Evening journal., 1919-04-30
H. R. ISAACS RIPS
COUNCIL MAJORITY
Scores Republicans o r
Failure to Pay Flu"
Epidemic Bills
CONNELL Y REPLIES
TO ATTACKS ON HIM

LOmmlLlecs at a IAttllnk OF NiN bNiii'T D
cratic City Committee last night rap 4
ped the majority members Of City /
Council for their attitude IN not pay /
ing bills contracted during the Spanish /
influenza epidemic last fall he ac- I
cuscd the Republican members Of re-
fusing 90 cooperate with the Board OF 4
Health 10 llght the disease, and said
Council laid down on the job when I.
residents Of the city, whom II was sup .
posed 90 represent, were dying by the
score. It neither gave funds TO the I.
Board Of Health nor took up the hgnt
itself"
Mr.. Isaacs also condemned the ap-
parent intent OF Council 10 accept an
oner from a gentleman not resident
of the city 10 pay the influenza bills.
"Ii0w can this course be iustihed?' Mr..
lsaacs asks 9f the bills are an obli-
s3tlon against the city, Council has no
right 10 shirk the duty paying them
With city funds; n they are not an OBJ
legation against the city. Council has
no right 20 pay them either with IFS
own money or that Of an individual
who may offer TO do So"
The meeting was largely attended.
Mr.. Isaacs said in part:
Don't think for a minute, that we
are going 20 have an easy time Win
ming our expected victory In the first
place. as a foundation, we must nomi-
nate men who have the respect and
confidence Of the entire community;
men VINO can command not only the
entire party strength at the election,
hut also the Independent vote and the
votes OF Republicans who want 10 see
q change. Therefore, we must start
right. and I urge you 10 see 10 il that
only the right sort Of men become can
didstes on our ticket With the right
sort Of men, l believe, we can count
ON victory.
'We-and I am speaking as a citizen
0f Wilmington and not particularly as
"a Democrat-know full well the record
Of the present City Council, with its
Republican majority. Probably the
most striking demonstration OF in
ealclency I'm that behalf was tn con-
nection with the influenza epidemic
last fall. l need not tell you what
bappened. Now. II the newspapers
made correct reports Of the last meet
ing Of Council, / think it was, that
bodv after having repeatedly refused
40 nav the bills incurred In fighting the
influenza, for which II has refused TO
appropriate money TO the Board OF
Health. gave heed 20 an offer from a
gentleman who Is not a resident OF
Wilmington. 20 Lluidate so much Oh
this obligation as Council considers
INST Whether Council intends 20 ac-
cent that offer / do not know, but the
attitude Of some Of the members at
mat meeting would lead me TO believe
that such IS the intention OF the ma
jority. .so,ao
II the bills are an Obligation against
the city. Council has no right to shitA
the duty OF paying them WIN Guy
funds: II they are not an Obligation
AGAINST the city, Council has no right
To pay them either with It's own
money or that Of an individual VINO
NAV offer 90 do so. II this indiyldual
wants 20 pay these bills, that IS MS
AFFAIR. but not Councils, as far as l can
sae. Councils duty is phin. II the
city owes the money The city should
nay 10. II ,he city does not owe the
mnrAy 70 Should not pay.
"The fact remains that the hepuDl-
can-coniroled Council refused the ap-
peal Of the Board Of Health, during
fhe epidemic to give it funds with
which TO fight the disease. This is
what Council didn't do. Now, what
did Council do toward an effort TO
cone with The epidemic. Did It agree
10 make the fight or TO cooperate
with its financial means, with any
agency that was willing to do so2 Not
so far as I have been able to notice
Council appears 10 have lain down on
the lob when residents OF the city
whom 10 was supposed to represent
were dying by the score. lt neither
gave funds 20 the Board OF Health, nOI
took up the nght itself. It simply did
nothing, as far as I can learn, and
when the bills, contracted by the
Board Of Health, in cooperation with
the Council of Defence, for the sole
benefit Of the health Of Wilmington
came along. they were ignored and pay
ment refused.
Il don't believe the people OF VIII
mington feel saft 10 trust their lives anC
fortunes TO the mercy Of City Council
that has this conception Of public duty
and that Is why q change is not only
desirable, but also necessary, II we are
90 have what we can feel is a safe, city
government"
tOnnelly DcineS Position.
William NJ Connolly, candidate fol
Mayor, addressed the city committee. il
which he denied hat his campaign Il
being financed by Alfred /. dupont lr
the course Of his speech he admitted
that the alfred !. dupont or the dis
favored faction Of the Republican party
had assisted the Democrats two year,
ago TO elect the Mayor and gain con
troll Of the city government for fOul
years In part Connolly said;
1T is being circulated very conspicu
ously that my candidacy for mayor Il
very Objectionable TO the Organization
or I might say moreover 10 the invis
ible hand Of the organization. an
charged with being a member OF The
Voters Non-Partisan League, which i
a base. INSCRIPTIONS falsehood, an'
that my campaign is being financed by
Alfred /. dupont, reports that are IN
founded In every detail. and from wher
and by whom such canards were in
vented, and why they were invented d
ineomprehensible to me"
Some Democrats observed that Mr.
Connolly refrained from denying tina
influences associated with the Alirel
T. dupont Republican faction are exert
ing their efforts 10 bring about his nom
inatlon. Connolly charged that Tn
Democratic City Committee is playing
TO a faction OF the Republican part,
that docs not favor him. Tic concluded
Il emphatically renOunce any and al
connection Of any kind with any factor
or factions or individuals Of The Repub
lican party, and detest the use Of an.