Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-03-21
CITIZENS IN LAST
DESPERATE EFFORT
FOR NEW CHARTER
Continued from page ]

|
unanimously indorsed the citizens bill
again, and sought for some way II
which to exercise more influence owe
the Republican Legislators who are defy
ing their wishes.
Among all of the 200 citizens VIII
crowded the rooms and those who stoo'
up In the hall outside. there was bu
one dissenting voice. and that was from
Representative Virden. His appear
ance and situation was truly pitifu
He would not help In any way; he toll
those who were present that he hat
never been driven and would not b
driven: he refused any advice and sug
| gestion when asked what was wronl
with the citizens bill in the House |
there was any, but the most abjec
state OF his mind was reflected toward
tho close of the meeting. He was aslse'
To define the legislative boundaries o
this city and although he Is membel
| of the legislature. he did not answer
the question. Former State Senator
Thomas J. Gormley came TO his ale
| and named the boundary lines.
VIII Keep up Fight
| One OF tho most important acts Of
| the committee was to decide 10 CON
tinue in service. and whenever the time
appeared opportune to again press a
demand for n new charter. II the ef-
forts today should fail.
The startling development Of tho
meeting was the reading by Leon Wal
kcr. chairman Of tho Citizens Commit
toe. of the bill which Senator Robertson
reported In the Senate and which was
the exact opposite In many details TO
a. -Ft of rffN
had framed and indorscd. Mr.. Walker
conparcd tho two bills. paragraph by
paragraph, where they were different.
For weeks the Republicans had con
tended. while the charter bill was being
prepared. that there should be a man
datorv town manager provision incor-
porated in the bill. The Citizens Com
mittcc agreed to this. Mr.. Robertson.
in his bill. wiped this out placing Il up
"a the commissioners as 10 whether
there should he town manager or not.
He eliminated tho partisanship sec
tion which would have made the com
missioners elected on non partisan
basis.
He had a funny paragraph regard
ing the audit OF accounts. which no one
seemed to understand. and which could
he interpreted in various ways. IL
seemed.
lie had many other changes. ono re-
frrring To the Harbor Commission.
which would have made that body come
at once under tho jurisdiction Of tho
commissioners. In the citizens bin the
IIarhor Commissioners We're allowed
~ direct their own affairs for 10 years
50 that the development OF the port
project might not become a failure.
Plans Kept in Dark.
An outstanding feature of Mr. Rob
crtsons : hill was that no one hut he and
his coniidants knew what was in g. 80
far as has been learned. The Citizens
Committee. prior 10 asking the citizens
to indorse the measure. had had thou--
anda Of copies Of the proposed measure
printed and circulated SO that the peo-
ple could know and understand what
was being proposed for them Mr. Rob
crtson kept his plans in the dark so far
as the public was concerned. And his
Republican colleagues in the Senate
voted solidly for hts scheme.
When Chairman Walker had complet-
"a his comparison the citizens present
were So taken back that there was prac-
tically no comment on the Robertson
move. Many spoke about the man as
they had known him in years past, and
some were charitable enough TO say
that he should not be blamed so much
as the invisible government OF VII
minEton.
Who are they" was asked (nean-
ing the invisible government'), but
aside from mentioning Col. j. A. Eli
son. chairman of the Republican City
Committee. and Charles Grantland
there was no reply. and the mention OF
their names was apparently more Of a
| mention OF Republican leaders than
the invisible government"
Chairman NOnplussed.
Chairman Walker announced that he
was nonpIussed as TO what step TO take
next. and aside from those mentioned
personal appeals to Republicans. re-
/ Endorsement of the charter bill az pre-
| pared by the Citizens Committee, re-
/ radiation of Senator Robertson's bill
/ there were few suggestions forthcoming
/ Rev. Zack W. Wells thought the time
! had come for the people TO rise and
/ stamp out the betrayers of the citi-
/ zens' wishes.
T. S. Doherty made several sugges-
| tions and pledged himself TO see Sena.
tor Robertson yesterday and talk il
| over with him.
Colonel Weller z. Slower suggested
that people go down on their knees anc
pray for the charter bill.
Miss Jeanette Eckman suggested
work at home in Wilmington rather
| than at Dover.
Senator Gormley suggested. anC
/ Charles II. Ten Weeges seconded tn,
idea. that a delegation 90 to the Stat,
| capital today.
Miss Edith Spruance wanted 10 know
who the invisible government" was
so that she and others could see them
Louis A. DeBlois suggested work q
/ home. William T. Budd urged IN
/ same.
Virden Antagonistic.
During all of this Representative
! Virden would break out occasionally
His purpose at the meeting. apparently
judging from what he said and wha
he refused to say, was certainly not L
give aid and comfort to the friends o
the charter. He refused the unite,
appeal of the meeting 10 tell how h
would vote.
TIL tell you when / vote on Monday.
he replied.
THE gang will tell you what to do.
some one replied.
I'm controlled by no ring" Virde
shouted in answer.
YES you are" a citizen replied