Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1884-10-23
GRUBB0NTHE AMENDMENT
AN ABLE RXPOsITION OF THE
LOCAL ISSUE.
HE Addresses the Democrats ON the
COnstitutional Amendment Rt
Fsurth and Bhtpley Streets,


NE Addresses the Democrats ON the
Constitutional Amendment Rt
Fsurth and Bhipley Streets,
About ], 200 people attended the Demo-
cratic meeting at Fourth and Shipley
streets, Saturday night. hn 8. Grohe
presided, with William ii. Lee as seore-
tary, and music was furnished by the
Citizsns' Band. Iynatius C. Grubb, Rag.
spoke first and, after discussing national
issues, spoke At length upon the represeu-
tation amendment to the State oonstitu-
tion, the ratification of which Is the chief
issue ip the local campaign.
Mr.. Grubb reviewed the earlier efforts
to secure increased representation for
New Castle county, and referred to the
constitution OF 1881, which was this work
Of John Al. Clayton, the great Wing
leader, who then bossted that he had
looked the door of the constitution and
thrown the key away. The constitutional
convention Of 1859, the work Of which
was defeated by the people, was also
referred to.
1.-THE necessity OF securing increased
representation for this county, Mr.. Grubb
said
To soct mplIsh this requires the devils
ing OF an amendment to the constitution,
which can, successfully, run the gauntlet
OF two-thirds of each branch Of our Lsgis-
lature, Of the approval Of the governor,
and, after two years. consideration Of the
people, Of three.fourths Of each branch Of
the next succeeding Legislature. Such
measure must disarm the prejudices OF
century In favor OF our existing system,
must reconcile innumerable conflicting
views, interests and oaprioes Of all kinda
Of people in all parts OF our State, must
quiet local rivslries and political jesl
ousies Of all sorts, and, finally, win to its
support successful, united and progress
sive party, against an obstructive, re-
actionsry coalition of the regular opposi,
tion party and its disaffscted allies.
Any man, or party, that will undertake
this task, will realize that something
akin ~ 8 political miracle will have to be
wrought among the people of Delaware
before its achievement Is attained.
To successfully solve such problem, 1t
Ia necessary to view the subject from the
three distinct standpoints OF q citizen Of
Wilmington, Of the outside hundreds Of
| our county, and Of Kent and Sussex
counties, always bearing in mind, also,
that the population of Wilmington, in the
very near future, will outnumber that Of
all the rest Of the State, and, therefore,
| that Delaware ia q political anomaly and
in situation wholly dissimilar to that Of
any other state in the Union. It will also
| be necessary to consider that our rural
hundreds fear the growing population and
influence Of Wilmington, and that Kent
and Sussex, in their turn, fear the In
| creAsing population and resources OF our
| entire county, and, therefore, that the
means must not be given Wilmington to
| encroach upon the outside hundreds, nor
| to allow Wilmington or our county to
| override the rest Of the State. 1t will
also be found necessary to recognize that
the rule of equality by counties, in sena-
torisl representation, which has been
established Tor more than century, can
not yet be overthrown or modified.
While the division Of New Castle
county into two separate oounties, Of
which Wilmington should form one, would
more nearly approximate to an equal
legislative apportionment, and just
solution Of the representation problem,
and will probably bs the ultimate settle
ment of the question, our people, owing
to certain objections, as yet seem unwill-
ing, or unresdy for it.
County division being unattsinable,
the next best plan would seem to be to
provide that Wilmineton's quota Of sena-
tors and representatives should be elected
by her own voters only, and that of the
rural hundreds Of our county by their
own voters exclusively. SUCH an arr
rangement would, in each branch Of the
General Assembly, give Wilmington,
whose interests are exclusively manufae-
turing and commercial, her own distinct
representatives Of those interests, and the
rural hundreds which are virtually agri-
cultural, their own especial represents
tives. This plan Ia embodied in the pro-
posed amendment. It ia practically the
application of the "distriot system" to
| regards the election OF members of the
Castle county without the Objectionable
expense OF two separate county govera-
| ments.
The pending representation amendment
is the best solution OF the question which
could be secured after every possible
effort had bsen made to devise and obtain
better. 1t is the best, in view Of all the
peculiar circumstances aud difficulties OF
our situation, that has ever yet been
done, snd, IL it tails, ss 1t will do II our
county Democratic Legislative ticke. ia de-
teated, is probably the nearest approach
to relief for New Castle county which will
be made for q generation to come.
1t ia not all that we think our county 10
entitled to; but We believe it is all that We
could probably get from our sister ooun'
ties, at present, whether controlled by the
Republican, the Democratic, the Whig or
any other party.
The Kent and Sussex unwlllingness to
concede q greater representation to New
Castle county than that given by this
amendment, or to abrogate the rule OF
equality by counties in senatorial repre-
sentation, is not inspired so much by a
partisan feeling as by an anxious appre.
hension Of the preponderating il flneuoe
Of our county, and especially of Will
mington's rapidly increasing population.
This sentiment wonld always bs re.
spected by, and doubtless will always
control the action on this subject Of,
whatsoever party shall have the legisla
tive members from those counties
This amendment, therefore, must
be regarded as comprCmise Of
conflicting interests, and should
be, as we believe, accepted rs suoh-
especially as It aocomplishes two moa
! important results: First, shat it affords
ell the increase we absolutely need al
present, and, second, that it breaks tn,
rule OF equality by counties, for the first
time in our history, In the House o
Representatives. This under all tn,
difficulties surrounding this vexing ques
tion, is as much as any reasonable mar
| could expect, and far more than the mos
hopeful anticipated two years ago. l
gives substantial and, for all praotica
/ purposes, sufficient increase for the pre-
sent, and jast that much more ipflueno,
: and power to secure greater increase IL
the future, when needed. To this exten
| It ia better than what we have heretofor,
| had. AS 1t can do that much good ant
, no possible harm, We contend that
. would bs sensible to accept 1t, and child
ish to reject II.
Under our constitution IS 1t stands
. each county has three senators and sevel
. representatives. Under the constitution
as IL will stand il this amendment b
ratified by thrse-fourths Of each house o
tls Legislature at its next session, Ken
t aud Sussex will each have four senator
( and seven representatives, and New
/ Castle county four senators and clever
1 representatives, or these four senator
r Wilmington will elect two and the out
I side hundreds two, and OF the clever
+ representatives Wilmington will elect fou
8 | and the outside hundreds seven. A
| I.xt a.