Evening journal., 1914-12-10

detailed notifications TO suit our local
conditions.
in drafting this charter the com
mittee endeavored TO be guided by the
following fundamental principles:
Il. Home rule In order that
all matters affecting the interests
OF the people OF Wilmington may
be discussed and settled at home
rather than at Dover.
! "2. Non-partisanship in local
/ government: In order that ma
tional politics shall not enter into
and confuse local issues and prob
/ lens.
( "3. Centralized authority. In
order TO get efficiency in city gov
eminent and to fix responsibility
/ for unsatisfactory conditions.
"A. Popular control through
the Initiative and Referendum
IS. Professional management Of
the administration of city affairs.
There is nothing experimental in
the draft prepared. Zach feature has
4 somewhere stood the test Of time and
experience The fundamental fea-
lures are approved by the National
] Municipal League. the Civil Service
Reform League, the National Short
( Ballot Organization and the National
Popular Government League. The com
mittee has drawn largely on the ex-
perience of the past. The public dis
/ cussion following the presentation Of
I the Charter Commissioners charter In
/ the spring of 1912 together with the
( further discussion on the Referendum
! League charter In the winter of 1912
and 1913. has given the present com
mittee a vast fund Of information to
draw from. which has been of meal
culable value in preparing the present
charter draft along lines which are
correct and which will meet popular
approval
"The committee that has drafted
this charter took the work upon
themselves voluntarily. The COM
mittee consists Of fifteen members,
4 OF whom eight are the elective ON
clals OF the Wilmington Civic AS
sociation, and the other seven we're
selected in order to include men of
the greatest experience in municipal
problems and In order to make the
committee thoroughly and broadly
representative Of all political and So
cial ideals.
THE committee believes that this
charter as drafted is as nearly suit
ed TO the conditions In Wilmington.
and as nearly in accordance with
the average public desire as II is pos
sible to make such an instrument, but
II, during the discussion that VIII
now follow. the committee can be
shown either that il is wrong In the
fundamental principles as originally
laid down. or that II has failed in
the correct Interpretation of these
principles in any way. then II stends
ready and willing to change the pres
ent draft before presenting II as a
bill TO the Legislature.
Neither the committee nor its work
, was authorized by law as was the
case two years ago. so that the draft
now made public may be considered
as being tentative and subject to any
change for the better that may be
developed in discussion. According
ly constructive criticism Is welcomed
/ TO the end that there may finally be
obtained for Wilmington the best
charter that It Is possible to frame
''Respecifully submitted.
: "Charter Committee OF the Whining
ton Civic Association.
! Irving Warner.
IF p Kane.
Norman e. John,
caleb Burchenal.
"A. u. Warner.
Charles r. Kenworthy,
William F. kurtz.
"Rev. G. H. Dole,
Robert H. Richards,
"Armon d. Chaytor,
IF J. DUPONT.
"W. p. White.
Charles W. Bush.
"Rev. William Temple.
Jerome B. Bell
For the information OF those who de-
sire 10 study the charter draft, It is
printed IN full herewith.
Name and Boundaries.
Section l. The City of Wilmington
and the inhabitants thereof by the style
and name of "City of Wilmington IS
hereby created and continued a muniei-
raj corporation and the same shall be
bounded as follows, Wis
Beginning in the Delaware river at
point three thousand feet easterly from
The western bank of said river, said
point heinr nine hundred and fifty-two
feet and nine and l a inches southerly
from the center line of street, meas
urod at right angles thereto; thence
westwardly bv line parallel 20 and
distant nine hundred and ffty-two feet
and nine and one-quarter inches south
erlv from the center line Of = street to
I ~. .,ts hr nN
tension of the southerly line of Beech
street al fifty feet wide; thence along
said extensions of the southerly line OF
Beech street 10 the center of the main
roadway or track Of the Philadelphia,
Baltimore & Washington Railroad Com
pany; thence detecting 10 the lett
through an angle of one hundred and
sixteen degrees and one minute for a
distance of twenty eight hundred aud
ninety-two feet and nine and three
oighths inches along the said roadway
OF track TO a point; thence detecting 10
the right through an angle of one hun
dred and twenty-tour degrees and
thirty five minutes for a distance OF
twenty two hundred and twenty y-three
feet and nine and three -eighths inches
TO the center line of Maryland avenue at
sixty four feet and six inches wide, said
point of intersection being distant four
hundred and seventy three feet and two
and Ave eighths inches southerly from
the center line of Seventh avenue, meas
ured on the center line of Maryland ave
nue.: thence in straight line north
westerly TO the corner stone at the in
tersection of the southcrly line Of Beech
street al fifty feet wide with the west
erlv line of Union street al eighty feet