Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-07-28
Circulation Every 1909
Evening Yesterday i OOO0
Getting Men for Public Office.

Ordinarily there is no difficulty III the
Sling Of public offices, whether they
carry fair compensation or even none AT
all. But occasionally difficulties are en-
cour-ered. and the appointing power runs
against the troublesome situation oil nav
ing public positions TO fill without oeihs
ahlc IA find good men willing to accept /
the appointments.
such a perplexing and troublesome
situation Mayor Taylor is now wrestling |
with. and has been for several months
in respect Of making an appointment 10
Eli an existing vacancy IN the fuohc
TIi,htles Commission, to say nothing OF
making an appropriate selection Tor sue
ccss,on to a member whose term expires
next Saturday. and who refuses to accept
disappointment.
IL any citizens have felt inclined 10 &C
cnsc Mayor Taylor of lnetficiency or
dcrpiction in having failed thus lar TO
ill the existing vacancy, they should at
once remove this erroneous impression
from their minds For Mayor Taylor mas
hcen doing his hest for long while TO
secure capable and satisfactory selections
for the existing vacancy and the one soon
n, occur. Thus far. however. all ms Ell
forts have been nullitied by retusals 10
accept. although he IS now hopeful that
tins crave difficulty may be removed IN
Few laws by acccptances.
when the situation II carefully ana
rrhnurv considered, Il will be inliy
understood WIS Mayor Taylor hnds NM
sll b such prcdicament IN respect q
tb... tNo important appointments ~
A.. nI.J pla,g tie office - member q the
ltlht lrhtr- Commission Is not m
.m,lr.l ,u thp desirable class Even vain
glad sala, attached many good men
U.nll refuse to accept it. on account OF
the character - rs duties, and the eN-
trrmc difficulty Ia rendering faithful ser
wee without encountering large amount
IL public condemnation, most OF II entirely
t,ndescrvcd. For no matter how faithfully
the best kind Of citizens might endeavor
u perform their duties IN positions Of TINS
kind. they would be sure TO encounter not
only Unjust criticism, but undeserved con
dennation. Why this is so is apparent to
al. And add to this difficulty the very
meagre compensation Of only i've dollars
per meeting-not more than sixty dollars
in a vear-and it will be understood why
busy and capable men refuse all soliclta-
tons to accept these appointments.
The mavor is further handicapped by
the provision of the law which divides the
CITY into FIVE districts, and requires one
appointment to be made from each DIS
trict. In such situation he cannot pos
siblv secure an appointment OF any better
character than Is contained among the
material resident in the district. In thu:
important requisite. one district may ot
SERIOUSLY deficient of good material, but
the mayor must make q selection iron
that district. Other districts Pay have
plethora Of good material, but none o
il available by reason of refusals to accept
The mayor cannot force appontmen
upon an unwilling citizen.
In such a situation 1t becomes a serlou
question how far it is the civic duty o
good citizens TO accept appointment L
these important, but in many respect
undesirable, public positions. Perhaps
careful consideration of this question b,
some Of our citizens may aid Mayo
Taylor in making the two pending ap
pointments 20 the Public Utilities Com
mission.
The situation also is important by rea
son of the existing condition in respect G
the traction company's application TO
permission TO increase fares for the pun
pose Of meeting it's financial requirement.
which il claims il cannot do. at prevailin
rates. The board. now consisting Of onl
four members by reason Of the exlstln
vacancy, is deadlocked on the decisro
Of this important matter. A full board
essential TO a decision. one way or tn
other. and public interests demand d.
cision.