
Grubb.
Mayor Howell. who was called upon
TO address the assemblage. made a
clean-cut speech along progressive
lines, IN which he advocated new
system Of government for Whining
ton, scoring the present system with
its possibilities OF mismanagement
He was unsparing IN comment and
criticism and declared the city should
demand Of the next Legislature the
right to establish a modified commits
sion form of government with one
man instead of three at the head Of
each department
"Why il has taken eight weeks TO
place seven men on horseback" he
exclaimed. zone good competent man
IN the police commission could do bet
ter than that" He declared that un-
der the present laws the mayor is
mayor in name only. whose duties
consist in signing bills passed by City
Council, appointing Public Utility
Commissioners and drawing his
salary.
The mayor also mentioned that
while there had been much criticism
relative to the mismanagement of the
city's affairs on the part of numerous
citizens, he had found that in nearly
every instance there were selfish mo-
tives behind their criticism, and that
the persons who made them simply
wanted some street graded more
lights or more policemen in front Of
his doors or some other personal
desire. The mayor was given an ova-
ton when he finished
Many songs were sung during the
repast, Frank II. Mason, the popular
baritone, led the singers. One song, en-
titled Wilmington, Our Wilmington" >"
sung to the tune of Maryland, My