Evening journal., 1921-02-19
Peoples Column
CITY CHARTER AND PARTISAN
LIBERTY.

IlBItl T.
To the Editor OF The Evening Journal
Siri Delawere's senator, Dr. l..
Heisler Ball. sounds the alarm from
Wash ngton against non-parllsan
government for one-half Of the State
and pariisanship for the other half.
He Is able to see, as hundreds Of
ohots do. that through this tempest
ia teapot" cry OF uie clubs for
non-partisan city rule the people may
be led into trap.
Political affairs are not a fast and
loose game, one thing today aud the
reverse tomorrow NOBODY should con
viot himself Of Inconsistency. But
what does this matter, 50 long as we
can run after fancies, fads aud un-
practical proposals wrapped up In a
commission charter.
Men politically down and out may
see visions and hope in nOn-partisan
rule. Suppose the city election We're
10 happen In November OF a Presi-
dent al year? Which way would half
the state tlocaied on the Christiana)
votcy Would they vote with Kent
and Sussex - founder around be-
tween heaven and earth2 Airplane
tactics may suit dreamers, but hard
healed. sound thinkers see through
these foggy proposals OF non-partisan
propagand sts.
We cannot classify state politics
and city politics, especially when the
city Is half Of the State. It is silly
10 attempt u make the distinction.
Is partisanship pure and holy in State
and nation and seethlng In cOrrup-
tion in the city II Wilmington
makes this claim, it disparges rs
home people. The city is as sound
morei.y as other parts OF the Stats
but not aicre So.
Tho charter people must take one
stand or the other: They must ad-
nit they are as good as the rura
districts and should have the sams
rule, or they must say they arc
worse than others, and require arbi.
trary and despotio rule. Which CLAIM
do the commission planners make
! The Legislators should ask and solv.
/ this question. Are the city people
not 1T TO be trusted politically. ant
must they be tied down against par
| tisanship, against their evil prOpen
/ sites The non-partisan charte
claims and charges 10 much
We believe that city people an'
government are IDENTICAL in purit.
and virtue with that Of the rural dis
tricts. and this does not cause us G.
say that they are better. The legis
,atuir and the people OF the Stat
shoulG let il be known far and wild
HAT there Is No good, better an
best" about . All the people shoul
meet. act and stand on the sam
levcll There can be no legal dis
tinction
Religion Is non-partisan, but SEP
arate creeds are sonnet mes yiOlentl
partisan. There are no such thing
as non-partisan government. 10 is
thing impossible. A nOn-partisan gov
ernment would be a bOnehead GOV
ernment without life or brains 7
carry this out would be TO follow
D myth or worship an ida. What
politics but following policies? Me
may have occult ways Of ruling Will
out any public policy, but the VII
[ men OF an ages have not found
l When a man wants TO rule YOU, yc
I at once ask: What is your polio
YOUR platforms Oh ! am non-pari
s san. 1 am for nothing In particula
q I swim with the current. ] am real
y a nonentity from thei lips out, b
cause the charter prescribes this.
, this the theory OF commission ruiz
J No wonder Pennsylvania in 10
threw overheard non-partisan ru
% which had been fastened On thir
n class cities in 1913. They were si'
- OF it. They don't make this publ
In Wilmington. Every city questit
is a policy quest on. and a questiC
ane,iing ones availability as a cal
e didale. And the greatest question
z an is whether the city viii folio
e. state and nation in grave questions
r policy or be in opposition to all al
e hobble and limp along at It's ov
g pace. existing in nonentiiy? II poll
n cal rule e good and virtuCns for sta
n and nation. let us have it from q
Q 10 bottomi All learned men kno
= that city is simply a small r
T. public"
4 70 is a grave question II liberty
, political aflliat on can be allowed
= half Of the Slate and denied tc q
\ other half. We had hitter settle N
question now
GEORGE A. TALLEH.
FEBRUARY 70, 1921.