The daily gazette., 1883-02-22
Dailu Gazette
wILMINeToN. THURSDAY. FRB. 9a
some Very Big sponsa Chndrsn,

tho assessment district Of Wilmington, has
caused some Of the members OF that body
and their immaculate journalistic supporter
TO masquerade in the role of very badly
spoiled children, who, because they cannot
get exactly what they want weep in babyish
rage and refuse TO take anything at all.
1t was all very well, few weeks ago,
when Col. Febiger suggested. and the morn
ing organ approved, a division of Whining.
ton hundred into four districts for ASSESS
ment purposes. They were unanimous in
the conclusion that there was too much
work at present for two officials to accepta-
bly, perform, and that a division Of each
existing district would SO facilitate opera
tions that the public would be greatly bene
flted thereby. And so, when the Levy
Court approved his suggestion, Col. Feblger
and the morning organ patted the members
on the head, and chuckled to themselves at
the apparently easy manner in which their
plans were working along.
But although the majority members Of
the court at first gave tacit consent to the
plan suggested by Colonel FebIger, It did
not take them long to see that IL was a neat
little scheme by which, in the distribution
Of political game, the Republican party
would get all the turkey, leaving nothing
but buzzard for the Democratic party to
select from. And so, after carefully con-
sidering the matter, they prepared new
division OF the city into three assessment
districts, in accordance with the lines sug-
gested by the GAZETTE several days ago.
Having agreed upon this plan the Court
Immediately referred it to the attention OF
the Legislature, whereupon Col Febger
and the morning organ set up fearful howl
and declare themselves opposed to any
division at all, unless 1t Is made in accord
ance with their own ideas. 1t does not
matter to them that their pet scheme of
four districts would leave one OF them so
small in area and poor in property as to
make 1t unworthy of any good mans time
and attention, for as 1t would be one of the
Democratic districts this is in all probability
just what they desired. The division
adopted by the Levy Court provides for
three regularly laid out districts, each COM
posed Of contiguous wards, and as
evenly divided in respect to area,
area, properly and voting population as is
possible without splitting wards or making
gerrymander equal to the famous "shoe-
''strlng" district of Mississippi. While
whatever political ad antage there
may be in this plan, will, of
course, accrue to the Democratic party
there is not enough in 1t to make
it worthy of a moments consideration, and
by their childish opposition to any change
at all because they cannot get the change
they want, Col. Febiger and his colleagues
prove conclusively that they were not actu-
ated by disinterested public motives when
they first suggested the necessity for the
very action the court is now endeavoring to
have taken.
However, we have no doubt the Legsla-
ture will act upon the suggestion of the
majority of the Levy Court, despite the
opposition of the Republican members and
the morning organ, whose "dog in the
manger tactics have simply placed them
before the community in the attitude OF
great ogergrown spoiled children, who cry
like little babies because they cannot get
exactly what they want. 1t would have
been much more to their credit, when
baked in their pet scheme, to have said
nothing, instead Of acting in a manner that
revealed their seltishness and exposed the
complete hollowness of their professions.
SPEAKER Bates General Incorporation
BILL which passed the House OF Represen-
tatives yesterday and will doubtless pass the
Senate, is an excellent measure, though its
practical results will not be demonstrated
until the next session. The main require
ment for its successful operation will
be decisive stand by the General
Assembly against granting any char
ters that come within its general
provisions, for, despite all legislation upon
the subject, people will prefer to obtain
charters from the Legislature as long as that
body listens to their applications. The
general incorporation amendment to the
Constitution has not been availed of in a
dozen instances since its approval, In 1875,
and it will be the same with the incorpora-
tion bill unless succeeding Legislatures in
sist upon its practical enforcement.
WHILE NOT particularly in favor of a
division of New Castle county, either as
measure oil convenience or means OF
securing increased representation for Will
mington, we see no good reason why the
people OF Wilmington should offer any
objection to the proposition. Wilmington
would certainly be largely the gamer by
such a move, and If the people of the lower
hundreds are anxious to cut loose from their
main source of county revenue their wishes
ought certainly be gratifed.
- s--s-. ------
As THE Baltimore Day truly says, Mr..
Bayard's position upon the match tax ques-
tion has been SO frequently and clearly de-
fined that none but clamorous demagogues
even pretend to misunderstood It, but for all
this the Days forcible presentation of the
matter, which we publish elsewhere will be
found interesting aud pertinent.
---s$--s . - ---1-----
THE DAYS creep on apace, the end Of the
session is drawing nigh, and still the Legis-
lature hesitates about tackling our volumi-
nous city charter. Why didn't our city
fathers decide to lop off few yards from
the bulky document
s--S-e-1-~s---
TO-DAY BEISo an anniversary of the natal
day of "Honest George" and also legal
holiday, public business is suspended and
the Legislature is not in session.