Daily Republican., 1884-02-21


FEBRUARY 2l. 1854.
Tho city Elsctiou sH d the Princi.
Pies Involved.
The very large Republican meeting
held last night in the Smith building,
is indicative of an earnest purpose OF
the Republicans to succeed at the ap-
preaching municipal election 1t was
healthy in tone and earnest in spirit
All seemed 10 realize the difficulties in
the way, and resolved in their own
minds that nothing should occur to
distract and weaken the Republican
ranks. With such spirit and deter
miuation strength will be drawn from
the ranks of the opposition, as there are
enough fair minded men, even though
attached to a party, who are at all
times willing TO aid the party with an
honest, sincere, objective purpose in
view. If there is no object in the cam
paign but 10 engage in scramble for
the offices that are to he filed, then fair
m nhe,l business men become indifferent
and let politics 60 by default. There
probably never We're more vital, local
principles involved in a campaign in
Wilmington than there is in the pres
ent one. and this should stimulate every
good, honest friend of local selfgovern-
ment TO take more than the usual share
of interest in the campaign.
What are these local interests, are
we asked There are several of them.
Amongst them the principle Of local
self-government is concerned. By the
actions of an arbitrary and extremely
partisan Legislature, little by little the
right of local f-government has been
taken from the people, and if good, hon
est citizens do not combine to resist this
encroachment upon their rights, they
will find themselves with but little OF
the principles of local self-government
left to themselves.
The gerrymandering of the wards of
Wilmington brought about by such
eminent statesmen as II, B. MCIntire
and William H. Lee, three years ago,
to always insure "a Democratic Council,
is such an impudent insult TO the peo-
pie that it ought to be resented in an
emphatic manner by the votes of honest
men of all parties. By that gerryman-
dering Sixth street, running from east
to west, is made the dividing line be-
tween the solid Democratic and solid
Republican portions Of the city. 1t
was very clever and nicely arranged
plan by which all that section solidly
Democratic, though with less territory,
less population, less votes and less
taxes was divided into six wards with
twelve members of Council.
1t was also very nicely planned
part of the arrangement by which all
that portion Of the city north of Sixth
street, with a larger territory, larger
population, a larger number Of votes
and paying larger taxes, should be di-
vided into five wards, with only ten
members Of the City Council. II is not
difficult however. to see that twelve
always beats ten. AS the election Of a
President of the City Council by the
whole city could not affect the general
result no matter which party elected
him, that office has not been intertered
with. This is one Of the partisan
tricks Of legislation that should mass
all the people together who desire fair
ness 4 ID impartiaHty in the admin
istratiou Of the local affairs Of the
city.
Another instance Of partisan manipu-
latiOH that takes away the right Of
local self government, may be- seen in
the passa-e Of the Water Commission
bill, in i'-elf more directly destructive
Of local ,rIf government than anything
else that las been enacted TO override
the will Of the people. And still an
other glaring instance j. shown III the
work Of taking from the people the
right 70 .av who shall be their rulers.
and how they hall be ruled, by III" ">-
tdbli>LrErnr Of "A municipal court direct
ly in opV"sitic. and cl,a.4, ,>grcSse'i
will Of The people.
IN considering this chapter Of gricr-
anc"> our list would hardly be com
plrtr without reference 10 the insult
Offered the people in the proposed Con
stitutional Amendment in relation tC
representation. Though not strictly a
part of tnr local politics Of the city, il il
non" 1hr less another and the bo!d">'
aitrUnr Of all 10 an intelligent people
who pride themselves in being capahl,
Of governing themselves. This insidi
OUs proposition is the snake in tn,
grass that is more dangerous in taking
away from the p"opl" their individ uaI
political rights than III" plain WaTel
Commission and Municipal Court rider:
that can be seen and read by all men
Thr amendment referred 10, while hold
ing ont the gildrd offer of increased r."
presentation. has, beneath the shallow
coating Of fairness, the principle Of sci
distranchiscmcut. BY it the voter
are asked to vote for what is Otttrr,
tarn as the only thing il is possible f.
get. and also hy their vote 10 rttrctuall,
lock up The constitution and throw tn
key away.
The latter. though not strictly al
issue in the local canvass, is ncycrthc
less, one Of a series Of attempts to cir
cumvent and take away the liberties u
the people, and as such, should be re
Scnted in Il proper manner ~ honest
liberty-loving voters at the polls. W
might keep on rnurneratlng instances {
glarng attempts TO override the will {
the people, but enough hasbern referred
to to convince honest, consci"ntiou
voters, Of whatever party they are mem
pers, that if they do not soon rebuke III
attempt 10 suhugate them by a partisa
Legislature, they will, before long, haze
no privilege, left worth going to III
polls to vote for.
MAYOR KING, Of Philadelphia, ha
Il l,,,- :