Evening journal., 1923-02-13
BY Profeso
Ameica of

Though next 10 the smallest com
nlonwealth in the Union, no STATE
has more reason to be proud OF Ger
tain outstanding figures and events
In her history than Delaware. IT
many n crisis she has literally
blazed the way for our nation anc
frequently given TO the world mel
and women OF great strength ano
vision.
Delaware. as we all know, was
the first state &c ratify the Con
sti,ution OF the United states. This
art NJ high, statesmanship, this eX
annie OF generous sacrifice OF GER
tain States rights in the Interest
OF a stronger Federal Union, gave
Delaware an enviable record for
progressive action among her fellow
states, which she, in her eubse-
quent history. has been most anx-
lous 10 retain. But 10 deserve this
reputation in the present day OF
growth and progress and for gener-
ations 10 come. too much stress can
not be laid on the need OF oontinu-
ally striving TO improve her State,
county and municipal governments
and institutions 20 the end that her
citizens now and In the future shall
enjoy the greatest good State can
bestow upon them.
Take the matter OF municipal
government reform. Delaware sure
ly leads the nation in providing the
most up-to-date governmental ma
ch.nery for her cities and towns.
The Legislatures OF forty-four
States have enacted laws authoriz-
ing cities and towns to adopt the
commission form OF government.
Delaware is not among them. The
only other States which have neg
iected 10 enact such municipal re-
form laws are Vermont, New Hamp-
shire and Rhode Issnd. The bill
now before the Legislature ito al
ter. amend and revise the charter
OF the City OF Wilmington" is,
therefore. challenge to the Legis-
iature to uphold the traditions of
Delaware and keep her among the
first states where she belongs, and
The question before the public Is,
How viii the Legislature meet that
challenge?
NA ~ AANAAAAkAA0AAE nave NOAilH SIX
n.icance In national affairs, less IN
state affairs. but none in city AZ
fairs. A Democrat can be Just as
good a superintendent OF Public
Works as "A Republican. and vice
versa, and why citizens should
vote for a candidate for mayor be-
cause Of his membership in one
party or the other and not because
ot his fitness as sn expert admins
traitor. can only be explained by
the mistaken notion that a citys
business IS purely a political busi-
ness and not like the business OF
any other large corporation.
The mayor-counc1l type OF city
government. first adopted by Balti-
more IN 1895 and sometimes called
the Federal type. is fundamentally
weak since It perpetlates the in
efficient method Of conducting city
business by the higher polcy-deter-
mining officials on a strictly partl-
san basis. IL Is weak also because IL
permits OF grave division OF author
i.y and consequent scattering OF re-
81 onsibllity. Legislative authority is
usually divided between the council
and the ...ayor. and very often the
electorate IS az a loss 70 know upon 7
whose shoulders 20 place the blame
when anything goes wrong. In ad-
ministration. likewise, we find au-
thority diffused and responsibility /
scattered. In other words, the sys- |
TEN OF checks and balances, copied |
from the national constitution. has /
been found wanting in city govern
ments, and although the city off, /
cials may try ever so hard to make |
the government function efficiently,
hey often fail because the machin-
cry is archaic and incapable OF
meeting the needs Of a twentieth
century municipality. The differ
cuce between a town OF the eight
centh century and a city OF the
twentieth century Is measured by
the wide gap existing between the
reeds OF a community based on an
agricultural commercial economy
and one resting on and transformed
hy modern Industrial society. and
r. governmental machine. that might
we'll have served the purposes Of the
former, functions but badly for the
latter.
A well-known authority on muni-
pal government. DR.. Munro, OF
Harvard University. sums up the
situation admirably when he says.
The endeavor 20 model the politi-
cal organization OF the city upon
the Federal government was un-
wise IN its day. and has proved 10
be unfortunate in its consequences.
Il has resulted IN pl-clng upon the !