Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1889-04-03
WEDNESDAY,. APRIL 3. 1889.

As the Citizens Association of viii
mington is looking around for reform
measures 10 advocate, a prolific soulce
presents itself In the UNEQUAL repre-
sentation of the people in the City
Council. Can any good reason be ad.
yanced TO show why the Eleventh
ward, with 400 voters, should have
two members in the City Council
while the Seventh ward, with 2, 900
voters, should have only two, except
that the first is Democratic and the
latter Republican? Is there auy good
reason why the First ward, with /, 900
voters, should have two members OF
Council while the Fifth ward, with
1880 voters, should have but two, ex-
cept that the first is Democratic
and the latter Republican, Take
the Twelfth ward for instance,
blocked ont and intended tor
q Democratic ward, but which
boomeranged In the face of its Gre
ators, why should 1t, with vote of
400, have two members OF Council
while the Eighth ward, with vote of
1000, have but two, except upon the
partisan idea that the first was to have
been Democratic ward, but PANIED
out the other way, and that the latter
was supposed Ia be Republican ward,
but is not always trueY But to reverse
1t, why should the Twelfth ward, even
ii Republican, have the game repre-
septation in Council as the Third ward,
which is Democratic, with / 900 vatersY
But to look at il in another light, as
Sixth street Is o political division in
districling the city into two parts, why
should all the part below Sixth street,
AMI which contains $500 voters, have
seven wards and fourteen members OF
Council while all that part above Sixth
street, with $500 voters, have bii five
wards and ten members of Council,
except that the south district is Demo
Cratic aud the north district Republi.
cam
1t might be the part of wisdom for
the Citizens Association. iGste ad OF con
corning itself 80 much as TO the mum
Der OF members Council is composed
OF, TO commence at the fountain head
and see that citiz, us are equiab,y re
presented in the Cry Council. Here
is the source Of pure, honest govern
ment faint the source aud the
streams become polluted. Can any
body deny that the source OF political
government In this city has not been
taintedl Distranchisement has led tC
corruption, behind which the peopl,
have sought refuge in water, stree
and election commissions Instead o
shearing the people OF more than thei
vested rights under the constitution
aud Inv, 1t might be better purpOs
for the Citizens Association To turl
back the clogged wheels OF city GOV
eminent and commence anew by re
storing to the people all their rights
and not give to 400 Democratic voter
the same power that is given 10 20u
Republican voters Right here. L
doubt, somebody Will ask what Is Il
use OF introducing q redistricting hi
into the Republican House of Repr
sentatives aud pass 1t through tn
body only TO have it pigeon holed
the Senator That makes no diBerenc
Let the Citizens Association do
duty, let the Republican House OF r
representatives. do its duty and throw i
responsibility uron the Senate Even
certainty OF defeat in the Senate shOu
be no bar to an honest effort to pass !
form legislation.