Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1883-04-06

structed city charter, is more objection
able if possible than police commits
sion could have been. If our distin-
guished Democratic Statesmen had
really been DESTROYS of remodeling the
Municipal court Of our city, they could
have done SO in a less Objectionable
manner and more in accordance with
the principles of local self government
if they had permitted the people to have
some say in the matter In all the large
cities Of the union police magistrates are
elected by the people. The Legislature
may jtipulate the qualifications Of a
Judge if il sees proper to do 50, in order
toinsure the election ofmen qualified for
the office, but farther than this it should
not 90. Why are not the people Of il
mington as capable of electing a trial
justice as Governor Stockley is to ap-
point one? Why should the Judge be a
lawyer? Are there not plenty of men in
both political parties not lawyers who
are intelligent enough to sit i'll II mere
hearing Of a case? Before the courts is
the field for lawyers. II it is absolutely
necessary that the Trial Justice should
be a >awyeris it not as necessary that the
Justices of the peace should also be
lawyers? Infinitely more so, for JUS
tices have authority in civil rs well as
criminal cases. Again, why should the
term OF office Of this Trial Judge be
heightened out to twelve years? This is
long time to have an incompetent
judge if he should happen to be incoIn-
petent. a term Of four years would
have been amply sufficient, and
if the Judge proved himself an impair
tial official, the people would re-eIect
him. Again, why should the Judge
have any surveillance Of the police .
Nothing of that kind is attempted i"
Philadelphia. There the Mayor has eX-
elusive jurisdiction appointing dismiss,
ing and suspendiHg his own police.
Here the authority :, given to the judi 8e
to dismiss or suspend
Was there ever anything more absurd
than to hold a Republican Mayor re-
sponsible for his police and yet give a
Democratic Judge the powcrto say whc
those police shall be" Verify We ar,
treading upon the borders of cicspotism
Instead Of the people being given more
liberty, they are deprived Of the liberty
they before enjoyed. They hav"aIway,
up to the Present time, had the liberty
Of saying who should be the Trial Jus,
tice of the city. Now that liberty is
taken away from them. The Lrgi,Ia
ture says to the people Of Wilmington;
"You are not capable Of selecting
your own officers "" will authorize the
Governor to appoint hem for you
But Mr.. Bates LAY, it is nOu-parti-
san movement. We do NOT think that
gentleman would wilIuIly mi,rcpre,eilt,
but he must be terribly blinded and de.
ceived if he calls this non-partiSan-
ship. Is il not n-partlsanship to ap-
point Democratic Judge to do what
the people elected a Republican Judge
to do"
"Ir-, but the people have the right
still to elect a Mayor" we are told.
What is the Use Of Mayor with his
power taken from him. 1t will require
but another Democratic Legislature to
say that the Mayor is useless officer
and the Judge can as easily perform
his funCtious There would be Just
as much reason in this as to divide In"
duties Of the Mayor with Judge al the
preSelt time. II Mr. Bates is really
sincere IN his HOn-partisan profession,
why does he not make the Judge cleo
i've 10y the people, and the law not
take effect until the next Mayors cleo
ton "
l.ittIe by little the liberties Of the PEG
pie are being circumscribed Litt. by
lit'l" the chains Of the autocrat are be-
ing drawn around the limbs Of the mis-
Ca.Ird ireenrn Of the city. Little by
little the spider weavrS his siiken
strand around the limbs OF its victims
until i; j, hrIpInss and fall, an easy