Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-09-06
f,rs1ias'2a fTsnins satulday uns5y 1926
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 1920 ;
Let Indignation Lead TO Action.

Let Indignation Lead 10 Acuoh'
Recently there have been numerous
indications that at last the people OF
Wilmington are becoming aroused to
Indignation at the unsatisfactory ccndi-
tions which have been permitted TO
spread in our local administrations, city
and county. and also to a considerable eN-
tent over unsatisfactory and costly con-
ditions in State administration. The ms
erable state Of important public highways
leading into Wilmington, the irritating
stupidity and delay that gave no con-
sidcration to the need Of traffic accom-
modations across the Brandywine until the
old bridge at Washington street was
about 10 be demolished to make room for
the new structure, the dangerous IN
difference of the City Council to the
highly important matter of efficient fire
protection, eliminating in a strike by
five companies of the department, are
startling instances Of administrative
incapacitv and have struck deeply into
the public mind For bad roads are an
INJURY ip 4 tOnilllNlliANf iSAt n - tAs'tfaN
communication between sections OF the
city separated by stream OF water
arc detriment to business rs well as an
irritating interference, while no Gem
munity can afford to have its fre-fghting
service so trifled with as to threaten an
impairment of proper protection. These
facts should have been recognized IN
time and prevent disturbing conditions
guarded against Instead, they were de-
hberatcly invited, and in respect OF the
fire department the climax Is especially
serious. as insurance interests have Tor
some time been looking into the situation,
and have strongly intimated that unless
reform soon comes there may be ma
terial increase in insurance rates. probably
a large cancellation of insurance business.
When TO this irritating and really
dangerous condition of affairs there IS
added excessive and burdensome taxa
tion. it is no wonder the people at last
arouse from their surprising lethargy and
begin 10 speak their minds. This IS what
the people Of Wilmington arc doing now
They have long remained quiescent
under inefficient administrations, city
and county-tO say nothing OF unsatls-
factory and unduly costly conditions in
State ADMINISTRATION coupled with ex-
cessive taxation which produces revenues
ample to warrant the most effective and
businesslikc results if intelligently and
economically applied, but the limit OF
their patience has been reached. The bad |
roads, the bridge tangle, the fire depart |
ment muddle, the threat Of impaired IN !
surance service and the burden OF ex- |
cessive taxation, especially the imposition |
of the execyable ''occupational' taxes by |
Citv Council-which are a double burden, |
the State mulcting the business and manu- |
featuring interests in ike manner and TO |
a much grea ter extent-have come with a /
rush upon our people. and have proved |
such an imposing array Of administrative |
evils. irritating to the feelings and delying |
deeply into financial resources, that |
in truth they may be compared to "the |
last straw, which breaks the eamel's |
back" 1t is no wonder the victims are at /
last voicing vigorous and indignant pro-
test.
Against the conditions which have thus /
eliminated in serious burden Of ain |
convenience and cost Every Evening has
long protested especially in respect Of |
city and county administrations. We |
have urged reform, in seasop and out, |
through the selection Of better agencies Of |
county administration, and radical change
in municipal administration through
a new and effective city charter. At last
the light is breaking and the people are
realizing their precariouS situation and
the necessity Of radical reform. Other
agencies are now taking part in the cam,
paign for better government in Whining
ton and New Castle county.
Looking at the matter broadly"
says the Morning News, in the course Of
an editorial referring to some of these evil
conditions which we reprint elsewhere in
this issue, why should not well-known
citizens and all others become indignant
about the entire scheme of city government?
Those who profit under the present sys-
tern are Of course satisfied, but not all Of
them. They, however, compose only
small part of the total population We
believe that vast majority of our citi-
zens. when they think of the matter, are
that there should be change"
And our contemporary urgently recon-
mends a new city q ter and the com
mission form of government, under
which I'VE could have, if We willed it,
the best kind of city government" "Iet
arouse from its sluggish
ness" our neighbor continues LET us
have sustained indignation Then there
will be action, and we shall be dragged
from the mire of an incompetent and
unsuitable city government in which we
have been fioundering."
The fault in the past is that we have
been applying national political CON