Daily Republican., 1889-01-18
DOVER LETTER.
CONSIDERABLE DELAY IN
LEGISLATION
sent Their Work Early Enough
The COMMITTEES Have no
Work ON Hand.

Special Correspondence of the REPUBLICAN,.
DovHR, January 1S.-There is con-
siderable comment about the early ad-
journment of the two Houses of the Leg
stature this week aud las. The com
plant is that 1t tends to lengthen out the
session until the first. OF May, and bur-
dens the taxpayers with the expense of
the meetings.
Now, there is but one set OF persons to
blame for this sort OF thing, and that is
the taxpayers themselves. There are
scores of Incorporation acts, road laws
and school bills, the very things that take
up the time OF the session, that will come
before this General Assembly. Numbers
OF these bills are already prepared. Peo-
pc delay presenting them, and the result
is that when the members meet they
have nothing to do. The committe,
have no work on hand, and there Is
| only one thing TO do, and that is to ad-
jourD.
On the last month of the session these
bills come In In droves and then many
acts go through that would not do so If
| opportunity wss presented for more scru-
tiny. These acts are nearly all personal
In that they only interest few individu
a's, and this loading them on the Le2is-
lsture at the end of the session in large
measure iDterferes with business that in-
terests The whole people of the State.
Next week will In great measure in
dictate the Republican program for the
session. Two convention bills " ill proba-
bly, be launched. Such Democrats as
the Martins, George II. Bates and A. p.
Robinson are doing everything In their
power to induce their brethren of the
| Senate to break away from their moor
ings and favor an act that will be intro
dueed by Representative Fckels This
bill is said to be very fair in its provisions
and gives neither party any advantage
| whatsoever.
II is believed that those Republicans
who are int rested in reform from more
than partisan standpoint will, in the
main, accept Mr.. Eckels' bill, preferring
IL to chance that there will be no con.
veDtion granted at all. Edward g. Brad
furd, Judge Fisher, SeBator-elect Higglr 8
and other Republican leaders of like
calibre are guiding the Republicans in
their actions and there is no doubt with
such leaders that they will take the safe
course. When the bill comes before the
Legislature display of speech
as has never been seen before in a Della
ware Legislature, may be looked for. On
the Democratic side, Whiteman, Lodge,
Blgge, and Armstrong have all made re-
putations as takers on a similar occa-
sion, Lodges calm and logical argument
at that time presenting the subject in its
best way.
On the Republican side of the House
some real eloquenoe may he expected
from Downham, If his speeches in the
caucus are any indication of what Is tC
be expected. He is said to be loaded
with constitutional arguments. Then
there is DIR. Richardson, whose modesty
hns made him one of the most unobtru
sive members Of the House, but who can
make q very entertaining and Logical
speech. "Charley" Maull, who bids fail
to be one OF the most popular members
in the House, will have his say. Morgan
will take part, and from him you may
look for something exceedingly witty.
Wallace will tell what Sussex wants, ard
all in all there is big debate ahead.
There is some talk of reviewing SeDa.
tor McWhorter's scheme OF two years
ago TO build a new State House. 1t is
proposed to borrow $3.50, 900 for the pur-
pose, the present building and the jump
property adjoining removed, which The
State owns.
There will then be lot of about 800
feet square. Upon this 1t is proposed to
erect building large enough to contain
all the necessary State offices. The State
has needed building for ten years past.
The present structure is totally made
Quate for present requirements, having
been erected in 1896 The House cham.
Der Is crowded and there is no decent
place for committees to meet The
rooms of the clerks of the two Houses
have bsen useless for years. The State
Library's quarters is a thing that de-
mands immediate attention. Here are
stored piles on piles of valuable docu-
ments, which have no protection against
FIRE. The State has one OF the finest IL
braries in the country, and is valued at
S50,0 900. There are numbers of books
that never could be replaced were they to
be destroyed.
The present State House was originally
the Kent County Court House, and in
the early days of the State there are
many interesting stories connected with
1t. The State originally was to pay por-
tsou OF the course OF its erection, but
failed to do so. When the General As.
sembly went to assemble there in 1897
trey were met by Sheriff Clayton, of
Kent County, who with sword in hand
expelled them. An adjournment was
taken to Duck Greek Cross Roads, now
Smyrna. Here the sessions were held
for the remainder of the year An effort
was made to have Smyrna made the
capital of the State, but it failed and the
next year the matter was fixed up with
the Kent County officials and the sessions
have been held in the present. building
ever since.
The building in Smyrna where the ses-
sion was held is still standing and is now
as then used as hotel and Is now known
as the Smyrna House. MAX.