Evening journal., 1889-02-12
REPUBLICAN SHAMMlNG.
ford Brl-streets and Sewers of vii.
mington.

4
the Legislative session opened yesterda
afternoon with only few members pres
emit. The present Legislature, up to date
cannot feel by any means proud of thei
work. They have been in session nearl
half their usual term and only one piec
Of general legislation passed, and.out o
about 1875 bills introduced in both houses
there has only been fifteen passed. and o
these, fourteen have been incorporation
acts and divorce bills. The members ar
by no means entirely TO blame for thi
condition of affairs, beyond the fact tina
no piece of general legislation has beer
passed. The people of various parts O.
the state have not sent their business
here to be attended to anC
will not do so until the las
moment from the present indications
Then prolonged session will be the re
suit. The indications now are that tn.
members will not be able to get away
before the first OF Nav. The convention
bills, temperance legislation, insane
asylum and state house projects will
each consume several days in considera.
tion and discussion The Wilmington
city bills are apt to take up some time
ana all in all the prospects now are for
the longest session on record. The mem.
bers are becoming better drilled in the
ways Of legislation than they were at
trst and considerable of the original par
tisan feeling has disappeared.
CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION.
There is now two full fedged constitu-
tional convention bills before the House
and all not yet heard from Representa-
tive Downham introduced the Bradford
bill in the House yesterday afternoon.
The bill has been given pretty fully in
this correspondence. The state is di-
vided into districts as before stated.
Sussex has 10 delegates to the proposed
convention Kent, Il, and New Castle Is.
The bill probably expresses the senti-
ments Of about one half the Republicans.
That there will be bill calling a
convention pass the House there
is no doubt. but it will not be
this one in its present shape. The
argument Of N. b. Smithers. ESQ. on
wednesday night last evidently has mad
its effect, and some of the members have
determined to pay heed to the dean of
the Republican party in this state before
they proceed rashly in this important
matter Of a convention, This minority
among the Republicans was SO strong
that it was determined when the caucus
was held not to force the caucus to
united action. If this had been done the
Republicans would have ruined all chance
of making any party capital out of the
question, and after all that is about all a
number of the leaders desire to do. There
is no doubt a number of men in the party
who are honestly in favor of a eonven-
tion, but by far the greater number in
this county of Kent have no more desire
for a convention than the man in the
moon. There are TO day more Democrats
in New Castle and Kent counties
who want a convention than there
are Republicans in Kent and Sussex
who want it. The bill was read
once and then referred to the committee on
constitutional reform. That committee
will then frame bill and submit it to
the House for its approval. Whatever
bill may be submitted, that will have for
its purpose the calling of a convention
upon the recent vote, will not pass the
Senate. The Democrats, with that iudg-
ment that has always been characteristic
OF the party upon questions affecting the
fundamental law of the state do not
propose to yield to a clamor led on by
demagOgues and call convention upon
the recent vote. The party as a party
are as much in earnest in a desire for a
number of changes in our fundamental
law as the Republicans are, but it insists
that those changes must he made within
the constitution. Prior to November i.
1887, there was not a stump speaker in
the state who advocated a convention
who did not urge voters to cast their bal
lots, for the reason that it was necessary
to cast majority of the vote polled in
1881. Ever since the vote fell short of
that number they have taken an opposite
stand with charming inconsistency The
bill given notice of by Senator Donahoe
will probably be introduced in few DAYS
and when the proper time comes it will
in all likelihood be offered as a substitute
for whatever bill that comes from the
House. II will state the Democratic
position clearly. 1t will provide for the
calling of another election to vote for or
against a convention, and will also pro
vide if a convention is voted for. that
there be an early meeting Of the body.
This will make the Republicans show
their hands for already with a showing
Of partisan spite they have expressed a
ADANA W MEAGdk NAtn measure.
What will be the result? Well the
Democrats will never pass the House
measure and the Senate bill will never
pass the House and a constitutional will
be. postponed six years.
CITY OF WILMINGTON.
The City Council will be down, It is
thought, to night, with bills they want
passed affecting city legislation. Just
how much harmony there will be between
the legislative committee of Council and
the citizens committee is hard to de.
termine and it will not be known until
both parties reach here with their bills.
There is no doubt that if Councils com
mittee takes a determined stand, that il
will receive more consideration than they
formerly have received. The fact that
there has been extravaganza in the Street
and Sewer Department management has
been circulated here to some extent. IL
is said that that department has but a
balance of S., 600 in bank to run them
for the next six months, and Just how
they expect to light the streets and attend
to other matters on this sum is hard TO
understand.
NOTES.
oeha1or SrOsseh returned nome To-Day
to attend the funeral of his cousin H.
Carmen of Mill Creek hundred.
Frank Morgan, brother of Represen-
tative Morgan. died in Philadelphia last
night, from the effects of an operation
performed on his brain.
The regular proceedings are as fol-
lows:
SENATE-MONDAY
Mr.. DonahOe offered joint resolution
regarding alterations in the cloak room.
Adopted