Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1884-10-18
Tho Appointment Of inspectors.

Win, perhaps, Single exception IL
the appointment of Democratic In
spector, the Levy Court yesterday mad,
creditable appointments for officers t.
hold the general election in November
and if there were only one bad appoint
ment out of the many that were made
the Court must have the credit of hav
ing acted in very impartial manner
We are free to say that if the selection
Of election officers had been left to the
voters of the wards, there would in all
probability have been more objectiona,
BILE candidates selected. The Cour,
seems to have acted with entire frank
ness and fairness in regard to disputed
districts, giving one district in the
Third ward, Repu blican Inspector
and one district, in the South side,
Second ward, a Democratic Inspector.
Politically divided, there are eleven
Democratic and fifteen Republican In.
spectors, this being the standing OF
the districts at the last city election.
This apparent fairness in the appoint
nent of Inspectors is attributed to a
mixed Levy Court, there being six
Democratic, and five Republican mem.
bers Of that body.
Where a body possessing political
power is SO evenly divided, it requires
. great deal of political cheek to at
tempt TO put through a partisan job. 1t
is something that six men, though hav-
ing the num- rical power, will hardly
attempt with five other men watching
them, and ready to expose them if they
attempted any little crooked transac.
ton that would not bear the light of
public criticism.
We refer to this as a strong argument
that 1t would be to the best interests of
the people, and honesty to have mixed
political Levy Court always. The peo-
pie will have an opportunity of passing
judgment upon the proposition at the
election to come off in a little more
than two weeks from now.
The terms Of the five Republican
members Of the Levy Court are to ex-
pire, and Eve persons are to be elected
to take their places. The six holding
over members will be Democrats, and
will still be majority of the Court ex-
actly as they are now a majority. Now
why not elect the five Repu blican can
didates for the Levy Court, and keep
up its mixed political character ? Does
1t not appear to sensible and intelligent
men, that even members of the Levy
Court, composed Of six Democrats and
five Republicans, would be more likely
to act impartially than il the whole
eleven were either Democrats or Re-
publicans
We have no doubt of the sound judg-
ment of the people upon this question,
all that is wanted is proper exercise
OF that judgment when they come to
deposit their ballots. But while we
have no word of censure against the &C.
ton OF the Levy Court yesterday, we
must enter our protest against the law
that takes the power and privilege of Sc
lecting their own election officers from
the people, aud commits it to the 20 wer
OF few men whether styled a Levy
Court or something else. The people
have never before been deprived Of the
privilege of selecting their own election
officers.
The taking away of this privilege by
a partisan Legislature is an insult to
the people, because 1t looks as if they
were not capable of selecting their own
Officers. 1t is double insult to the
people Of Wilmington, because it is
only from them that this privilege is
taken, while the people of every other
portion Of the State are left in the en-
joyment of that privilege. 1t is hobby
of Mr.. Bayard' 5 that the franchise is
but privilege, and not an inherent
right, and this curtailment of the here
tofore enjoyed rights Of the people
looks like step in the direction Of a
curtailment of the franchise in accord
ance with Mr. Rayard's theory