Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-09-23
Circulation Every 1Cc01
Evening Yesterday i OOOA
THURSDAY. SEPTEMBER 23, 1920.
,na,ber Menace Of Maladministration'

,ro,her Menace Of Northumberland
The summary threat Of the Wilmington
SANITARY Co. sent To the Board OF Health
On Tuesday, that unless the city at once
granted the company an increase oi ABOUT
so nsn a wear over the present allowance
f,r garbage disposal II would close IT'S gar
hape incincrating plant tomorrow ne
,lant ,s owned by the city. but operated
hy the company. and the latter coupled IT'S
.,nmary threat with the gracious offer to
ann over the plant TO the city, and alio"
The latter 10 dispose of the garbage whlch
i. collected bv another agency and de-
bvcrcd AZ the crcmatory.
I, i difficult 70 understand the sinuous
stets that were taken in respect oil the
,,rb,gc di-posal problem until they ied
+, ,hr prcsent unsatisfactory and disturb
mo SITUATION. but that the entire affair has
leen nisrrablv msmanaged is plainly ap-
r,rent II Is onlv another instance OF the
,ncthcicnt and incompetent management
~ municipal affairs from which the people
.f Wilmington have suffered much an
poyancc and loss for many years, ana
from winch thcy are likely to continue 70
sufT,r indefinitely unless they arouse from
thclr apathy and demand a change
Tins example cf mismanagement IS
only / specimen II is duplicated IN other
respccts. not only in city administration
but II that of New Castle county Inc
,nne,ingand expensive conditions face the
t,Nn,ycr~ m their daily walks Of hte, with
not the slightest suggestion Of improve
ment They have been going along year
.,lter year too busy IN their personal inter-
,sts and pleasures TO give serious considera-
t,ou III their civic duties, and IN conse-
oucncr. the ncompetents and the wastrelS
la,e nat only hcen installed in the pubic
service which thew are not fit, or not VIII
ms ta attend 20 in any businesslke man
ner brt indorsed AZ election after cleo
tion with regularity and exasperating IN
difference
But conditions are assuming such a
shane that the people may soon be stirred
~ positlve action for their protection. In
state. county and city administrations
thcy are grossly imposed upon. The state
administration has long been extravagant'
and without any cndcavor TO reduce ex-
penditures. has met increasing demands
bv increasing taxes. ourueh VI
state taxes not riously unfair and un!us'
that the people Of Wilmington. who were
mulcted for the bulk Of them, these state
administrations have added an obnoxious
state income tax. the bulk Of which also
rests upon the people Of Wilmington, and
according 10 Republican paper OF tins
r,tv. deliberate discrimination IS exercised
la the collection OF this tax.
The condition Of administrative affalr'
m New Castle county has long been no.
t1r.aus for ineficiCncv. extravaganza anc
lack a beneficial results. together with
oneraus taxation increased rates based OF
increased assessments The people I'M
rp ,ed upon are treated most shabbily
Evcn partisan agencies cannot deny thes'
evil and wastcfu conditions OF concea
the responsibility for them.
Eauallv notorious have been the ex
travaeance and inefiiciency of municipa
administration. Our schools are suffering
from the refusal Of City Council for year
q make appropriations adequate to thel
support They have not yet been full!
opened for the fall term, by reason OF de
laws IN repairs and inprovements-incl
ing the provision Of facilities to guart
against FIRE and aid in the escape of tn
pupils from fire invasion that in some in
stances has been deliberately invited b,
negleet And now we have this ridiculou
and threatening tangle over the dispose
II garbage which fairly competent ad
ministration would not have allowed t
come 20 pass.
But what are the people going to do
Will they calmly endure these imposition
Of maladninisuation indefinitely. withou
even q protest. We think not.