Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-02-01
NEW CHARTER IS
NOT PROGRESSIVE.

Editor Every Evening:-A charter Is
now being reconstructed and all proper
theories should, through the press, be
presented to the people Of both city and
State. Is tho State to be ignored2
Who is tho Slater We suppose the
State to include everything In the State
which Is created by II. and 1t must rule
all within It's jurisdiction, nation only
excepted. The State also owes an OBJ
legation TO protect all, under the same
system OF government: 1t cannot set
up free rule in one district and des-
potic rule in another. There Is no need
To attempt to prove this. 1t cannot be
disputed. This ia not the time to fol-
low extravaSant, popular clanor. ono
man says In making a charter. we must
be for progress" II Is not progress
to so back to benighted antiquity and
drag out systems buried for centuries.
Green's history of England shows ali
about the Saxon Witenagemote or
Council and what its oligarchio rule
Was. 1t had all rule In the nation. III
was tho Legislature. executive ana
court 1t could elect and depose the
king. To It belonged the higher justice.
tho imposition of taxee. the making OF
all lawn. the control of war and the
appointment of high officials. This
was complete commission rule for n
large nation. The three departments
were ali combined IN the more than
1000 years old system. The now city
charter does propose to leave the city
court to the State. hence there is bit
Of progress from the almost forgotten
past
But here IL whore true progress be-
gan: In 1889 America progressed lar
beyond the Saxon days and swept away
despotic rule. banished king and par
lament and made tho only safe gov
ernment In which the Legislative cI-
ecutfve and judicial powers were for
ever separated, A fictitious progress
is now showing itself: and would COM
bine legislative and executive powers
under one small commission Out of
sheer necessity the city court Is left
out. But why? All other powers are
gathered into this omniverous charter.
The proposal is to grasp all power 20
make laws and to execute them by the
same hand Under this the ssIue men
would lay the tax. collect and spend II.
This would be a high and unthinkable
stunt in free government: IL would
be dangerous and arbitrary Ths is
retrogression back to the dark ages.
Which Is progress. the American
Constitution or commission rule joining
IN one control the right TO make AL
law at pleasure and to execute It.
Washington and his sword cut these
powers asunder: shall we allow self
interes. or prejudice or lack Of knowl-
| edge 10 reunite what patriotism and
political safety has decreed should be
kept separate2
For some unforeseen reason the
world is In rtate of discomfort and
under the alarming dead weight OF mis-
conception and a species Of political
hysteria No invention can equal a
proper mayor. Council and court form
of city control. When all Wilmington
was clustered about Fort Christina a
commission charter might have suf-
feed. II is now decidedly too late!
Wilmington natters itself that IL will
soon be a vast metropolis Of 100000
souls. why do we wish 10 fasten upon
it, In It's greatness. form OF govern
ment At only for a country school dis
trict7 AS It expands safety and secur-
ity must be the vatchword.
George A. Taney.
Wilmington. Jan. 81. 1921