Evening journal., 1915-01-15

oAuNii9 NbnuiliVlf anu Wuu ohdil hdNt
power to employ or discharge for
cause any necessary subordinates,
exactly the same as any office or de-
partment building by private inter
ests.
An. effort has been made by this
body TO get the public funds and
supplies that are for distribution
amongst our needy and unemployed
citizens worthy Of help. through some
one responsible body, which effort
however, although much good was
accomplished, does not seem to have
been entirely successful. Would IL
not be well to have a board of chari-
ties created or a commissioner ap-
pointed who would be responsible
for the distribution of all the public
funds and supplies Of every nature,
as well as what money and supplies
the general public or private or
ganizations might be disposed to
contribute thus avoiding duplication
and the encouragement Of impOsters.
Public Schools.
Our public school system seems to
come in for its share of criticism,
net only through the public press,
some of which may possibly be un-
just, but from private individuals as
we'll. Complaint is made that mem
bers Of the Board do not attend TO
the business for which they were
elected, and that some school COM
mitteemon do not visit the schools
as often as they should
Should we not make a move TO
adopt the most improved system in
vogue in some of the larger cities,
aEe should we not encourage and
work for a system that will give our
young people the opportunity for
vocational education, so that when
they leave school. before entering
tho High School. as most of them do.
they will be better fitted for employ
ment where they can give satisfae-
tory results, no matter whether II
Is In the shop. the store, or the ac-
counting department
Should we not begin to move to-
ward a paid fire department, for The
reasons already given I'm an elaborate
report on the investigation of tho
National Board of Fire Underwrit-
ers, and In a letter written by his
Honor, Mayor Howell.
| would not for a moment criticize
the brave work done by the men IN
or Volunteer Department. but We
have outgrown this system; the fire
men should be paid for their wors
tho same as our policemen are.
Tax Rates.
! do not believe our tax rates arc
too high, but if all the taxes were
collected, and found their way into
/ tho treasury, then we could best
judge how nearly right our assess.
ments and rates we're Il seems e
me that under efficient and econo.
mioal business management in oul
various governmental departments
that there would be ample funds {,
pay good salaries. for the support oi
a paid fire department, furnish am
PIG police, protection and run oul
government In all It's branches, will
considerable left over for charitabl,
purposes.
The Chamber Of Commerce com
posed as It is OF the business an,
professional men of the city. can hav
a vast influence for good In the re
modelling OF the methods pursued b.
the various public departments, pro
vidod II will fight for these improve
ments In the right spirit. elimlnatinl
the personal equation and work onl,
for the good of the community as
whole, and not for the purpose o
turthering the interests of any on
class.
Mr.. Sinclair Reviews Work.
The annual report of ManaginI
Secretary Sinclair follows:
To tho President and Members of tn
Chamber of Commerce.
Gentlemen take pleasure i
submitting to you my annual repor
touching upon the activities of tn
Chamber of Commerce, Delaware. Z
which | have the honor to be mana
glng secretary, for that period q
: the year 1914 covered by my incun
beney and ending December 81.
While | am naturally constraine
to go into great detail in submittin
this report my remarks must nece.
] sarily be brief and therefore / trul
that you will appreciate that I max
- mention only of those items OF II
K terest which appear to me TO be
C special significance.
\ ! desire first to call TO your after
d ton the financial status of the o.
ganization at the close of busines
] December 81, 1914, as compared wit
II the previous year.
Figures taken from the treasurer
y report for 1913 show that the tot
q amount of revenue derived fro
: membership dues during that ye
u was AS,649.53. During the year in
l. ehded the Chamber Of Commerce r
l. ceived from the same source on
g. Sl2.l0750 or S6,542O3 less than {
e preceding year. Including $4,000 [
e organization had to borrow towa
the close of the year. the total re
W enue with which to work amount
Id tO only Sl5.10750 Referring to I
a- operative expense of the Chamber
Of Commerce for the year 1914. we h
= S21,SlO.21 as against that of 1918 !
proXimating only S19.90S.32 showi
an apparent increase from 1913
j $l,9Ol.S9. l call your attention
the fact that during the first mon
,+s of the year 1914 It was necessary
eNpend in the ne:ghborhood Of
600 for bills contracted during 19
10 thus reducing our actual 1914
"a penditures from $2l.Si0.21 TO
Iau proximately s19.S1O.21.
-. This figure is slightly less Il
- that OF 1913. but you must not |
NJ sight OF the extraordinary expen
.e' caused by the recent Members
w. Campaign aggregating S4,O25
n"e which expenses are not prop,
chargeable against the income
io- 1914, thus reducing the actual /
are expenditures to only S15.7S4.29. 4
'uP' figure compared to that of 1918 sh
ses a net reduction of S4,124.O3