Daily Republican., 1889-02-13
THE CONVENTION.
OF THE BRAD
FORD BILL.
A just and Equitable Arrangement
How the Districts Stand Polltl-
cally-The Bill Should
be Passed.

ing the second bill OF that character be-
fore that body. That tho bill 10 fair and
impartia, cannot be denied, and the pe0-
/ pie OF Delaware should want nothing
more, and If left to decide the question
for themselves uninfuenced by designing
polit'c clans would ask nothing more.
As distrlcted 1t would be difficult 10
tell which OF the two great political par
ties OF ths State would have . numerical
/ advantage in the convention, and In q
Constitutional Convention cons eryative
In its character, such as is likely 10 be
chosen in Delaware, II matters but little
which party has q numerical advantage,
so that they are equltably represented.
Mr.. Bradford's bill differs from the
fccles bill Ia hut few particulars. 1t
provid for 1--WE more members, there
being forty five In all, while Mr.. Eccles'
has but forty. Tho Bradford bill is pas
ticular in recognizing the principle OF
representation according to population,
though In Difference to the lower coun-
ties of the State II does not cary this
principle TO an obnoxious extreme
The population of the State 10 now
probably not 900 more nor lsss than
l7b, 900, divided about in the proportion
of 95, 0O0 TO New Castle, 3S,C0O to Kent,
and ~, coo to Sussex county, but Mr..
Bradiord's bill only gives New Castle
| County l8 of the 45 members, while Is
are allotted TO Kent and IA to Sussex !;
that IL, New Castle County, with popu-
lation OF %, 600, is TO have IS members,
while Kent and Sussex, with a combined
population OF 80, 600, are to have "a mem
bers. 1t is difficult TO see how any honest,
candid friend OF q Constitutional Conven-
tioh In the lower counties could object TO
srch an appo: tionment as initiating
against the interests of tho counties,
while 1t Is just as difficult to see how any
candid friend of constitutional reform In
New Castle County could claim less and
yield more aud still pro o'ess to preserve
the principle at least of representation
according TO population.
Mr.. Bradford's bill as tenderly guards
tine interests OF the rural districts of New
Castle County from the preponderatlDg
population OF the city OF Wilmington.
The rural districts ia the county, com
prlsing about $4,000 population, are
allotted members by districts, while
Wilmington, with her 60, 900 population,
is only allotted 8. In the sci, ction of the
5 delegates at large from the county,
more at least would no doubt come from
the rural hundIeds, making IL from the
county and from the ty.
This is such small advance towards
rcogp'z ng the principle Misrepresentation
according TO population, that certainly
mob dy could complain on the ecors oi
taking advantage on account Of pre-
ponderance of population.
The Republican party Of Delaware,
away back In the early seventies, In their
state convention affirmed and adopted
the principle OF increased representation
accoI ding to population, aud no fair
minded man could consistently ask 1t to
back down from that pripciple now, and
yet Mr. Bradiord's bill barely recog nlzes
the principle enough TO be in line with
the tenets of the parry, which cannot te
consistently surrendered. To see how
impartially and equitably drawn Mr..
Bradford's bill is, and how It would oper-
ate IN partisan aspect In the selection OF
delegates to the Constitutional Conven-
tic n, it may be worth while TO run over
the districts and see their exact pol, ,ticai
standing, commencing with
SUSSEX COUNTY.
This County is allotted II delegatee, 9
of whom are TO be elected by districte,
none to vote for them but the voters ol
the respective districts; tive of them al @
to be elected at large In the County, but
no voter will be permitted TO vote for
more than three, thus leaving two men,
bers to the minority, whatever party that
may be. II tie Republicans cary the
County at large they will elect three dele.
lgatss and The Democrats two. II the
Democrats carry the County at large,
they will elect three delegates and the
Republicans two.
Looking 1T the districts so laid out
| L.. NJ RradfnedIa hill fonr 0f than M III
be Democratic and four of them Republi-
can, while the other witch gave ma
ljority of two votes for Cleveland, will be
lighting grouni Tor both parties.
The First district, composed of Baltl-
more hundred, will assuredly elect a Re-
publican delegate, as u Z Republican ma
jority was at the late election on the
Presidential ticket 209.
The Second district, composed of Little
Creek, would as atsuredly het Demo-
cratic delegate, as Cleyeland's majority
was 32l.
The Third district, composed of two
hundreds, Broad Greek aud Gumboro ough,
would elect a Democratic delegate. IL
gave l25 majority for Cleveland,
The Fourth district, composed of the
two hundreds of Dagsboro and Indian
River. having a Republican majority oil
1853, wou elect Republican delegate.
The Fifth district, Lewes and Rehc-
both hundred, would be fighting ground
for both partiee, Cleveland Lad a ma
jorIty Of only 2 In the district.
The Sixth district, consisting OF Broad
kiln and Georgetown hundreds, would
elect Democratic delegate, the Demo
cratic majority being l69.
The Seventh district, Seaford, having
| Democratic majority OF l45, would eject
Democratic e'egate.
The Eighth district, composed OF North
West Fork and Nanticoke hundreds,
having a Republican majority oil 2ln,
would el ct a Republican delegate.
The Ninth district, Ued, n OreeR hun
dred, having a majority OF 2l2 at the last
election, would elect Republican dele
gate.
KENT COUNTY.
This county is divided into eight dis
trlcis OF which, according TO the vote at
the late Pre- idenlial election, the Repubi-
cans would be sure OF only one with 0
good fighting chance for two others.
The Tenth district composed of MIL
ford gave 40 Republican majority and
would elect a Republican delegate.
The. Eleventh district, Mispil Ion, gave
26O majority for Cleveland and would
elect Democratic delegate.
The Twelfth district, South Murder
kill, gave Cleveland 1893 majority and
would elect Democi aic delegate.
The Thirteenth d strict, North Murder
XII, gave Har ison majority and would
In all probability elect Republican dele
gate.
The Fourteenth district, East Dover,
gave Cleveland IL majority and would
probably elect Democratic delegate,