Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1886-06-22
"a Disfranckised People y

"a DtefrancktSou f0opio
The above WAS the caption OF an
article In the North American Review
some four months ago by Its editor,
Allen Thorndike Rice, after visit TO
Delaware and an investig CATION into the
workings Of the assessment laws Of our
State. It will be remembered that
every Democratic paper In tie Sssse,
and large number out OF The State,
violently attacked both the author and
the article, and attempted to refuse the
statement made, as 1t was most
damaging In Its effects upon the party
In power, and especially so upon the
present Secretary Of the United STATES,
who has given the assessment laws Of
the State such hearty endorsement
that the authorship OF the law is in
part laid to his credit. Were Mr.. Rice
to come to Delaware now he would
have the satisfaction of seeing for him
self that All he wrote was true, and
that his character for verAcity has been
triumphantly vlndicated. The State
of Delaware is on the eve Of another
election, one Of the most important, a.
1t is to be the election Of Governor, q
Congressman, o Legislature, Levy
Courts for the respective counties, and
other officer Of more or less Importance.
Notwithstanding the importance OF this
election, there Is but one organized
party in the field to make the contest,
and that party never has pollsd, aud
cannot poll half the vote Of the State.
BY the aid OF Mr.. BAyArd's ass sssment
laws 1t has been enabled TO keep itself
in pc wer by polling more votes on
State issue than any other party, and
by virtue OF this preponderAnce 1t has
passed the laws that Mr.. Thorndike
Rice has exposed to the gaze and con-
tempt Of the nation; that has distran-
chised party in Delaware that would
on an honest assessment and . fair
election poll at any time two thousand
more than half the votes Of the State in
. total poll Of thirty-four thousand.
Notwithstanding the fact that the Re-
publican party has been . disiran-
chised party since 1879, the year In
which Mr.. Bayard returned the new
assessment laws from Washington with
his endorsement, thaS party even In
defiance OF the odds against ii, has
been 80 strong and vigorous a. to pluck
partial victory from their organized
opponents, showing that there is an OPP
position party In Delaware that would
rule the State were 1t not kept down
by partisan laws operated by thirty
five tax collectors.
To-day "a Disfranchised People"
exists In Delaware. The Republican
party through the oppressive, the injus-
tlce and the glazing frauds at elections
by the party In power Is out OF service.
If 1t attempts to struggle into existence
1t is met by thirty-five tax collectors
backed by three levy courts susOrdinA
ted to the interests Of the Democratic
party, with Mr.. Bayard % chief com
mander directing Its movements.
Every attempt to organize Is met by Z
fresh turn Of the machine that disfrAn
chises more Republican voters. Tiers
seems to be no redress. Every way II
which the eye turns, 1t is met by I
brazen mountain OF Democratic fraut
and triokery. The dishonest spirit il
which the assessment laws OF 1873 wer
passed and sin ce enforced has NOT onl
disfranchised the Republican party, bu
1t has demoralized the Democrat
party. The latter has delinquents, bu
they nevertheless all vote II they wis
TO vote. Tax collectors who allow
free use OF tax receipts by Democrat
delinquents at an election are in Gel
tain sense excusable when they con
slider that the election laws anyho
were only intended to cheat non -proI
erty holding Republicans out OF lhei
votes by making real estate pay th
taxes.
Only yesterday the writer OF TIL
article was informed by leading DEN
ocrat that he was surprised to see sh
large number Of Democrats who al
honest in every other relation OF liz
who pay promptly every debt they "
and who have strict regard for NOR
precepts, but who go from poll TO pc
and vote and never once think there
any harm in it. They mad gos the id,
that the law WAS made TO keep the r.
publicans out OF power, and tho be
way to do that was to vote early al
SANSAs ONA AAAOt Gay 10
use to contest an election with Il
Democrats until some OF these me-
who make a habit OF voting sever
times at one election are arrested al
sent to Jail.
We only allude to this as an inclde
TO show TO what demoralizsd level Il
ballot has been dragged In Delawar
Here is an admission thai no hone
election can be held in Wilmingt,
any more. What do the people thir
OF this state of affairs? The great i
sue before the people should not be /
tween Democracy and RspublicAnisI
but between organized fraud and no
esty. Under these Circumstance
should there not be general uprisil
of the people in favor of honesty?
1t right that there should be "a d
franchised people" il Delaware? L
the people ponder over this matter a
ask themselves "Whither are we dr.
ing7"
The POLITICAL outlook in Virgi
Is becoming very encouraging TO