Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-03-14
MONDAY. MARCH II. 1921
VOW ron CHARTER DECISION.

VOW FOR CHARTER DECISION.
,., tho Legislature viii take
.ctian on the new charter measure 'o'
wilmington lpfore the close "t ''l'S
- Thar. is no reason why its fate
.,,,,,,l no, be decided during IN" next
f.v aavs. ss the hill has been carelnHy
s.nsid-rol and is thoroughly un"''
.,o,5 and the situation is such that
anal action is now merely matter -
,o,m IN, sroner the contest IS ended
md tho suspense u those Interested
,,a to,, 80 10 measure relieved, the
beat~r it viii be
n is tho earnest hopo y Every Even
thai The General Assembly VIII
v,ss .hc Charter ILL. Il has been
cIs,rly demoustratod that is enactment
!. desired bv Irrse majority q thr
pa.pIs ~ Wilmington. vhilo tho merits
.s tha .vstom II municipal administTa-
rn +, aims t. establish have been
demonstrated in many instances il the
,osf pvaCtiCal fnannfl II HI if'h
s,,v ~ indulge IL further c"nsid'ra
ti.u ~ these two important elements g
s,,r,tIo, and il only ramains for
III. lawmakers 1T Dover 60 show
vn,,her they viii eratify this IN
a.rb,ed pubic, sentiment for an i'm
,-o,ed ana advanced system af admin
i.,rs,iou. or condemn it IL disarroint
mert
thus far there has been NJ form of
o,..u opposition to the nov charter
movement. but this las not served q
make clean sailing for the measure
Nor has it operated t. discount = the
spsn,est extent the manifest. We may
uly say overwhelming. sentiment in
rs fa,or Rn, that There ha= been from
III. met. secret and insidious orposi-
tiou. manipulated ~ selfish partisan
interests. * ven Gnovn. Tie ques-
t,ar. therefore. il. Which force will
tr.,la IL ,he decisive tes' ~ Dover
rho plainly manifest desire q Lars"
atoiity Il the people r Wilmington
.,r something which thev are suro VIII
advance thc interests q, the city and
.u its citizer~- ~ the selfish purposes
~ crafty politicians who seldom have
any hut their own welfare TO serve
II has been currently reported, with
volume of repetition that suggest
tba existence of the alleged procedure
that the partisan opposition has con
,octed a scheme whereby the suppor
Of All the Wilmington members os the
legislature will be extended TO thu
,haY,or measure on the decisive roll
calls. while its defeat will he hrough
about 10y hostile members from TN
rural sections This plan--if indee'
il Ia. bccn conceived and is 10 be pu
IN operatiou-can have hut one object
Ard that is TO thwa,t the manifest de
sre of . large majority ot the peopl
~ Wilmington for the new charte
measure they have SO thoroughly ap
proved. and save the wilmington mem
bers Of the Legislature from thei
wrath in the event that their desir
shall be thwarted. Those responsible
for defeat by this scheme. it Is hel,
would be safe from subsequent re
prisals by their outraged victims.
But while a scheme OF this despi
cable character might seem plausible.
is easy to conceive of difficulties tina
would arise in carrying it into effect.
is not t. be assumed that the member
of the Legislature from the rural sec
tions are mere political puppets. - J.
controlled by wires secretly manipuIat
81 rs designing politicians. They ~
Iucf prestn. abE intelligent ard honoi
able. and with as high regard FOR the
duties and the oaths Of office they hay
taken as any other men. There is 7
reason that we know Of to expect thG
thev viii pass judgment upon the Wi
r-inrton charter measure IN any oth'
p,anncr than with a conscientious d'
sie 70 do their full duty
To assume the success or this or Ar
other secret scheme Of selfish partlsa
manipulation is 10 assume that ce
tain members Of the Legislature W
consent 70 sacrifice honor. duty and r
sponsibility. and deliberately bligl
their personal and public reputation
hy consenting to carry out such a di
credfable program Selfish and co
rupt politicians, intent only upon pc
sonal profit. can do such things. and o
casionaIy men In high public stati,
eld X temptations - thGs stulti
lhelus~i5er and hesnIrch their pub