Daily Republican., 1882-07-29
SATURDAY. JULY 20. 1889
Representation and the RePubIf
can Party.

RePresenIaIIOn and the RePubl
can Party.
Now that the Republican State Coz
tion for 1882 is over and the smoke an
dust of the excitement have cleare
away, we are enabled calmly to look o
the surroundings and see where the Re
publican party stands at the close of
primary conflict and at the threshold
n general political campaign that prom
ises to be earnest and exciting, TIL
preliminary steps necessary to inau
gurate the campaign have cOnvergeC
into the action of last Thursday at Do
yer which made Albert Curry of SUSSEX
the Republican candidate for Gov
eruor of Delaware, and Washington
Hastings it's candidate for Representa-
tive in Congress. Thus far the work o
the party is completed and the ticke
stands before the people ready for theil
endorsement. So far as men Of good
character and ability is concerned, the
Republican party has done well and il
moral worth alone were what is re
quired in the present campaign the
people OF the State could without hesi.
tatiOn give them a unanimous vote.
But there are requirements in the pres
ent campa ign which are equal and para.
mount to the personal character of the
candidates. These requirements are
fully set forth in the platform of gen.
sral principles promulgated by the
convention. Amongst the reforms de-
manded are some that the REPUBLICAN
has kept prominently before the people.
The demand for representation accord
ing to population, only gives potency
and force to what we have already said
in the past in favor of that principle.
We have never failed to show that in
New Castle county alone there are 50,-
300 distranchised persons who have no
representation, no voice, no influence
IN the Legislature, and as the city Of
Wilmin gton increases in wealth, man.
ufactures and population the number
of disfranchised persons grow larger
AT first 81 ght it seems almost incredi-
BILE and yet it is true that considerable
more than one. third the population of
4he State Is Gisfranchised, 1t is doubt |
full if such glarinG piece of injustice
can be found in any other part of the |
United Statesmen even in South Car.
Dlina where justice on principle Is a
strange and unknown idea. Who is to
blame for this gross outrage upon the
people of Delaware? Clearly and un-
miStakably the Democratic party.
This charge is made against that party
not in spite or hunting around to find
something to say, but because the
charge 10 true. That party has been in
power continually for twenty. five years
long enough in all conscience to have
done q simple act of justice to the out.
ragged third of the people of the State,
No movement however was made by
that party to confer these rights upon
the people. Never has there been
a line interpolated into their State plat
forms to show that they even sympa-
4hiZed with such an object The rea-
son is before the people. 1t would have
weakened the Democratic party in the
Legislature and possibly some other
person than Mr.. Bayard might have
been elected to represent Della ware in |
She Senate of the United States. In
plain terms the Democracy have syste-
matically disfIsnchised one-tourth of
the voters of their own party in New
Castle county from any representation
in the Legislature for the purpose of
keeping themselves in power and Mr.,
in the Senate. These are plain
practical truths that cannot be contro.
yerted. The question of thought with
thinking men for the hour is, will the
psople submit longer to such injustice ?
Well intelligent Democrats with these
facts before them, longer voluntarily
iisfranChise themselves for the sake Of
keeping their party in power and one
particular man in the Senate?
The Republican party takes no equiv.
oCal position upon this question. 1t has
Just made a declaration in its platform
II principles in favor of representation
according to population. Who will
iony that this is the right principle
Why should three voters in Kent coun-
y exercise the same political powers
hat are only allowed to seven votes in
Se1 Castle county? This is a question
70 would press home upon the minds
u Democratic voters. 1t will bear
ihOught and investigation and when
'uch a mOnstrous iniquity as the dis I
of 90, 900 citizens becomes
ne question Of thought, we despair of ,
in Delaware if intelligent ,
Democrats turn from the consideration
# il and vote to rivit the chains of in.
lHnality still tighter. There are other ,
lH6Orms recommended in the Republi- ,
nm platform which will receive our
mention but for the present the ques- i
ion Of representation on account of its
is given the precedence.
DsmosFafIc S'EOphIstrles."