Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-04-20

why there should not ~ prompt Snd
full collection under either system. OF
course the collector or collectors
should be elected by the Levy Court.
and reelection should be forbidden
where there has been any delay or
default.
As TO the salaries. That II not an
easy question. Shlaried Offices are
always potential political plums. Tho
lnrger the pay. the finer tho plum. IL
may be q curious fact. but II In "a fnct.
that improving the pay does not mean
improving tho Official.
II think It In pretty safe 10 assume
that tho man who wants tho phce for
the pay, Is not the man we want for
Levy Courtman. 1 cannot speak
thoritively for New Castle county, but
for Kent I can say that there are
~.scores Of capable business men who
could perform tho duties of a member
OF the Levy Court without an undue
sacrifice of their private affairs. Those
are just the men hat we need 70 adj
minister our county government. No
capable man IL going to give up his
own business to sit in the Levy Court
even II the salary be several thou.-
ands n ycar. When. therefore. IL Is
stated that tho salary should be large
enough to pay a man for sacrificing
his business, tho real purpose is to
ecure a more attractive political Job.
The pay should not DO based on Whole
time or on supposed business sacri-
fees, but merely on a reasonable COM
pensation for public service rendered
by business men while still maintain
. ing their own business.
II como now TO the nnal phase OF
the problem. II is moro important
, than all the rest combined: How 20
get the most competent men as Levy
Court commissioners. No systern can
= rise above the character and quality
OF the men who administer IL. Any
study Of government is essentially a
lstudy in human nature. Any political
system hat Is not based on the par
! ticular characteristics of the people
: over whom Il is to operate is fore
doomed TO failure. That is tho danger
n OF being too easily influenced by the
results In other communities whose
II people arc unlike our own. Broadly
10 speaking human nature IL the same IN
d all ATTITUDES and all ages, but this Is
with respect TO the elemental pas
sions. Built upon those passions are
he innumerabls differences IN thought
lie and feeling. in outlook md in action.
" When the depths are stirred. the bar
re riers Of locality and OF race itself are
h swept away. During the great war,
the boundary lines OF nations grew
90 faint and fainter but now that the
stress has past. they reappear more
marked and emphatic. Before ma
~ tional issues. Americans are one peo-
pie; but before local Issues. they may
"a be as different as the geography Of
the different States.
~, our problem is, then. 10 consider
:. first the peculiar strength and the pc.
~ culiar weakness of the average Arneri
can citizen; M next his strength an,
weakness az a Della wsrean. 7 am IN
clined 70 think that the part1cula
~ political defect IN the American char
acter Is to be too tolerant Of the ten
-, dency to look upon public Office a
the spoils OF party victory. Does an.
good businessman down IN his hear
believe that the nation, or M stat.
~ or the county. is efficiently admins
80, tered? I mean, after making Gil du
- dstoWhLlIt lDL mo uHOOIDNsu ulktrStlC
:, between the handling OF private an
- public affairs. 7 doubt II there is
man in this room who does not trul
~, lbeiieve that any one OF the three coun
ties IN this State could be run IA
,at more economically and enicientiy
he had the naming OF the members Q
he the Levy Court, wholly regardless G
no the system adopted. Is not, then. tn
We vital q~uestion-how can the best me
bta be secured for these Offices?
uld why do the people elect secon
for rate men? 70 Il because they war
lea them? I think not. They have grow
nv so accustomed 70 ineflc'ency IN pub
as lie places that they have almost com
Ike 20 think that It Is enevitable. Thei
on too. the choice OF public officers has &
It'll long been made a matter FOR infiamin
party feeling. passion and prelude
that calm judgment IL difficult 70 e,
self ercise IN the storm OF nomination an
nts election days. 1 am not grasping
II Ideal straws. I am not reaching Of
re- for the impracticable. I am not e,
uld pecting the elephant and the donke
II to lie down together. But I belie'
on that there is room for a little commo
9th sense even in the mid Of partisa,
his ship. I believe that IL & drive
on made foe good county government
with good men TO administer II.
personal and press propaganda, il VI
mp eventually succeed. The taxpayer
skin has become thin and senAitiv
low II Will not take very much 10 mai
tn him understand that second-vate o
mes icers and a second-rate system a
her a costly tax upon his private purse.
unit The real problem IS to get capah
men 20 make known their ~willingne
.h- 70 become members OF the Ley
in Court. Il is not that the people {
not want such men. The choice
. the voters anne be better han y
as- candidates. To improve the one, yo
must first improve the other.
The interest that YOU sentleme
- OF the ROtsyy Club have taken
NV this question OF county government
rni 10 me a most hopeful sign. VIII yc
not take the further step OF persua'
Ing som OF your members. or oth'
.o, men % Ike character and ability.
stand FOR such an Office as Lev
Courtman? Would 81 not be wort
while 20 make a public demonstrate
~ What q r4al hnzinea~ man can a,