Daily Republican., 1884-01-09
Tho Nalr A.Naf Principle.

Under ordinary ciroumstance) the
half-a-loaf- better than po-bread princi.
pie, 20 earnestly advocated by the
Every Evening, as applied to the pro-
posed Constitutional Amendment CIV
ing increased representation 70 New
Castle County In the Legislature, would
be the porrect one, but when it is advo.
Gated AZ panMce to correct . great
public wrong, or to restore an inaliena-
bic right guaranteed by great leading
fundamental law, it loses force and
only becomes standing insult to az
intelligent people smaring under po,
litical inequalities.
We can easily imagine how the hall.
loaf priuciple would be gladly accepted
by'a criminal under sentence of death,
or bys starving man whose life de-
ponds upon getting something to eat.
The drst would gladly hail a commu-
tatien to imprisonment for life or q re-
ipriAve in lieu of death, and the latter
would rejoice in even crust of bread
and cup Of cold water in lieu Of savo-
ry meats and exhilarating viands.
But fortunately the people Of New
Castle County are not driven to these
straits of necessity in political point
Of view. They are neither criminals
nor mendicants, at least such criminals
and mendicants that would accept
profered relief on the halt. loaf princi.
pie at the price of their personal man.
hood andFolitical honor. The Every
Evening is too intelligent not to know
that the proffered Constitutional
Amendment is neither fair nor eQuita-
BILE and therefore does not come up to
the standard of relief advocated In the
spae ches of Mr.. Pilling and Mr.. Brad.
ford In the Legislature Of 1881.
1t il not fair because it leaves no
plan open by which representation can
hereafter be increased except by Con-
stitutional Amendment and it is not
equitable because it does not give any
approach to equal representa- ion.
Webster tells us that equity" means
even, equal that is the giving or de-
string to give to each man his due, and
he further says that equitable"
means possessing equity giving or
disposed to give to each his due. Does
the Every Evening pretend to say that
the Amendment anything like meas
ures up to this standard?
Where is the equity in giving one
representative in Kent County to a con
stituency of 1886, while to New Castle
County one is given to a constituency
of 1871? To be more definite and to
use more disparaging figures, but never.
theless facts, why should 1890 people
in Wilmington be entitled to only one
representative, while the same number
in Kent County would be entitled to
three representatives? But this is lust
what the proposed Constitutional
Amendment provides for, and this is
The equitable half loaf our Shipley
street contemporary IL urgingthe people
to accept in lieu OF what they are en-
titled to and should have. There would
be some reason in his arguments II
there was any possibility of escaping
hereafter from this halfloat diet. But
in all the range of vision there is no
loop hole of escape left. Even Of other
amendments shonld be
offered it would still be on the half.loaf
principle.
1t Is uncharitable to Messrs. Bradford
and Pilling to intimate that the fair and
equitable representation they so ably
advocated in 1881 is the miserable, un-
fair and unequal representation offered
70 the people of New Castle County by
The Legislature of 1888. Had those
gentlemen been in the latter body no
ongue would have been more eloquent
IA denunciation. Of thel mopstrous
wrong inflicted upon the people under
he brazen plea OF violated fairness and
equity.
The insult to the people of New
Castle county becomes doubly intensified
When the people are urged to pocket the
INSULT under the plea that "a half loaf
y better Than no loaf" We do not
snow the temper of the people upon
bis subject, but we do not believe that
hey are in such starving condition
hat they would accept a half loaf of
lishonor to satiste hunger but for the
ime.