Smyrna times., 1886-10-20
Current Topics-Pregs Opinions.


TIE DEMOCRATIC PARTY AS IT STANDS.
A vote for the Democratic ticket this
Fall means that the voter desires
continuance Of the present practices
and methods employed by the dolhinant
party in managing public affairs. The
Democratic platform says so, and in
this case at least it is honest and truth
full. This year we have in that party's
pledges not even a hint that it proposes
to inaugurate reforms Of any kind 1t
announces publicly and frankly that it
does not propose 10 make any changes.
1t assumes that the course it has here
tofOro pursued is Il perfect one, and
that no changes in any respect are de-
sirable. This year there is no pretense
Of any intention to NEEDLE with the
question of representation. 1t does
not mention the subject Of liquor laws.
1t does not promise to look after the
condition of county taxes, or to curb
the extravaganza in county expenses,
which has grown so rapidly in the past
few years. 1t assumes that the people
are perfectly satisfied with the state
ment of the county treasurer that, so
far he had received but $4,000 out of
the total levy of $235,OOO;" that the
present system of reducing the number
of taxpayers for the sake of securing
party control is right and that it is
mastery stroke of political economy to
allow 5000 Republican citizens to
evade the payment of their taxes by
dropping off the assessment lists, thus
depriving the county of that much
revenue at a time when money is so
much needed to meet the immense OBJ
legations which their want of Judgment
has entailed upon it. All this it en-
dOrses, and asks to have the power
continued in its hands so that their
abuses may be perpetuated.-Uorning
NelUs.
INUENDO WON'T DO.
The mis-called Temperance mass meet
ing was held in the middle of the square,
and the speeches were delivered from a
platform erected just about midway be-
tween the two hotels Their adherents
could patrOnize the bar at either house
they chose. 1t is generally customary to
hold the meetings at the end of one or the
other Of the hotel porches, but it took two
this time and there was a clear path to each
hOtel-DeiGUdre Democrat.
Painting the Temperance sheep black
won't make the Democratic Vam white
When party paper hasn't got any
thing to say for its own tribe that will
bear the test of true argument, it invar-
iably resorts to mud singing and inu-
endo. If the Democratic party is
afraid to face the questions of the day
that are of interest to the people, then
indeed it is in its dotage. What the
people of Delaware the politi-
clans and office -holders-want, is dis
trict representation, change in our
judiciary laws, complete change in
our penal code, refOrm ip our taS laws,
lettering our system of managing the
county roads, and the privilege of elect
ing its county officers. This has never
been promised by the Democratic
party, but is has been by the so-called
Temperance party. The people do not
turn TO the Temperance people with
a hope of gaining their end through It
directly, or with a desire to enforce
questions that purely relate to temper
ance, but they do hope to so express
their opinions that the dominant party
of Delaware may be compelled to heed
the writing on the wall, and grant the
reforms that the people ask.-MGord
Chronicle.