Evening journal., 1923-02-03
CITY BODIES
APPROVE new
CHARTER BILL

would throw control OF ths new
municipal government into thu
hands Of one section OF the city, and
deprive thousands OF citizens OF any
: representation whatever. Provision
for election at large. however, wal
retained.
Earlier in the evening, Mayor
, Harvey enlivened the proceedings by
, a speech in which he deplored the
lethergy displayed by the public to-
wards the Charter scheme, and ex-
pressed doubts II the people really
wanted n change.
UNLESS the citizens are ready tc
stand up and be counted either for
or against the measure they do not
deserve better government" he de-
clared.
Under chairmanship OF Leon
Walker. head OF the General Ciu-
zens' Charter Committee. the meet
ing had proceeded peacefully. at
times almost listlessly. from eight
O'Clock until nearly ten. About two
hundred men and thirty women
formed the audience. II was notice
able they comprised virtually the
same body as has constituted pre-
vlous meetings in behalf OF the
Charter movement. The call for a
big outpourlng OF the people met
little response.
Finally, Lewis W. Broslus set on
the real oratorical fireworks by say
ing that one OF the arguments made
in support OF building and loan as
lsoclations was that only about five
per cent OF men and women were
successful in life. Therefore, he ar
gued. the city should he managed
/ by men who had proved successful
in business. He praised the class
OF men who. he said. had given their
/ time and experience TO the various
city commissions and concluded by
moving that Wilmington should ap-
prove the Charter as drafted by the
committee. Harry F. Mellon sec
onded the motion. He declared
there had been very few cities that
had rejected the commission-city
manager government, once they
adopted Il. He agreed with the
Mayor that 1t was the system Of
government in Wilmington that
needed changing. To get the senti-
ment OF the public, he suggested a
newspaper referendum.
Artemus Smith, attorney, declar-
ed he believed Mr.. Brosius had
enunciated a dangerous doctrine in
advocating government by master
minds and eliminating the people"
Such n step. he argued, would he
contrary No the principles OF the
American Government. He also de-
plored abuse OF politicians" de-
claring them as straight and hon
orable as the ordinary business
man" He said he believed the pol
itiolan was a patriot. because he saw
TO it that proper nominations were
made IN the primaries while the
master minds didn't go at all"
From all over the han arose cries
Of question. question"
Are you ready for the question ?"
asked Chairman walker we
are" was the response Mr.. Walk
er put Mr.. Brosius' motion There
was a chorus OF ayes and only a
single mo"
who voted mo- ?" called out
someone.
u did" responded Vincent ].
who previously had ,
against the election OF the
Council at large.
"The ayes have IT," declared the /
chairman.
Leaplng 10 his feet Mr.. saylor
vigorously against rail
-oading" the vote. He declared he
believed labor was the greatest
factor in support of the Charter"
and without IL the Charter would
fail" He declared he was in favor
Of the Charter. but was opposed to
election OF Councilmen at large as
preventing true representative gov
srnment." Organized labor in VIII
mington. he said, comprised $4,000 /
men and women. but under election
Of Council at large 1t would not be
Mr.. Saylor urged that further
should be held at which .
those provisions Of the measure TO .
which there were objection could .
be ironed out"
Mr.. Kane supported Mr.. Saylor's .
stand. urging more meetings at
which the majority OF the people /
could be represented.
A lively debate ensued. and John |
r. Krauss, secretary OF the meeting, /
re-read the motion, as follows:
That it Is the sense OF this body .
that this Charter be adopted and .
that we request the Legislature to
pass the bill in its present form as
nearly as possible"
with consent Of Mr.. Brosius. and
approved OF the meeting. the mo-
ten was revsmped 10 read:
THAT 1t is the sense OF this meet
ing that this Charter be adopted
and that this meeting request" etc.
The audience already was on its
feet preparing to go home Move We
adjourn" called someone. Second
the motion" cried a score. and the
motion was put and carried in a
fifty.
The early part Of the meeting
somewhat wearily. the dis
cussion being largely desultory.
In opening the session. Chairman
Walker reviewed the efforts made
in the past forty years TO obtain
new charter. He declared the pres
ent Charter bill represented not only
the best thought of Wilmington but
the best thought of the county. be
cause It embodied features taken
from the best charters Of other
cities
The underlying thought OF this
meeting is: Shall Wilmington go for
ward. or shall It stand still" declared
Mr.. Walker.