Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-11-30
COL. J.P. JERVEY
SPOKE HERE TODAY ON
CITY GOVERNMENT
Well-Known Engineer and City
Manager Addressed Chamber
of Commerce.
ADVANCED MODERN IDEAS

Modern eas in the matter Of munici-
pal government were today presented to
the Chamber of Commerce, at luncheon
Mt the Hotel du Pont, by Col. j. 7 Jervey'
city manager Of Portsmouth, Va. Col.
Jcrvey is former vii mngtonlan, having
been a resident of this city when he was
United States engineer for this district. a
few months ago he retired from the army In
order to accept the post offered hum by
Portsmouth. Since going to the latter
city he has had considerable experience
and what he had TO say today was doubiy
important, because of that fact
The Rotary Club, which was the first TO
launch the present new charter agitation
here and the Kiwanis Club, which IL IN
sympathy with the movement attended
the luncheon as guests of the Chamber oi
Commerce.
The address was opportune, IN view of
the fact that Wilmington is about to ask
the Legislature to give IL n new form OF
municipal government. IL Is therefore
timely that all information obtainahle on
the subject be presented to the citizens.
SHOULD BIZ FREE FROM POLITICS
Colonel Jervey in his introduction showed
tho necessity Of city managers having n
general knowledge Of many subjects ne
essentials Of any government, he said,
are intelligence. order and justice. lntclh-
gerce can be secured by choosing proper
men. free from political influence and by
Dayment Of liberal salaries The salaries
Colonel Jervev said. will he saved many
times hv honest and efficient adminlstra-
tion Order can be secured hv efficient
poles departments and by avoiding IN
necessary laws and by wisom IN draft
ing and passing laws. combined with
general education iuCulcatIUg respect Tor
the laws To secure justice, he declared
that the courts must he sSSur, q ot pcr-
mauant tenure ol office free from poiltlcal
Influence and incompatible ludRca, glran-
teed b. careful selections and hy giving
satisfaction that will place the men sc
/ lected in such position pecunianly that
they will not Iced 20 worTN as ~ their
means of livelihood
Colonel Iervey discussed deficiency IN
CITY government. IN general, under three
heads Lack Of civic spirit in citizens, de
fciencv in for Of government and ma
tarial deficiency. He said that lack Of
civic spirit can be cured by intensive cam
paiCns and propa ganda carried on through
the press. schools, pulplts and pubhc speak
ers Efficiency in form II government are
due largely 10 divided responsibility,
cumbersome methods, frequent chan ges,
lack Of traircd mon in responsible positiors 5
and the necessary greater influence Of
politics in the usual form Of city govern
ment. consisting of mayor, double
headed Council and various elected and
appointed officers some under the usual
form Of city charter, beirg appointed by
the Council, and some elected by the peo-
pie and some appointed by State legisla-
lures
CITY MANAGER PLAN.
He said that this deficiency viii be met
bv instituting the city manager form OF
government. which is a close approxima-
tion. if fully carried out, 70 an ordinary
business organization. to which stockhold-
e-s are represented by the citizens. the
board Of directors by the Council or Com
mission and the general manager by the
city manager Under the city manager
should be the heads OF all departments