Daily Republican., 1883-11-12
a.eS the PEOPLE Elect

l.es the People Elect.
The struggle now going on In the
Democratic party In the selection OF .
Recorder of Deeds is but another argu-
ment in favor of the election OF all
county officers by the people. Della
ware is, We believe, about the only
State In the Union, or at least 30 far ~
we know, where the privilege Of elect
ing county officers is withheld from the
people. Are the voters Of Delaware
less intelligent than those Of Pennsyl-
vania, New Jersey and Maryland that
they cannot be entrusted with the
selection of the officers that imme-
diately concern them Are they not
AZ con petent to say who shall be their
Clerk of the Peace, their Pro-
thonotary, their Recorder of Deeds,
their Register of Wills and their Clerk
Of the Orphans Court as they are to
choose their Sheriff, Coroner and Levy
Court Commissioners Why should
these high salaried officers be reserved
as official patronage to be distributed
amongst political henchmen and
favortes If the people had their
say as they should have, there would be
none of this rlnning Of d legations to
Dover in this or that mans interest,
and resulting in all probability in the
appointment of the man whom the
people would be- the last to choose if
they were permitted choice.
Delaware has a long way to travel
before she reaches the position occupied
by Pennsylvania, so far as it relates to
the election of local and county office
In that State every officer is elected by
the people, from the Governor and
Supreme Court Judges down to town.
ship sluires and township constables. In
Delaware the people are only per.
mitteG to elect Governor, Congress
man, Legislature, a Levy Court, a
Sheriff and Coroner
The offices of Judges of the Courts,
Chancellor, Secretary of State, School
Superintendent, Clerks of the Peace,
Pro,hopotaries, Recorder of Deeds,
Registers of Wills, Clerks of Orphans
Courts and Justices of the Peace, COM
pose the official pap for the Governor to
distribute amongst the faithful. The
appointment of State Treasurer, Audi
tor and Librarian, falls to the Legisla-
ture, and the appointment Of the Trus-
tees of the Poor, County Treasurer,
County Collectors, prison officers aud
constables il the official loot that falls
to the Levy Courts. The people have
but little to say in the matter There
are more amendments wanted to the
Constitution than that providing for
increased representation. When com
pared with power entrusted to the peo
pie by others States we may well stoI
and ask; "Have we Republican Gov
ernment ?" Yet this S the native State
of Senator Bayarh, who is the constan,
advocate of local Government, when he
speaks in other States.
9
THE four huudredth anniversary o.
the birth of Martin Luther was cele
bratel over the whole civilized world
yesterday and Saturday, and in many
places the observance will be contin
ued during the week. The anniversar,
of his birth closes four centuries o
Protestant Christianity. The christian
| religion which he uncovered from th'
dust of ages remains the same to-day
| but the movements and means by
which christianity was re-introducet
and continued have passed through
many changes. Nothing, however
showed the grand success Of the Refor
nation of which Luther was tue leadel
| more than the fact that in Europe YES
! terday Catholics joined with Protestant
in celebrating his natal day. The Cath
Ole church itself caught the spirit Of tn
Reformation and is no more the churCl
it was in the days when Tetzell peddle,
| indulgenceS from town to town.