The daily gazette., 1883-02-17
REPRESENTATION
Opinions Of Two Down State
Papers.
Q. w, 3. AND P. R. R.
lNonEAsED REPRESENTATION.
Opinions of tho 'Delawarean" and Mid
dletOwn transcript"

Opinions of tho 'sDelawarean" and Mid
dietown ''Transcript."
tDeiawarean.l
Ifitis absolutely necessary that New Castle
county, and especially Wilmington city,
should have the large increase which the
advocates for increased representation claim,
and If the increase is to be made on the basis
OF representation according to population,
and no other apportionment will be salts
factory, It seems TO us that there is but one
thing left for the Legislature to do and that
Is divide the county. County division is
advocated by many now living south of the
Christiana creek, and that mode of grant
ing increased representation would, we
believe, meet with favor In the General
Assembly. By this mode-county division
Wilmington city would then have that
Increase which she is loudly asking for, and
that territory now composing New Castle
county would by division have a represen-
tation in the General Assembly equal to that
OF Kent and Sussex combined. We do not
wish TO be understood as favoring or advo-
eating county division. We are, as we de-
clared some months ago, in favor of grant
ing a fair, just and reasonable increase in
the manner that Is desired by New Castle
county. Representation on the basis of pop
ulation we don't believe will be granted
for In State as small in area as Delaware It
would be unjust to the two lower counties
A fair and reasonable bill presented by the
members from New Castle, asking an in
crease by Constitutional Amendment,
we believe will pass and If
that apportionment which by the lower
county members Is considered fair and lust
Is not satisfactory TO the citizens of New
Castle county, then let the other mode we
have pointed out-namely, county division
--be asked for, representation on the base
of population will be had and as we said
before, the territory north of the Kent line
will have the same number In the General
Assembly as the counties of Kent and
Sussex.
The latter mode will give Wilmington city
representation according to population,
divide the balance of power, and we believe,
be satisfactory solution OF the increased
representation question.
[Mddetown Transcript
It is the candid opinion of the Transcript,
plainly expressed, that the introduction Of
the Bates bill for increased representation
for New Castle county was a mistake.
While the bill may not ask for more than
New Castle county is entitled to, if popula-
ton be made the basis of representation, it
asks for more than sine could hope to re-
ceiye. And further, the people of the rural
sections OF New Castle county have no sym-
pathy for movement to give the city of
Wilmington nine Representatives and the
remainder OF the county only seven. And
still further, many persons, even in New
Castle county, doubt the advisability of
changing the representation OF any of our
counties expect by constitutional amend
ment or convention. If we go about it iu
the right way we have little doubt but that
Kent and Sussex will do the fair thing by
New Castle in this matter Of representation,
but we need not expect to gain anything by
making faces at them and calling them hard
names, because they have the power to out
vote us. Let our New Castle members drop
the Bates bill and move for fair increase
OF representation by constitutional amend
ment And let us have an election for a
constitutional convention also. We believe
that large majority Of the people OF Della
ware are arc in favor of new Constitution
out and out.