Daily Republican., 1883-06-27
WEDNESDAY, JUNE ~. 1888.
which is the True Democracy.

Of officers in Counties that do not fall
below 100000 population and that do
not exceed 100000
A District Attorney in such Counties
is to be paid $1,000 a Sheriff, 81, 900
Prothonotary, S3,OOO Clerk of Courts,
$4,000 Register, 1000; Recorder, S3,-
600 Treasurer, $1,000 County Survey
or, $3.50; Commissioners each 81 900
Auditor, $3.50; Solicitor, $500 Directors
of the Poor each $500; Jury Commits
sioners each $3.50 and Coroner 81, 900.
Under the old fee system some of
these officers received double the salary
noted, indeed nobody knew exactly
what was made. Now the fees are
paid into the County Treasury, and the
COun y gets the benefit of the exc s..
Still it will b. seen that the Off ters will
be well paid for heir services, and
there are but few men with averap a
business abilities who would refuse to
fill any of the offices at the salaries
hamed.
In contrast with this legislation we
turn to Delaware, containing but three
Counties, the whole three not containing
a population as great as Lancaster and
Berks Counties in Pennsylvania. But
the people of Delaware are allowed no
such privileges as are granted to the
people of Pennsylvania. Delaware vo-
ters are only graciously permitted to
elect Of County Off ;trs onIy Sheriff a
Coroner and Levy CourtI an, the lat er
corresponding to County Commission
or in Pennsylvania. Nobody in Del
aware knows how much money can be
squeezed out Of an office by the fee and
system which prevails. Some 10 doubt
are over paid, and some are not paid
enough. Lately We had the humila.
ting spectacle Of a Board of Trustees of
the poor supplying themselves and
friends with whisky and cigars at the
expense of the county at their meetings
the excuse for so doing being that they
received an insufficient salary.
In Pennsy' vania Directors of the Poor,
there are only three Of them-get $500
each. In New Castle County there are
fourteen of them and they receive s.
per day and mileage. The regular
meetings are once a month. This is the
only Office in New Castle County we
will venture to say in which the sala-
ries are under those of Pennsylvania
referred to. Pennsylvania adopted the
regular salary plan to avoid the tempta-
tion to peculation; Synonymous wi h
taking fees illegally.
1t seems never to have entered into
the mind Of Delawart's recent reform
Legislature that they might have done
the State and the people a real service
by establishing regular salaries for the
County officers. Neither did it occur to
them that it would be more Democratic
to permit the people to elect their own
County off icers. These would have been
needed reforms in which Mr.. Bates re-
form mind would have had full sweep.
But somehow his reforms did not take
that direction. Instead Of comforting
upon the people the privilege Of electing
hn;r tai
all his time to fix up Municipal Courts
and Water Commissions for Whining.
right to select their own local officers
This is Just the difference brtween
Delaware Legislation and PennSy Ivania
legislation, though both Legislatures
Were Democratic and both States had
Democratic Governors.
The question is which is right ? Shall
Delaware 60 to Pennsylvania to learn
true Democratic principles where the
peopl" are allowed to elect all their 0tii-
GERS, or should Pennsylvania come IT,
Delaware to learn Democracy where tn"
people are gra"iou>ly permitted TO elect
only Sheriff, Coroner ANA Levy Court
where the privilege. the )"op'e did
enjoy are taken from them and cuufdrd
to the Governor and appointed Commits.
siOns? and where senator BayHrG
tauntingy tells the propi" that fran.
chise is no} right, but merely II priv,
ilege. In Pennsylvania the rights o
the people are extended and protected
by legislation in DeIawar" they ar
taken from them, weak kpned and de
strOyed. In Pennsylvania every needle,
facility is afforded to secure an homes
expression Of the people at elections II
Delaware the whole realm of ingrnut,
is ransaCke,l to invent some new plan q
d isfrauchisiug Republican voter.
which is the truer Democracy, that
Penusy vania or that of Delaware
Let voters ponder and think.