Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-01-29
E'1sS1es'S% Eveo'ns YesterSay sSsty 141O7
eA TURDAY, JANUARY 2e. 1921.
How 70 Secure Charter Reform

How 70 Secure Charter Reform
The CitiDsnS Charter COMMITTEES, o'
which Mr.. Leon Walker is chairman,
viii hold a meeting. Monday night, te
complete tho draft of tho new o'ty
charter measure which was prepared
NJ the instance of the citizens commit
%. hv a hi-partiHan committee oora-
poesd Of representatives of tho two
leading political parties I'm our city. The
latter committee apparently had COM
pleted tn work. In the preparation OF
charter measure providing for . nuni-
s,pai administration composed az 1--WE
commissioners. to be elected .at large
by the people. on a non-partienn uoke'
upon which there would appear na po-
uticnl destinations, but upon further
consideration of the subject the h-par-
t,.,n charter committee des1ned It ad-
visable to add TO the measure . provfsion
r,ouutnr the commission to appoint a
city mann ger, at "a salary not sxse>d-
ins $4,000 q year. 1t Is for oonsfo-
Grafton of this request that the Cd-
zsn.' Charter Committee win meet
Monday night
IL may be said with assurAnoA. bow
.n., ,h. C,tsxans' Committee VII
approve. unanimously in all probability,
the city manager suggestion of the bi-
n.rt,,.n committee. The measure ~
thus far accepted diA not prohfhdt the
apposntmsna e . city manager. ut LETT
n a . mattsr entirely In tho discretion
OF the osnnnissaon- The change WIN
merely make definite and mandatory
provision for such N Official.
This ohAnss Win not In any manner
i,upa.r the ef,,casn1u OF the eharesr
measure. but may b expected TO tn
crease IL. A municipal administration
conducted hy . board Of fve comnrte-
ssonar. with . city manager az chisS
~rarue1ye omosr, b believed to Be the
vv nees fnrm that consideration Of
shs subject and practical experience has
~ DEVISED II has beea tried In a con-
luntrenAae number Of communities rioa-
~sey IN Dayton Ohss. and Nerso'k. Va
~e,,.s of about she same G.1s and i'm
rors.noe - Wilmington. and - II has
produced admirable results there.
people q wuuAstsn nay conndently
lsok f,r s&xAl bsnsnt tcn tn inausu-
rA&1sn here.
10 now sw people are oonfronted
With the opportunity od securing for
xrs~dx o,ty q sysosm which. In the hands
Of an,abls agents, surely would bring
ep rhsn tho improved and effective
municipal Administration they have
vs1n.v sersvsr for and most earnestly
desired for many years. They may
extend to this form Of administration
,he,r earnest and undivided support.
eonodent In the belief that II VIII ro-
sat IN q vnAs& Improvement over long
prevailing conditions and, more tIn-
psrtant than all else, VIII place 1t an
sayuay within their power to secure the
best result. The commission city man
arr plan has been evolved from 4 long
study and investigation CT the sub
1sct Of municipal administration by
men whe havs devoted years Of SER
vice to this work and have finally
adopted this plan ~ being the most
practical, effective and readily opera
ave shgx tho Wit Of man could devise.
No failure has been noted under this
systsm that did not rest entirely upon
the people themselves, for II they fan
to select good agencies with the op-
portunity thus afforded them Of making
the best selections, they alone win be
Responsible. They win at least have
the rneanr at hand for securing what
is confidently claimed TO be one hum
dred per cent of efficiency in the ad-
nlinistration OF municipal affairs. ii
And now il will be ap TO the people.
all citizens interested in good muni-
cipal administration with adequate re-
turn for the money they contribute in<
the form of municipal taxation. TO aid
the Citizens Charter Committee in Sc
curing the enactment of this admirable
charter. This they may do by Great
ing that public sentiment which will
prove powerful against any insidious
assaults that may be made upon this
excellent and most promising campaign;
by signing petitions, by appointing
working committees, by bringing all
their personal and organized influence
70 bear upon members of the Legisla- |
ture, they can powerfully supplement |