Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1889-05-02

compiisbment by some who looked at the
v0sp amount of legislative work that was
piled mp week ago, bat by prompt ac'
iisn and the indiscriminRte slaughter,
with sosnt ceremony, of sunh pending
measures as were deemed Questionable,
the decks were cleared, and the work on
hand disposed of in time for fnal ad-
journment to day. Tentatively the ad
iOurnment took place at noon. The joint
resolutions limiting the length Of the ses
sion had selected this hour, and to keep
things straight the hands on the big clocks
In cash chamber were solemnly turned
back from time 10 time, to make the strict
letter OF these resolutions valid. But as q
matter Of fact, according to we'll regu-
lated chronometers. II wss just 10
minutes of O'Clock when Speaker Hot
fecker declared the House adjourned sine
die, and this was within hvs minutes Of q
similar declaration by Speaker Lewis in
the Senate.
oIosIs0 suENEs IN THE BoUsg.
The House was sight ali morning.
The lobby assembled there in force and
grew bold enough to scatter around the
chamber and buckle on to the members
at their desks. Twice Speaker Hofecker
uhu ~ bIAaIhAr Ehp nl1 oGoh W phih NLp at
tention OF members to legitimate busi-
ness, and onee Mr.. W. e. Davis suggested
a recess In order to give the patriots OF
the lobby full swing. Those happy mem
bers, conspicuous among whom were
Representatives Armstrong and Biggs,
who had all their measures safely dis
posed OF, sat back serensly happy, while
those having measures in which they
t.xss - f. ts.sH a.
few around, anxiously working until
their bills were either safely passed or
oousigped TO the oblivion of def,at. The
clerks darted 10 and out, conveying mes
sages between the two houses, and hard
work was the order of the day as The fly
ing moments sped by on aeetiug wings.
AFRAID OF A LIQUOR BILL.
The iFBt measure that caU.sed o ripple
In the House was the Senate bill impos.
Jog fine of 500 on any minor who
should ask saloon keeper to sell him a
tipple. and o similar fins on any one who
should misrepreaent O minors age for the
purpose of getting him drink. As
passed by the Senate this bill also author
iZed the sale of liquor by the quart, not
to be drunk on the premises, but an
amendment striking out this provision
unanimously prevailed. There was some
discussion over the bill, during which
Mr., Eckles alluded to the difficulty OF
determining The age OF minors near their
majority. He know it was very difficult
to tell a young negro's age, and many OF
them had frequently voted when they
were not more than Is years old. Mr..
Lodge explained that the bill did not re.
lieve any liquor dealer OF his responsi-
bility In case he sold to q minor. But,
for all this, the House was afraid because
the bill touched the liquor license law,
and on Mr.. Downhsm's motion il was
indefinitely postponed by decisive vote.
DEATH OF THE BEEF BILL.
Mr.. Whitemau's Anti Chicago Beet bill
met summary and ignominious death.
he bravely called it up, although know
ing it would be as recklessly slaughtered
as Texk9 steer in q Chicago abattoir.
There was no discussion, for as soon as
the bill was up nv. Maull remorselessly
moved for it's indefinite postponement.
Four members only-Messrs. Gray, Short,
Wallace and Whiteman-voted for this
local measure Of protection" Thirteen
others voted to knock il out of time and
the would be beef monopoly received its
death blow.
THE soUIREs' 5000 BILL.
The next ripple OF excitement was over
the Senate bill to increase the iurisdic-
tion of justices OF the peace from 800
to 5000. MIR. Lodge opposed it. He
said that some justices were hardly com.
petent TO attend properly to business
under their present jurisdiction, and
that an increass of the limit would only
tend to increase litigation. Captain
Eckles maintained that the bill would
decrease the business of the lawyers and
tend to decrease petty litigation. DIR.
Richardson said that the people generally
seemed to be in favor of this bill, and
then the measure was voted upon by a
viva voce vote, in which the negative
volume sounded somewhat in excess of
the affirmative. To Speaker Hoffecker's
ear, however, the vote app AIRED conolu-
eive, and he formally announced the pas-
sage of the measure.
no NEW STATE HOUSE.
The new State House project was
cruelty murdered ia the House. Mr.,
Armstrong called up the bill, aud Mr..
aynson moved for its indefinite post
ponement. The latter motion prevailed
by aspontaneousa and uudoubted majority.
MILEAGE FOR MEMBERS.
Immediately after came the report Of
the COMMITTEES on accounts. In the ac
counts OF the compensation of members
mileage was included, and Mr. CLARK
caused some comment by declaring that
the 25 miles allowed him by the commit
tee included his travel by railroad only.
By carriage way he was only l6 miles
from the capital, aud he only asked mile
age for l6 miles instead OF the 2j miles
allowed him by the committee Mr.. Hyn-
son was similarly situated, in being cred
tied with 33 miles, when his home was
only l6 miles from Dover ''ss the crow
flies" He, however, was willing to com
promise on 20 miles, and this amount was
placed to his credit.
Then Mr.. Maull spoke OF the allowance
of $50 to Il. Il. Kenney. Esq, for draw
ing bills, and said that Mr.. Kenney's ser.
vicer in drawing the bills for taxing tele-
graph and express companies, which drew
to the State a revenue of at least $8, 900
per year, were certainly valuable. He
moved TO increase Mr.. Kenney's allow
ance 10 $3.50.
SECRET SESSION.
Mr.. Do&nham arose and said that as
the members wished to talk about some
things that ought not to get into news-
papers he would move that the House 20
into secret session.
why, it's not constitutional" ejac-
llated Mr.. Whitemau.
However,a rising vote being called for,
IA members stood mp in endorsement of
the Georgetown members demand. The
outsiders and officers of the House were
hustled out and the secret session began.
It lasted for nearly an hour.
MIR. Downhsm opened the proceedings
by osllirg attention to the 81, 900 allow.
ance opposite Clerk Gums uame. He