Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1889-05-02
pnrss oomMssr.
On the Work OF the Legislature
W hat the State Papers say.

what the State Papers say.
Delawarean, Dem.
Before this paper reaches our readers,
the regular session Of the General Assem-
bly, OF 1899 will be o thing of the past;
and we have no doubt that the people OF
Delaware will with one voice, exclaim
The Lord be Praised" And we are
sure that the prayer OF ell decent people
Will be that no other such General Assem-
ply will ever meet in this State. When
they assembled on the lat day OF Jsnu-
ary, the people were given to understand
that this was 70 be o model reform Lagis-
lature. That the rights OF the people
were tn be respected and that trus econ
omy was TO be the watobword, especially
OF the House. This, however, was only o
promise to the ear, which has been dis.
PEELED By time, and to the bitter disap.
pointment OF the people. Instead OF
being q reform AID an economical
Legisl1tnre, ii has been everything
else. The rights of the people have been
ignored entirely, and as far as economy,
we say without hesitation that this has
been the most extravsgant Legislature
that ever convened IN this State; in fact,
the peoples money has been voted away
without hesitation, for every job that
some paid lobbiest was hired TO advocate.
The fact is that persons with legitimate
business, could not get respectable
bearing before some Of the committees,
until the services OF some iavorite part.
san was secured; then he couid be heard
and have his BUSINESS attended to. TO
the disgracs OF the Sts'e and to the mem
bsrs Of the General ssembly, it san be
truthtully said tlat no gate since tho
Foundation OF the government has ev,r
BEEN cursed with o more corrupt lobby
than has controlled the legislation during
the entire session.
nyPuBLIoAN BouRpoHs.
Smyrna Record. Dem.
ihe Republican representatives In one
act have proved themselves Bourbons, Nc
as the resp ctable figure. heads
who are called senators. They have by q
party vote rejected the principles OF the
Australian ballot reform, which, after the
revision Of ous constitution, is the most
Important subjeot demandiDR legislative
attention. Five states have. since January
first adopted the Balutary provisions or
this tried Law, while Delaware, In which
the public sentiment, so far as we are
able to judge, Is fully as strong in favor
Of reform as II is In any other state, is
through the detachable "politios" OF o
oorruptly bought majority prevented
from 10 ming the march Of progress.
For tbs failure Of the ballot reform law
we no d tho Republican party strictly re-
sponsible.
sErTLKD By A BEPUBLIoAN CAUCUS.
New Castle STIR, Dem.
IL IL useless TO comment or attempt any
criticism upon the yArious measures that
have been introduced and are now before
the Legislature, for the fate of nearly
every bill introduced into the House Of
Representatives 10 decided by cAucus Of
the Republican majority before it is re-
ported IL the caucus decides to pass H.,
all the criticism OF the press aud the pro-
tests Of the people ore Of no avail. The
bill must go through. II, on the CON
trary, the caucus decides not 10 pass IT,,
the whole power OF tho press, and OF the
State, together with the urgent demand
OF the people, will have no effeot upon
that Republican maj lrity. Under thfss
circumstances 1t IL fortunate that bat few
bills Of Importance have come out of the
Senate chamber alive.
MILD AND NON coMMITrAb.
Dover Sentinel, Rep.
The session OF the Legislature for 1889
closed yesterday. II has been longer
session by few days than that Of two
years ago, but the amount Of work ac-
complished was nearly as much again.
tn "A unuaa xubfats ka1 n
Republican majority, many reform meas
ures were passed. That the Senate did
not concur In them was unfortunate for
the people.
WHERE BALLOT REFORM WAS ArLLED.
Sussex journal, Dem.
The only bill that struck at the power
of Doodle is politics; the only measure
intended to stay the tide OF corruption
that threatens to undermine the body
polite, was defeated by an almost strict
party vote In the Repnblican House OF
Representatives; the only Republican
voting for the very practical Australian
ballot Law being Representative 0lark Of
Kont county. How can the Republican
representatives face their constituents
after defeating such wise and salutary
measure? WHAT excuse can they offer
except the excuse that comes OF desire
to perpetuate Republican aseendancy by
means of the same boodling Influences
that produced it2 The law was beyond
question good law, aud practical law,
and our people had, to certain extent,
oome to look upon its passage as the only
way out Of the political corruption into
which our State has been plunged by past
political contents. The House had IL III
its power TO pass law that would have
put an end 60 vote buying, but It dellb-
erately refused to do so.
AN EXCUSE FOE IDLHRs.
Milford News, Rep.
The Legislature adjourned yesterday at
p m, and in order to do so old rapid
work all tho week. On Wednesday morn.
ing 260 bills were yet to be acted upon,
yet in three days the two branches dis
posed OF these. Probably half were
passed and the balance killed by the ad-
verse report OF committees. Many nat
urelIY ask why IL is that the Legislature
could not have finished within month
il 1t could Go so much within week. 10
this we reply that it requires at least q
month FOR the average legislator to be-
come familiar with his duties. His IL u
vocation not picked up in day, aud then
little business is presented early in q
session. Half Legislators time is taken
mp In committee in the consideration of
bills; in fact, most of the effective work
ia done In committee. Nearly oil this
committee work had been done previous
TO the present week. ...
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The Peach Crop Damaged
A speeiaI from Chesterlo wn, Md. says: