Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-02-02
REPUBLICANS PLAN
NEW CHARTER BILLS
LEADERS CONFESS
Result May Mean killing" of
Official Measure Endorsed
by Citizens.
is A POLITICAL MANOEUVRE

Runners that there are to be other
charter bills, PROPOSING a new form Of
municipal government for Wilmington,
other than the one contained in the
bill prepared by the committee COM
posed Of Republicans aud Democrats
of the Bi-Partisan Committee and ap-
proved by the Citizens Committee. ap-
pear To be quite substantial. according
to expressions OF some leading Repub-
leans this morning
1t was admitted by several Republi-
cans that charter bills were being pre-
pared. but none OF those talked with
would admit they knew who was doing
the drafting ar who would introduce
them. The drafts. if rumors are to be
believed. embrace many radical de-
partures from the charter agreed upon
by the committee named by tho Re
publicans and Democrats. So different
arc they from the official bill that those
who profess to know what they CON
tain state frankly that there is little
likelihood of the Legislature attcmpt-
ing 70 consider them seriously.
So far as can be learned none of the
Democratic leaders have amy intention
Of Introducing bills containing proposed
new charter legislation While the Re
believed. embrace many radical de-
Democrats have stood as a unit and
when beaten on q vote have taken
gracefully.
Mayor TAYLOR has been quoted "a
being opposed u the present official
charter measure. but the Mayor denied
this today. While am IN favor Of a
~ ~ f-..-
of q mayor and delegate 10 him tho
selection Of other commissioners no
said, vet am not opposed to the
bill that tho Citizens Committee has
approved. It's a mighty good bin and
j hie Improvement over conditions nov
| The statement that We are now work
ing under a charter that is so years
old is not accurate. No have changed
the chartersevcral times. and as recent
II as 10 10 10 years ago. While We may
need more modern methods Vet we are
not IS far behind the times as somc
statements make Us appear to bc
Manor Taylor had heard ~ several
other charter bills 10 bc introduced a.
the Legislature. but could not designate
who We're supporting the bills. in op-
position 10 the official draft.
a prominent Democrat said today
Il appears 70 me that if the Repub-
licans introduce several charter bills III
Dover that win confuse the members OF
the legislature there is small chance
of getting any charter measure enact
cd. We did our fighting in the com
uittee and when we were beaten we did
not 60 around preparing amendments
or new bills so far as can learn
the Democrats are not going 10 put
up a fight IN the Legislature against
tho official bill that The Bipartisan
Committee and Citizens ComTrittee
have adopted and indorsed. That is
what the Republicans want us 10 do
and what they have tried in various
ways to get Us 10 do, but without sue
cess. We know that they are divided
among themselves. and the onus for
defeating the charter measure when il
comes before the General Ass rIahiy
| will he on the @. 0. T. followers and
not on Us
AT their conference nearly two
weeks ago the Republican leaders
laid down the Law to the members of
the Bipartisan Committee aud they
responded 10 the whip We do not
propose TO pun their chcstnuts out Of
the fire, and if they want 10 introduc,
. many charter bills and kill tn, bill
they agreed TO a few minutes age. tn,
blame Will be ON them"