Daily Republican., 1879-03-31
Represen tation.

SepfeoOwtothou.
Samuel Townsend, az well as many
o.hsr leaders OF his party, realizes the
fact now that the division Of New Cas-
tie county is entirely out Of the ques-
tiOn since the new Court House is to be
built at Wilmington, and he is heartily
in favor Of representation according to
population and by districts. We hope
Mr. TOWNSEND Eay always Keep in that
notion until his aim ia accomplished.
Before that time comes, howe, Or, it will
be necessary to make move in the di.
rection Of calling State Constitutional
Convention, and this can be done by
the people taking the matter in their
own hands. The ninth article OF the
State Constitution very wisely points
out the way by which such conven-
tion can be called. The people have
but to meet in mass meeting, and re-
solve to hold an election on the third
Tuesday OF Nay in any year, AMI if
half the number of votes are polled at
such election as was polled at any one
OF the three preceding State elections
last held, and majority Of these votes
be in favor OF convention then the
Legislature at its next session is en-.
Joined to call Constitutional Conven-
tion. Though the time would be short
in which to prepare TO hold an election
in the coming May, there would be
fully time enough for it to be held in
1880. BY reference to the article Of
the Constitution already referred to and
which we some three or four weeks ago
published, our readers will find that
30 far as the preliminary steps are con-
cerned, it is all in tho hands OF the
people, and until the people move in
the matter the Legislature should not be
held responsible for not calling con-
vsntion. We do not, however, expect
that a Constitutional Convention, even
il called, would remedy the difficulty
under which New Castle county labors
in regard to representation, as the rep
resentation in tina. Convention would be
the same as that in the Legislature
an equal number from each county. 1t
would be, however, complying with the
plan provided by the Constitution, and
exhaust all tho means known to get
representation according to population,
and when We have failed at every point
it will be for the people to consider
earnestly what next is lest to be done.
A great victory has already been gained
by the passage of the bill removing the
county seat to Wilmington, but this
Is only one Of the great reforms needed
and which could not consistently be
STAYED Of any longer. The people
should not stop here in their demands
for their rights, and Ieither should
they stop short Of demand for an in,
crease OF representation according to
population. New Castle county alone
has considerably more than half the
population OF the State, and there is nc
reason in the world why she should
only have one-third o. the representa-
tion that the two lower counties have.
We fear that the people Of the county
in their an xietyfor increasedrep resenta
ton would be satisfied tor ibe present
with an additional Senator and about
three more Representatives,, but a.
though this would be relief over the
present, it would leave the same diff.
eulty open for future generation when
New Castle county will probably have
three -fourths the population Of the
State. Nothing will remedy tho diff.
fculty but equal representation. and
provision should be I..ade that the re-
presentation could be increased in pro-
portion to the growth OF tbs population
without having recourse 10 = ,onstitu-
tional amendment evsry time that 4
change in representation is required.
We heartily Join Ar. TOWNSEND in his
demand for representation according to
population, and We Lope the prelimi.
nary arrangements may bs made for
calling a Constitutional Convention MOI
later, at least, tAan tho third Monday