Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-12-11
CHARTER WORK
MAKES PROGRESS
Naming of Committee to
Receive Suggestions
Next Move
SPROUL OFFERS ADVICE
Covernor.Elect Submits Five
Points for Consideration at
Dinner Conference
SPROUL OFFERS ADVICE

Appointment of the committee to re-
view suggestions for a new city charter
viii be the next step in the charter re-
vision movement.
This committee was authorized by the
700 representative men and women who
attended the charter revision conference
dinner last night IN the Bellevue-Strat-
ford Hotel.
John c. Winston, chairman of the
( Committee of Seventy, offered the resolu-
tion, which authorized Russell Duane,
Westminster of the dinner, to appoint
committee of twenty-five to review
charter suggestions,
The committee Is then to appoint a
4 subcommittee which will draft the char
ter revision program to be submitted to
the Legislature.
Mr.. Duane said today that he would
3 be prepared to announce the members OF
the committee of twenty-five in about
one week. 1t will be a representative
body.
sprouI Makes Five Suggestions
Five suggestions for the proposed
charter were submitted to the 700 advo-
Gates of good government by Governor
elect William c. Sproul, who proved to
T be the chief speaker, although he had
announced that he would attend the
dinner as "a listener"
The Governor-elect, speaking, as he
said. from the viewpoint of the practical
politician, warned against too much re-
form and incidentally told the assembly
of representative citizens that the peo-
pie of Philadelphia must learn to gov
ern themselves before they can hope for
B good government.
Look out for the elephants and let a
Few mice CO." was the advice of the
Governor-elcct in warning against try
ing n correct tOo many eyilq
He declared that the problem of mu-
nicipal government is not a problem
alone in Philadelphia, but exists in every
city in the United States.
1T seems to be the weakest point in
our system of government" he added.
People Don't Stay on Job"
Paying a tribute to the patriotic ef-
forts constantly put forth by the citi
zens of Philadelphia in behalf of good
Government the Governor-eleCt declared
that nowhere else had such spirit for
better government been exhibited.
"As long as l can remember" he
said, "the people of Philadelphia have
been talking for better government.
They have appointed committees. reso-
luted and investigated, but the trouble
is that they have not stayed on the job
365 days in the year"
To have enacted the legislation which
they desire. the Governor elect pointed
out that the citizens must get down to
a practical basis and become more active
IN politics. He reminded them that
most of the reform measures enacted in
the past have made 1t more, easy for
the practical politicians to handle
things"
Referring to the personal registra-
tion law as a measure which failed to
Y meet the purposes for which it was en-
z acted, Governor-elect Sproul declared
n fsabt must be discouraging to find
when there is a real uprising of public
s sentiment. that these safeguards keep
so many people who desire reform from
volng"
The People of Philadelphia, he declared.
should have a greater measure of home
rule and not be hamstrung by measures
enacted as protective instruments
Opposes "Councilmen- mt Large
Disagreeing with those who favored
a city council composed of members
4 elected at large, the Governor-elect said
he believed that such plan would de-
stroy representative government. He
advocated small council whose mem
bers should be elected on the basis of
proportionate presentation
Ie warned against a governing body
composed exclusively of representative
men on the grounds that the citizens of
the humber walks of life must be rep
resented
Unity of purpose among the diverse
elements working for better city govern
fnent and a unity of operation for
Philadelphia and the adjacent munich
p4lities were strongly advocated by the
Governor He predicted that the
people of Philadelphia would be amazed
when the next census Is taken at the
growth of the city and its surrounding
suburbs.
IA The Governor-elect had not been an.
nbunced among the list of speakers
Some surprise greeted the announce.
inent from the POSTMASTER that he
would speak.
The vast assemblage waited unit
after IL o'clock to hear him. He was
given an ovation when he arose to tall
and his remarks frequently were inter.
rupted by applause.
Other speakers were John c. Winston
Thomas Raeburn White. DR.. Georg,
Woodward, Senator-elect in the German
town district: Clinton Rogers Woodruff
Fowell Evans, Mrs. II. S. p NichoIs
OF the New Century Club, and Mrs
Edward Biddle, of the Civic Club.
Thomas Raeburn White outlined ,
comprehensive idea for a new charter
aimed at correcting many of the exist
ing Ills Of city government He pro
posed a single-chamber council of fif
teen members elected at large.