Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1922-04-20
(continued From First Page.)

men while still maintaining their
own business"
Mr. Ridgeiy considered the most
Important phase OF the govern
mental problem how.to get the most
competent men as Levy Court Com
missioners. mo system can rise
above the character of the men who
administer IT," he emphasized.
u believe that II a drive is made
for good county government, with
good men TO administer 1t, by per-
sonal and press propaganda Il Will
eventually succeed. The taxpayers
skin has become thin and sensitive.
IL will not take very much to make
him understand that second rate Of
fcers and a second rate system are a
costly tax upon his private purse. ="
Mr.. Ridgely was introduced by
Josiah Marvel. who referred TO the
visiting speakers activities as a
lawyer. banker. farmer. Democrat
and as a citizen.
Mr. Ridgely's speech in full was
as follows:
Il have been askei to speak TO
you on county government. Had
the choice been left to me. would
have taken less dry a subject. Do
not therefore. hold me wholly re-
sponsible II you are bored.
LAS you know, number OF
changes in the government Of Kent
county went into effect last year.
Briefly they were: A three instead
of a ten member Levy Court; per-
sonal valuation OF ones own prop
erty for assessment; a county board
Of assessment OF three members; a
receiver of taxes instead Of ten dis
trict collectors; and penalties for
delayed payment OF taxes instead OF
discounts for prompt payment.
THE changes have been in effect
50 short a time that II may be said
they have not yet been given a prac-
teal test. 1 believe. however, that
certain results have already been
indicated.
THE defect In the old system OF
a Remember Levy Court was the
tendency to decentralization both in
policy and in administration. Each
Representative District had its
member. and the inclination was to
allocate the interests OF each partic-
ular district 10 its own particular
representative. The result was. not
unified body administering the
county as a unit but confedera-
ton OF petty localities. a board ad-
ministering ten units. Such a system
OF particularism was calculated 10
ohstruct the adoption and execution
Of broad. even policies over the
county as a whole. At least, some OF
the inequalities that have existed for
years in the different hundreds or
districts In regard 20 roads, assess
ments and the like we're due 10 this
particular regime.
Apparently, however, the drafts
man OF the new Kent county statute
did not have these facts IN mind
At any rate. the act did not abolish
districts and make the county tn
unit Of representation. It merely
lessened the number Of districts q
that we now have three Levy Cour
districts in Kent instead Of ten. /
80 far as three is nearer the singl
unit than ten. the new statute ha
diminished the particularist defect
have referred to. but just as thre
is alphabetically not one. so the In
herent defect Of the old system ha
heen carried over into the new. Tn
roricai and inevitable result has fol
lowed. The Levy Courtmen electe
nader the new system are bese
with the temptation TO conside
themselves as representing in par
ticuiar their respective district
rather than the county as a whole.
"The plain truth is that polite
entered into the writing OF the ney
statute. II was said that unde
the district system there would b.
representation OF the minority 20
liticai party, and that this was
desideratum. II such representation
be especially desirable, II could hav'
been secured without dissecting tn
county. But II II could not, the
cost was too great Whenever dis
tricting is resorted to the tempta'
ton TO gerrymander becomes In
creasingly difficult 10 resist and
h accommodating is a heinous politi'
cal sin. Moreover, by the districtinl
system the citizen loses thus mucf
Of his suffrage. Instead OF beinf
able TO vote for all the members Of
the board who are TO administer
his comfy. tax his property and con
troll his public roadside Is only per
mitted TO indicate his choice as 70
single member. Under such a sys
tenn. Il IL possible TO elect a Lev,
Courtman whom a majority OF tn
people Of the county do not want.
1T may be urged that these sam
objections would apply equally ,
the General Assembly. In a senl
this Is true. but It does not pro-
that the system Is good. In the III
place. the advantage, or even q
necessity. OF minority party repI
sentation in the Legislature whs
the consideration Of party or pI
tisan policies is more or less
evitable. is very patent; whereas
advantage of such representation
a board OF administration OF cou
fnancies and county government
lar less manifest. Apart from
difference. however. / am persua
that the district system is a mist
even when applied TO the Legi'
ture. Undoubtedly there should
representation OF the minority
litical party in that body, but
should be and could be secured
some other method. Any one v
has studied the effects Of the dist
system upon Delaware legislatu
must be convinced that its tende
has been to lower the standard
the legislators and 10 narrow Il
vision and their sense Of respo
bility. Under this system, the az