Evening journal., 1921-03-22
CITY CHARTER
KNOCKOUT BY
HOUSE VOTE
fcontinued dom DID Page.l

ments was strictly partisan, II Re-
publicans voting for the amend
ments and IS Democrats voting
against them.
Even il there had been merit in
the amendments, under the circum-
stances there was no possibility of |
them being adopted. Representative
Virden, who offered them. declared
when requested to explain on the |
floor what the amendments con-
tanned. when pressed for an ex-
PLANTATION by Representative Kramer.
Mr.. Virden simply said "the amend
ments speak for themselves"
These amendments read that a |
certain section OF such a number |
bill be amended by striking out GER
tain words or clauses and inserting /
other words or clauses. Mr.. Virden's /
explanation that the amendments |
explain themselves" created a laugh. |
The gallery was crowded when |
the charter bill was called up. Leon |
Walker, chairman OF the citizens |
committee that has made an able |
fight for the charter. voiced a plea |
on the floor for the charter bill as
introduced by Mr.. Kramer after the |
Virden amendments had been de-
feated.
Advocates OF the charter were not
backward in claiming that so-called
invisible government" had defeated
the charter this time, but give
warning that they will give this sort
OF government something to keep
l
session OF the Legislature. One lead
er in the real charter movement
said; I'VE will start our fight anew
for a modern charter for Wilmington
Immediately on our arrival home
tonight. The first thing will be TO
lay the ground to have elected to
the General Assembly in 1922 only
those citizens who will listen to the
will OF the people of Wilmington on
the charter question:"
Senator l.. Heisler Ball. for the
first time in many weeks was in
Dover yesterday. and some friends
OF the charter say he assisted in
keeping the Republican members in
line to vote against the Kramer bill.
The Kramer Bill was a substitute
because of the fact that his original
bill was In skeleton form and the
citizens committee draft-in to MI out
the bill. after opposition was raised
some weeks ago to the bill in the
Senate.
on Mr.. Kramers motion the sub
stitute was read and adopted unani-
mously in lieu OF the original bill.
Mr. Virden then started to offer his
amendments.
Virden Offers Amendments.
Mr.. Kramer insisted on an ex-
PLANTATION Of what the amendments
contained, but Mr.. Virden not with
standing the fact that Il was prac-
tically impossible for any member
under the circumstances to know
I just what the meaning OF the amend
ments were, unless he took copsid-
cradle time TO study them. refused
this information on the ground that
"the amendments speak for them
selves"
Representative +. II. Davis. went
to Mr.. Virdens assistance and also
attempted some explanation which
no one seemed TO understand. The
sense of Mr. Davis's explanation ap-
parently was the fact that Mr.
Kramer probably knew how to vote
on the amendments and therefore
he knew what they contained.
Mr.. Kramer replied 81 am in con-
/ troll Of my vote and I don't need
any assistance from the member
from Dover"
Mr.. Virden said that the Amend
ments are OF as much importance to
us as the caucus was to the other
side OF the house this morning"
which remark brought a laugh from
the house although no one seemed
to understand just what was meant
After the fve amendments had
been voted down by a strict party
vote. Mr. Kramer took the floor and
advocated passage OF the substitute
bill. He said in part;
"For sometime past representa-
tives OF both parties and the citizens
OF Wilmington have agreed that this
was the charter desired. There
were some objections at first on the
part ofta member OF this assembly
but they were met. This charter
was endorsed by S5 per cent Of the
people OF Wilmington, the other 10
per cent. being asleep"
"It was expected because OF this
general endorsement there would be
no opposition, but suddenly some
thing developed that surprised me
The invisible opposition came up.
when the bill came up on the
other side CSenate) a substitute was
offered that did not meet with the
approval Of the people of Whining
] unranH that
this was the bill the people wanted
Why, at the eleventh hour should
something be brought forth that nc
one had foreseen, I cannot under
stand.
mo one can state that we do not
need a now charter i'm Wilmington
We need il badly and it is my con-
, ception Of conditions that we are
not receiving value for a dollar
spent. am not scoring any politica
- party now in power or that has beer
3 in power, but the system is wrong
E Let us get a form OF government
= that will give us the value for ever,
e dollar spent"
n Mr.. kramer asked for the privi
s lege Of the floor for Leon Walker
2 chairman Of the Citizens Committee
which was granted. Mr.. Walker salt
In part: "As chairman OF the Ciu
zens' Committee. representing vari
Y Gus organizations. 1 speak for SOM
SO organizations comprising a mem
?. bership OF over $4,000. who hav
& gone on record in favor of this char
d ter now under consideration. w
n urge that you pass this bill. I sa.
: this bill because this is a bill tina