Evening journal., 1919-10-21
WOULD Divide
DELAWARE into
TWO COUNTIES
CONTINUED From First Page }

Continued From First Page.l
other all OF the state outside OF VII
mlngton.
The conclusions reached in the book
in part follows:
"The main emphasis OF this survey
has been on the structure and organi-
zation OF county government; and not
even the chapters which have dealt
with specific problems such as taxa
tlon, budgeting. accounting. purchasing,
Office efficiency. social welfare inslitu-
tions, and highway management have
been able TO exclude this eyer-hauni-
ing problem. The reason Is not far 10
seek: In almost every administrative
problem which came within the pur-
view OF this Investigation there could
be no doubt that inferior and deficient
Organization was quite as potent fac
tor as Gf,soleie and unsuitable tech
nique method"
In the matter OF taxation 10 VIII be
recalled that where the best organiza-
tion for assessment and collection was
found the most metlculous enforce
ment Of The spirit and the letter OF the
law was observed. Attempts TO install
a budget system In two counties have
prove abOrtiye chiefly because the Or
ganlzatlon Of county government was
such that while the Levy Court could
go through the motions OF making a
budget, n had no effective control OF
estimates. appropriations, and disburse-
ments. Likewisce 10 was seen that loose
business methods and archaic Ofllce
practices survived because the organl-
zation Of the counties is so dislnleg-
rated that a single office can Isolate H.
self and remain unconscious OF the
advent Of better ways. Similarly defec-
tive organizations Is openly charged
with responsibility for the dcplorable
conditions found In certain almshouses
and jails. 50 the enumeration might
be continued; literally scores OF prob
lem OF county administration In Della
ware today trace their origin more or
less directly back TO that single cause
Organization.
Bearing these facts IN mind. n Is
difficult TO escape the conclusion that
the reform most needed In Delaware
county government today Is a complete
remOldlng OF the present organization
20 conform 20 the principles which ex-
perience has shown 20 be productive
OF efficiency. responsibility and ecOnmy.
And II Is believed That the plans which
have been outlined In the foregoing
chapters are founded upon such prin-
ciples."
In speaking OF the connection be-
tween the counties and the State. Mr.
Maxey says. 1T does not require very
exhaustive analysis 10 demonstrate trst
the countries sge primarily agencies
OF the State go4rnment and only in
cidentally instrumentalities OF local
government. Their chief use seems 10
be 10 furnish media by which State
law can be locally applied, and cOnse-
quently there Ia n-each county a group
OF officers whose main duties are the
execution OF general law. In this group
should be included the clerk OF the
peace, register OF wills and clerk Of the
orphans court, TIE proihonOtary.
recorder OF deeds. the coroner.
sheriff, county superintendent Of
schools, deputy attorney general,
Justices OF the peace and the regulator
Of weights and measures.
aHWM ANAN IWlMN NlAhN - MfNMNM ~
make Is this: Is 10 necessary 10 have
three elaborate sets OF county ma
chinery 90 dispose. Of the volume OF
State work now discharged by the
county governments In Delaware"
About onc-half OF the people I'm Della
ware live in Wilmington. where the
problems Of local government are
complex and different from
those prevailing elsewhere IN the State.
For this reason it has been urged that
be made a seperate political
entity with a reasonable degree Of
autonomy In purely local affairs. The
remainder OF The State is rural with
the exception OF a few small villages,
outside Of which local government
problems are practically non-eXistent; !
but for the purposes OF State admlnis-
tratlon this territory Is apportioned
among three counties. In each OF which |
the magnitude OF the State work Is
hardly commensurate with the elabora- !
ton OF the machinery OF administration. |
Could not a better method OF executing |
state law be conceived? Would u not |
be feasible 10 reduce the number OF
TO two-0ne colncident with |
lle Guy ul NiluliuktuH diu tlAb utiti i
the remainder OF the State |
"The result OF such a plan would be
one urban and one rural county, and |
neither would be too populace or too |
large for effective administration. II
would considerably reduce the cost and1
wol.d increase the efficiency
Df the administration, particularly If
he administration should be revised ac-
,Ordlng 20 a centralized plan