Daily Republican., 1889-01-31
OUR CONSTITUTE
WILL WE HAVE A STATE CON-
VENTIoN7
Provisions of Mr.. Eciles' BliI---It Call
Tor an Election TO he Held on the
Second Tuesday IN octo-
Der Next.

| tno Legislature at Dover by Representa-
| tive Ecbles Of New Castle, providing for
| q Consti utional Convention and the ap-
portion m ut and election of delegates TO
II, lie any true reflex OF Democratic senti-
melt upon that subject, then Delaware
will a. least have IN unbiased and as nom
partisan a convention as II is possible to
have. But 1t Is not unlikely that the con-
ventlon that will DO agreed upon will be
greater In the number OF mt mbels. This
seems especially desirable, as tue State
was never better equipped with able,
practical men, who would be an honor to
any body of lawmakers.
What are the provisions Of Mr.. Eckles'
bill, which is bill from the Democratic
side of the peoploi
First, 1t provides for an election TO be
held for delegates 10 = Constitutional
State Convention on the second Tuesday
OF next October. That Is good thought,
as II gives ample time for all the voters,
under the largest assessment ever made
In Delaware, to qualify Tor voting at that
election. A month later would make no
practical difference.
Second, 1t provides that the delegates
elected on the second Tuesday of October
shall meet on the second Tuesday OF De-
cemher and proceed 10 formulate a new
constitution for the State. This will give
the convention the full winter for legisl1-
ton, which Is commendable.
Third, apportionm,nt which will be
the most difficult part to agree upon.
That no hundred In the State shall be
without representation; one delegate Is to
be elected from each hundred except
Wilmington, which is TO have three, and
TO be elected by the voters alone oil those
hundreds. 1t further provides that each
county is to have Eve delegates AZ large
elected by the voters OF the respective
counties. This would give is delegates
from New Castle, 1S from Sussex and IL
from Kent, total so msmterr. As there
is good material Tor delegates In the
State 100 members would not be too
many. 1t ls said, however, thn. Kent
County would kick against any arrange
mtnt which would give her u less repre-
sentAtion than Sussex, though her popu-
lation is proportionaiely that much less.
Any attempt to increase representation
from Kent by giving the large hundreds
In that county alone two delegates would
In all probability be resented by the large
hundreds in the other counties, gnd
would argue very strongly in favor of a
much larger representation from Will
uington. Mr.. Eckles no doubt saw these
ditiicu ties ia the drawing Of his bill, and
would have avoided them II possible.
Fourth, The bill also provides for cum
ulative voting in the election of the five
delegates at large In the county; that Il
though five are 10 be elected, voters are
only permitted to vote for three. Thil
, system gives the minority two delegates
no matter which party carries the county
This plan has been In vogue In Pennsyl
var Ia since the adoption of the lato Con
eiitutiou. Thus in q Republican county
like Chester where there are three Coun
ty Commissioners, three County Auditor
or three Directors of the Poor TO elect thu
Democrats would have enc member II
o ch boaid and In Democratic Count
like B2Tke, the Republicans would havi
one member In each board. In thes,
cases vot'r rs only vote for two members
As to the political complexion OF tn
Convention Il is hard to sec from tn,
present standpoint how IL eau be any
thing else than Republican. The lArg,
assessment made this winter will max,
New Castle County assuredly Republican
and tho majority will be big one. Thu
Republicans would most certainly carr
Brandywine, Wilmington, Christians
Mil Creek, Pencadcr and Red Lion
which with the three delegates at larg'
from the county would make II OF the Il
delegates. II there Ia full asseism M
in st, Georges the Republicans will carr,
that Hundred, but o needing It to the
Democrats, that party would have in ad-
dition, Nav Castle, White Clay Creek
Appoquinlmiek and Blackbird, whicl
with the two at large from the county
would give them z delegates.
Kent County would most assuredly bt
I carried by the Democrats, as that county
at the late election gave over HOO ma
jority for Cleveland. The Democrat
would here elect three OF the five dele
each from Duck Greek, Kenton, Wesi
Dover, South Murderkiil and MIspillioI
5 out OF IA. The Republicans woult
have two at large from the county, ant
one each fiom East Dover, North Mur
derkill and Milford, and with the bes
chance Of one from Little Cr Elk 6 II
all.
Sussex County, with her full asses
ment, will be as assuredly Republican
as New Castle. The Republicans will
elect three members from the county q
large and one each from Cedar Creek
Northwest Fork, Gumboro, Dagsboro
Baltimore and Indian River, with tn
best chance also of carrying ngNanticoke an
Lewes and RehoDoth, making IL out @
18. The Democrats, of course, get
out OF the delegates at large aud on
each in seaford, Little Creek, Broa
Creek, Georgetown and Broadkiln-'
out OF IS.
To summarize, the Republicans woult
have IL IN New Castle, o In Kent, and
In Sussex, % in all; to the Democrats,
In New Castle, In Kent. and Z in Su;
sex, % In all, and a Rep'.i ~. maj orli
of o In the convention. t ID difficult
SEE how even the Republicans could &c
up bill that would be more equitable
: and II is difficult to see how any equiia
BILE bill can wrench the majority from III
Republicans without some sudden revc
luton of political sentiment in favor
the Democrats.