Daily Republican., 1889-05-29
POLITICAL CIIIT-CHAT.
WHAT POLITICAL LEADERS
HAVE TO SAY.
Levy COurtmen's Salaries-The CoIIec.
tors Defalcation-Toner's Spree
Tho Next Sheriff-Illcgal
Tax Receipts.

How do Levy Courtmen get so much
salary Is question that is receiving con-
siderable attention at the present time
among tax payers. Until recently $500 a
year was considered large salary for a
member OF the Levy Court, but now 1t is
no unusual thing to run the salary up to
almost a thousand dollars q year. The
salaries of several of the members were
between $500 and $1,000 this last year.
An ex-member OF the Levy Court said
to representative of the REPUBLICAN
yesterday that he did not see how any
member could run his salary up over
$780, "Indeed," he continued, az do
not see how he could honestly make IL
much over $780," The salary of Levy
Courtman is S3 per day for every day
actually employed. Deductlng Sundays
there are only 3l3 days left In the year.
AT S3 per day the salary would be $3.50,
II he worked every day, including every
holiday. THE, continued the REPuBLI-
CAN informant, cannot honestly be done.
The mileage, 1t is true, amounts to CON
siderable, but In Wilmington there is no
mileage, and yet the salaries exceed 5000,
and Mr.. Hickman is net the only man
who has received that amount.
'Yes, but you know there Is generally
considerable Of bridge building and re-
pairing In Wilmington that requires the
superintendence OF the Wilmington
members" suggested the REPUBLICAN
representative.
II don't care II there is," said the ex-
member, tower 5000 salary is not In the
wood. could oversee the building of
four new bridges in the city and the
salary should not be over $500. But |
am not referring specially to Mr.. Hlck-
mans salary, but to all. The salaries of
tho members from Brandywine, Christi
ana, New Castle, NH Creek, In fact all,
are enormous and cut of all proportion
| to the work done. 1t is simply down
right robbery of the taxpayers OF the
| county.
Coming across leading Democrat
yesterday, he also at some length dwelt
upon the corruptions of his party. "No
more" said he, ''cau Democratic speak
els harangue their audiences upon the
strict honesty and integrity oil Dem nocratic
oflicia since the defalcation of the col
leetor OF Appoquiulmink, and there are
many other officials In the same boat
and though the party has never made
any exalted professions of morals or
piety, the Toner affair is stencil in
Democratic nostrils. tell you it Is time
there was u change, and there will ba
one"
Another Democrat, in speculatng
upon tie chances OF the next sheri1alty
OF New Castle County, thought that
Peter j. Ford had received big boost
Tor the Democratic nomination since
| Warden Toner had put himself out OF the
race by voluntarily making drunken
fool of himself.
There Il number OF Democrats who
think that lnspi ctOr McCloskey should
have shut his eyes before retaining the
alleged false tax receipts In the Filth
ward at the recent registration of voters
rather than to have opened up such q
train of exposure Gs must Invariably fol
low. The little hearing TO come off be-
iure the Municipal Court this evening
Will he no true indication OF the depth to
which Wilmington Toters have been de-
! bauchpd by iliegally-issued tax receipts.
Though some Republicans, both black
and VIII te, may have voted on receipts
| given to them, the number OF Democrats
who voted upon them may be called
"legion" compared with the numoer Of
| Republicans who yoted. Republicans
did not issue those receipts.
But the corr upton of the ballot
through Illegal tax receipts Is orking in
the direction OF a much needed reform.
There is deep-seated feeling now In all
parties against tax qualification tor
| voting. Rather let there be rigid regis-
try law aud manhood suffrage. II there
are to be any other qualifications for
voi.fs they should be OF literary char
acter.
Said prominent Republican yesterday:
at is the easiest thing in the world for a
tax collector to pocket thousand dol
lars or 60 extra every year. You zee AL
he hss to do is TO receive money for taxes,
issue the receipt and then return the
party aging it as a delinquent to the
Levy Court. Ii there Is to be no inn
portant election the next year the party
VIII not come to pay taxes that year,
and the year. after he OF course kI ows
his name will not be on the duplicat es.
II a lew should turn up with their re-
celpts to show that they were Illegally ie-
turned deiinquents, an eXcuse could be
made that in the rush OF receiving taxes
there had been au error. This Republi-
can did not say this was done, but only
that 1t could be done very easily.
DO you pretend to say that Michael j.
Sharkey Is a true representative OF the
Democratic party" asked a prominent
Democratic official day or two ago OF
the REPUBLICAN representative.
The reply was that Mr.. Skarkoy Ger
tainly rep esented the Democrats of his
ward, the Tenth, Or he would not have
been re-nominated, and without such
wards rs the Tenth and such Democrats
as compose the Tenth ward, there would
in fact be no Democratic party, and any.
how when reform measures came up MIR.
SharlSey acted with more independence
than some mho played the role oil very
respectable Democrats.
'Well, III tell you what think about
It," said the official. al the Tenth
ward cannot send more decent, reslec-
table man TO Council than Mike Shar-
key, it is time the Tenth ward was dis
franchised." Continuing, the Ollie al said
the time has come when there should ho
a division of two classes OF voters-the
Irish and the colored vote; It would be
much better for the interests OF coed
government. II the Democrats were not
zoos they would quit talking about the
White Mans Party, and they would get
a part of the colored vote.
In regard to division of the Irish
vote, the REPUBLICAN representative
thought that such division would DO ad-
visable, that Is, for intelligent Irishmen
who do not put partisan politics ahead oil
everything else, to vote with the Republi-
cans, but as for the colored VI ters, the
intelligent colored man who would vote
voluntarily the Democratic ticket, In
view of the Southern persecution OF col
| ord men and their disiraT chisement.
would certainly be a fool. The official