Daily Republican., 1883-04-21
Legislative Reform.

The Legislature has at last adjourned
and with lis adjournment the people
of the State can breathe sigh OF relief
They can feel now that though no good
will be done by the law making power
of the State for two years to come no
harm at least can be done. 1t can be
truthfully said that the Legislature has
done many things it should not have
done and left undone many things it
should have done And yet it had the
power to do more let us be profoundly
thankful that II did not attempt to do
more than it has done. What We're its
promises before it met Principal and
first was just and equitable representa-
tion. Following came judiciary reform,
educational reform, and reforms in gen
eral, too numerous to mention. What
was meant by just and equitable rep
resentatiou we have before us in the
shape of constitutional amendment,
providing for four representatives and
two Senators in Wilmington for 80, 900
inhabitants seven representatives and
two Senators for New Castle County
5000 people and fourteen representa-
tives and eight Senators for Kent and
Sussex counties $1,000 people
That gives to the lower Counties one
Senator to every x, l25 citizens, while to
Wilmington it gives one Senator to
every $1,000 citizens. In other words
a voter in either Kent or Sussex Coun-
ties has more political power than three
voters in Wilmington. In Represen-
tntives it gives the two lower Counties
one Representative TO every 4,645 citi-
xens, while in Wilmington it gives one
10 IL, 800, giving voter below about
~ much political power in the House OF
Representatives a. about four voters in
Wilmington New Castle County out
side of Wilninpton is denuded OF two
Senators as her share Of punishment
for lying contiguous to Wilmington
and for the suspicion of being under its
influence. This includes all the actions
of the Legislature i'll regard 10 reform
in representation and is what we are 10
accept as "just and equitable, Judi
cial reform has Jared better. Judges
are to be appointed for a period of
twelve years and their salaries hay g
been increased.
This was safer reform al other leg
islation practically assures Democrat
&c admit istrations and the latter will
insure practically Democratic bench
of Judges, little more so than it has
been in the past, Both the rrpresentt
zion and the Judiciary questions are con
stitutioual amendments and will be
Aubject to the approval by three,
fourth vote of the next Legislature.
In eduratioua! reform especially fol
the benefit of white children the Legis,
aature has been muniticcnt, With
S25, 600 additional out Of the Stat" Trea,
slry filled with taxes iilched from tn,
industries Of Wilmington schools in the
lower counties oi the State especially
,-an bo kept open nearly double the MS
uAl length of tim|. New Castle 'oun,
~, though paying tive-oiXths Of tn,
taxes, gets the smaller share of the ap,
propriation.
Ii seems never to have entered the
minds Of our Legislative SoIons that d
mDre equitable law would have been Il
Xrtieye th, industries of Wilmington o
a part at least Oi II State tax which l.
tery OnerUuS, and compel the people .
She 'uwrr counties to put their hands il
,le,l own pocket, and support thci
pyu schools better than they have
dome The gentleman from Kent an,
Sussex have been extremely liberal ant
nuniiicent with the money raised from
rhr nrospering manufactures Of vii
lningtou But the poor black children
inw about them . 1t is a terrible crin
-n tm back while this reform LegiS
laIurc has generously provid'd for tn
education of white children at the rat
II S. 40 apiece out Of the State Treasury
g., cents apier" l., deemed sufficient 70
black children.