Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1883-03-15
THURSDAY. MARCH Is, 1883,
Non Partisan Commissi Ions u shan

paper correspondents, We are NOT per
mitted to know the nature of them nor
what they provide for. The fact that
they are not made public is evidence
that there is something Objectionable
in them and it is also evidence that they
are controlled by partisan influences
Ifthis were not the case then why not
let them come to the light that all inter-
ested may know exactly what they are
In the face of this clandestine secret
work weare informed by those lobbying
for the bills thar they are entirely I'M
partisan and cannot possibly he objec-
tionable. The latter is impossible. No
man who il in favor of local self govern
ment can reasonably be in favor ct
commissions that override the will Of
the people as expressed at the ballot
box. Entirely bipartisan, and yet all
seem TO agree that the commissions will
each be composed of two Democrats and
one Republican. If they are bipartisan
why should there be II majority oi
Democrats upon both If the friends OF
these bills are really in favor Of non
partisan commissions why do they no,
put majority OF Democrats upon one
and majority of Republicans on til"
other We are further informed that
so IA as the police commission is con-
eerncd, the commissioners are 10 have
merely a nominal salary. that the 81 !
ries ot the police are T." be- increased,
there aIc 10 be II" pcrqui>ities beside"
the salary, that all fines and costs a."
to b" paid into the city treasury, and
that Dur half ut least Of the police is 10
be composed Of Republicans These
are very fair promises, hur pr"mis,> t,}
those " no are engineering ID" polio"
bill in close emergencies amuunJ g
nothing, II required Il great deal %! >u-
gar coating to make this bill anything:
like pa atable 10 respectable" Democrats
Republicans in thi, ease were no where,
having no rights that such immaculate
Democrats as tX-Chirf Maxwell, Robert
Cottinsham, johnnie" McHugh and
ex-election Inspector Lee Of Fifth Ward
notoriety were bound to respect 1t
was not intended to have anything like
a liberal police commission bin WHEN
the subject was first preached. The
Republicans were to have one member
Of the Board, but ths Democrats were
to choose that member. Then the III, IN
beers of the Board were to have each a
chief of police (Mr. Maxwell Of course)
was TO have twelve hundred, and lieu
tenants, sergeants and patrolmen sala
ries in proportion. Then each of the com
missionerS was to appoint one-third .
the force. This would have made one
third of the force only Republicans in a
city where 4 majority of the voters are
Republicans. This grand scheme was a
little too sweeping to be popular with
tax paying Democrats, audit was aban-
doued, and now We have it reduced TO
the thin solution of nominal salaries for
the police commissioners, no costs and
one half the force to br Republicans
Still the uost Objectionable features re-
main. Tn" same politicians are lobby
ing the bill They want it for a potiti-
cal purpose, AMI they are willing totakc
it any way at all 50 that the colnrnis-
sion il only composed of two Democrats
and Oh" Republican. If the Legislature
would appoint Two Republicans, men
like Edward Bellah and Washington
Jones Oh the commission, Mr>srS. Max
well, McHugh, CuttiuGh#m, Lee and
Auditor Fall, would lose al. interest in
il, and would turn their backs upon it.
We would hear no NOR" then Of The pub.
lie good, nOn-partHan force and such
balhrrlnSli as those ueu view If. As
long a. they can Keep Nv" Democrats
on the commission they Will gam lh"lr
point "Ed can afford t" surrender every
other cain. They will look after the
appnin, ments when they get The COM
mission with TWO Democrats on II Of
their choosing This l. "ne"f Inc most OBJ
iectionahI" teat'lf'S connected win 'hr
influences brought t" favor II" passage
OF the "li', ana ms a'"he ah"u'" con-
sign II I" III" SHADES "i '"tG''l"''''S.
Another '"'y o'Je'u"'"p'e feature + III
the requirements" "i III" h'll ''"'''' II
gives 'H' appointment u me 'o''''''S-
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