The daily gazette., 1881-01-26
SECOND EDITION
Our Legislative Letter.

"
WESTERN oPPoNENTs-A PLEA
FOR woMAN SUFFRAGE.
Correspondence Of the Gazette.
DOVER, DEL, Jan. 25, 1881.
AS far as Legislative affairs are
concerned the day. has been a dull
one in Dover, but little having been
transacted in either House, and none
Of an important character. But
underneath this apparent calm there
IL more persistent lobbying going on
than has been known since the days
when "lottery bills" used to keep
Dover in a ferment of excitement
from the beginning to the end of the
Legislative session. .....
And 1t is all over the Delaware
Western Railroad Company's little
bill. For the passage of this meas
ure the attorneys Of the Company,
George a. Bates, Esq, and Col.
VIM. G. Whiteley, have been openly
and effectively working, but against
it has been organized q secret lobby
OF more powerful proportions than
any that has invested Dover for
years. And the main argument
used by this lobby is the simplest
thing that mortal man ever dreamed
of.
just think Of it These men slyly
corner the Democratic members,
and just az innocently as if they
hadn't cents worth of interest in
the affair, declare that the great
Pennsylvania Railroad corporation
10 backing the Delaware Western
measure, and they say, "if this bill
passes, the Pennsylvania railroad
will swallow the p. w. s. b. road,
and with it the whole system of
Peninsula railroads. AID then
they add, by way of a clincher,
when the Pennsylvania railroad
people accomplish this, they will
cont ol the polnIcs Of this State as they
do those of Pennsylvania, and what
will become of Democratic Delaware
theu2
To any man who has observed re
cent railroad movements, this argu
ment stands forth as the yeriest non
sense. On the contrary, if any leg
islator wants to protect the State
from an existing monopoly, and ef
fectually keep the hands of the
Pennsylvania Railroad corporation
from interfering with the politics of
delaware, he can most surely accom-
plish this end by voting for the Della
ware Western bill. 1t is no longer
a secret, that this bill, pure and sim
pie means competing line between
Philadelphia and Baltimore that
will not run just outside the north
western limits of this State, but will
impart to the city of Wilmington, the
county of New Castle County, and
incidentally to the entire State the
benefits arising from its construc
ton. The new road is going to be
built at any rate, any man can safe
ly bet his last dollar on this fact !;
and the main object of the bill is to
bring it within the limits Of this
State.
So far, therefore, from the Della
ware Western bill being the evil
genius that is to bring Delaware un
der the Radical iDtiuence of the giauI
corporation of Pennsylvania, it Is the
measure that will most surely protect
he people from such a crashing mono
poly. It's effect will be to establish q
competent fast line by which fruit grow
ers can reach the Philadelphia and New
York markets, and by this competition
remove from the Pennsylvania Railroad
Company the desire to control the p,
w. q b. r. R., which stands at present
The great aud only connecting link be-
tween the north and south, east of the
Alleghanies. 1t is a standing foe to
monopoly that will Others wise grind the
political liberties OF the people Of Della
ware into The depths OF oppression, aud
Gietate here, as 1t does In Pennsy lvania
and New Jersey, the selection Of every
public officer IN the State, from U. S.
Senator to the least important county
official.
This 10 no fancy sketch, but q true
portrayal of the condition Of affairs.
Friends of The people and those who
value the success Of tbe Democratic par
y arc arousiDg to the necessities of the
occasion, aud will meet the advances ol
the monopolists with . determined op-
position.
The bill will probably come up for
third reading In the Senate within th,
next few days. shall have more to say
about IL hereafter.
MINOR NOTES.
A Joint committee went up TO Della
ware City, this morning, and spent the
day in ex amining the work done BY the
st. Georges Marsh Company, in repair
ing the damage to the river bank be-
tween Delaware City and Port Penn,
caused by the memorable storm of DC
tober, 1878. By bill passed two years
ago, tbs amount necessary to repair th
damage was estimated at $15,0U0, which
was 10 be divided equally between the
Marsh Company and The County. But
the work was expensive and the cost ex
ceeded $4,000. The Marsh Company
now desire bill passed authorizing the
County to bear an equal portion of the
increased cost. 1t 10 deemed q meritor-
ious measure, rs the work saved the
country al eno nous outlay for the nain-
tainance OF road, and will doubtless pass.
Anthony Higgins, Esq, is here to-
night, advocating the Marsh Company's
bill, and also looking after the fish and
game interests of the State.
Mrs, Stanton and Miss Anthony lee.
tured, this evening, before the members
Of the General Assembly, who with Gov
ernor Hall, and many other prominent
gentlemen were pI esent, aud were well |
;,aA hu tho ala0uAnf a1Wnrata of |