Daily Republican., 1881-03-16
DIFFERENTIATION REFUsEB.
Tho Lexistature 'Dent Intend
Thst New castle Shall Have IT.
RradfOra's kesOlaiiOn Killed.


RradfO.a's kesOlaiion Killed.
Special Correspondence tor the Republiea
DOVER, March Is The most excl
ing thing OF this exciting day in tt
House was the debate aud subsequer
action upon Mr.. Braiford's resolution
introd ducsd last week, with represents
ton according to population.
The resolution is as full0Ws:
a "WHsREAs, The representation in th
4 General Assembly Of the several cour
ties Of this State has been for man
years grossly unjust and unequal; An
whereas such inequality has been ren
dsred more glaring by the last genera
census, and whereas spirit Of justic
demands that representation shoul'
be placed upon such basis as vii
afford at least sn approximation /
equality OF representation for the pee
pie of all portions Of this State. There
fore
Be II Resolved by the Senate an
House OF Representatives Of Delaware ii
General Assembly met That sucl
legislation ought to be promptly enact
ed as will most speedily and fsirl,
crush the inequality and injustice Q
the present system, and provide fo
such representation OF the people fo
all portions OF this State in the Genera
Assembly as will b. fair and equita
ble."
Mr.. Bradford this afternoon oalled |
up and made substantially the follow
ing speech il It's support
MR. BRADPsRD's SPEECH.
This resolution, contsmplstes merely
an expression Of opinion on the part o
the legislature. II 1t passes it may
reasonably be supposed that 1t will b.
followed by such legislative action q:
will remedy or mitigate the inequality
complained Of.
fail to conceive what possible OBJ
lection any fair minded man can raise
to this resolution. II IS not a resolu
tion for representation according to
population entirely; it merely calls for
an expression OF the sense of this Gene,
raj Assembly that aoms law ought to
be passed-that something ought to be
done 10 put the representation Of all
portions Of this S'ate upon q lair and
equitable basis, now, who can afford
to vote against that resolution?
Look at the facts. Take up the his
tory of the State. You will frd that
in revolutionary times the population
of the three counties were nearly equal,
Sussex preponderating q little. So the
population continued for year after
year until possibly 1920, AMI then
New Castle county steadily increased
and has continued to increase ever since
until to-day we fnd that New Castle,
with but one third Of the representation
in the General Assembly, has some
eight or ten thousand more people than
the two 10 YER counties combined.
Is not this grossly unjust, unfair,
inequitabls Does 1t not demand such
legislation as will put this matter npon
a basis fair and equitable ! New Cas-.
tie county, paying, | may say three
fourths of the StAts taxes, with som.
eight or ten Thousand more people
than the two lower counties COM
bined, with one third Of the number
Of representatives in this General As
ssmbly Now, submit Sir, it is not
fair and 1t is not right; and the time
will come when, If sons measure be not
adopted at this time or very speedily,
political whirlwind will come upon
this State and the frst thing the peo
pie will knew New Castle county will |
absolutely control the State. 1t
bound TO come-upless there is q prop
er measure adopted st very early
date.
It's absurd to suppose that this con-
dition Of affairs can last forever. II
we, with q population greater than
the two lower counties combined, are
not entitled to receive more than one.
third of the representatives Of the
State, shall we be entitled to more
when We have population twice IS
large as the lower eeuntiss9 New Gas
lie is steadily growing more wealthy
and populous, not only the county but
be city Of Wilmington. and the time
Is not far distant when Whining ton
will have from rs, 900 to leo, 900 inh .bi.
:ants: Now, Is it possible that any
member Of this body believes for an In
'tant that this question Of just repre-
'sntation can be pat off indefinitely in.
definitely pestponedi l mean to say, |
'ir, that II this matter is Indefinitely ,
the people Of this State will
Indefinitely postpone the party that
tsnds in the way Of the righteous de. {
nand Of the citizens Of New Castle {
ounty for increased sprssentation.
Now, there Is nothing wrong in
bis demand. There is not man with &
q the sound Of my voice who will not !
dmit in private conversation that 1t is
roper that something should be done '
n relation 10 this matter, but when /
be matter is brought forward publicly b
hey say, "Oh no, this won't do, you t
I'LL disturb our system; you will upset
81" 1t Is not right, q citjzan of New Il
astle county, just as respectable, just t,
lnIeiAieent, just as gO0d citizen as II
citizen of either Sussex or Kent. a,
could have less than ole half the DO. q
tical power Of the latter. II is not "
'ir; 1t is not only unrepublican but W
ndemoorstic. The very corner stors Q re-
the Democratic principles is the M
ajority to rule. and that is the corner pI
one Of Republioanism too. 1t is that
! men should be equal civilly and II,
before the Law. Now how fe
y any party in this State, without ed
altifying itself, without abandoning dr.
Q very foundation principles upon WI
hich II IL based, declare that the oit- hs
ems Of the State shall not be equal tn
'litically, or that citizen Of q section re-
the State embracing the majority Of til
Q population shall have In his individ. ls
j capacity less than one half Of the,
litical power possessed BY utz9ns Of 10,
her Kent or Sussex: Now Sir do,