Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1889-04-11

served Tor public Inspection. fenhlty
for any violation of this section, 800.
Section makes the license fee $500 in
cities OF over 10, 900 inhabitants; between
1000 and 5000 inhabitants, $500; all
other places, $500. Druggists' licenses,
$40. Licenses TO retailers of goods,
wares and merchandise, $500. One-haif
Of the signers OF an application must be
substantial freeholders. In cases whore
licenses are bonding at the time Of the
passage of this act, the applicant may on
the first day of the term, pay to the clerk
OF the court such additional sum as shall
be necessary to make up the price Of his
license.
Section 5requires every licensee TO keep
his place of business SO as to be seen
fully and easily by passers- by and forhids
him to obstruot the view by screens,
blinds, inside shutters, frosted glass, or
any other device whatsoever, under
penalty Of fine OF from $50 to 300.
Section repeats all inconsistent laws
or parts of laws.
WHAT DR.. PRATT SAYS.
Rx.Insurance Commissioner Pratt, the
author OF the bill which has so stirred up
the Wilmington lodges, was here to-day
explaining to members that his bill is not
anything like so big thing as they took il
to be. BE says il applies only to charters
granted by the courts-not 10 legislative
chRrters-and is only meant to prevent
any body Of men getting charter for
some other purpose and then doing an
insurance business on it. Such an abuse
of corporate privileges has been made, he
charges, by the National Security Union
and the Girard Mutual Aid companies.
They got chartered by the courts, for
charitable purposes, and then ran an in.
surance business. 1t would be just as
fair to get charter for O canning COM
pany and issue insurance policies on
it. He does not think that the
bill applies to lodges that do
an insurance business strictly among
their own members. He is willing
to insert the word "only" In the first Sec
ton, so as to make it read-"No society
heretofore or hereafter for beneficial or
protective purposes only, in pursuance
of the act aforesaid Chat is, by the
courts) shall be authorized to make CON-
tracts Of insurance or issue policies of in
surance or employ agents to solicit insur-
ance or employ and pay agents to solicit
membership" He maintains that nothing
in the bill prohibits the courts from
granting charters with insurance powers
in addition to beneficial or protective
purposes" but he would have, in the
language of his bill, "the said application
or certificate of interpretation state
accurately and specifically the object
and purposes OF the society," DIR. Pratt
is also willing that the second section,
relating to funeral, sick and other bene-
fits, shall be expunged in toto.
BANK FUNDS AGAIN.
The recent action OF the Senate on the
bank finds distribution bill is not to be
fnality. Il. O. ysndegrift, ESD, has
introduced, through Senator Donahoe. o
bill to repeal chapter 1879, Volume XVIII,
Delaware Laws. The repeal OF this act
will restore to the Street and Sewer De-
partment the privilege Of depositing its
funds in bank OF its own selection.
: Since the members of the department
give $4,000 bonds, Mr.. yandegrift
argues that they should be allowed to
manage their own funds in their own
way. To this argument Senator Donahoe
. replies; 'tThe existing board is oonsti-
tuted of fair and honorable men. But
in the time to come two will be majority
Of that board, and if they have control
Of this money, two will beat one every
time. While the money Is in the one de-
pository known and approved by the
, general board of government Of Whining
] ton, II anything wrong should be at
tempted it will be noticed more readily,
and the fund be better guarded"
With reference to the House bill, in
creasing by some $36, 900 the annual ap-
preparation of the Street and Sewer De-
psrtment, the Council committee has
, given out that it will not oppose the
passage of the bill through the Senate,
! provided the proposed increase be cut
! down to $4,000.
WHAT THE HOUSE MAY DO.
In view OF the defeat of the convention
bill by the Senate, it is probable that The
Republicans will introduce and pass
through the House another bill, calling
another election, probably on the day OF
the next general election, and without
embodying therein the ambiguous re-
strictions of Article TX, Should such o
measure fail, as it will, to meet the ap.
prevail of the Senate, they will take the
ground that they have done all that could
be reasonably expected of them and that
the responsibility for the failure of CON-
vention legislation should not rest on
their shoulders. They will not accept
the bill introduced to-day by Senator
Donahoe.
MISCELLANEOUS NOTES.
ex-governor Hall has written letter
to the House committee on corporations,
in which be says: II do not know in my
day in this State any corporation that
has been SO badly managed, and such
gross injustice done to persons who have
bought lots and paid their money, as this
Rehoooth Beach Association. / am the
owner OF lots. / have been taxed and
taxed, and have been down to Rehoboth
year after year and have looked to see
what improvements that were done. '
1t has been my opinion for many years
that the charter for that company should
be revoked and that Rehoboth should he
, managed under town charter whore all
the residents anu persons interested
, in the success OF the prettiest place
by nature for summer resort and water
ing place have seen either on the Mary,
land or Jersey coast could all have u voice
in the management of the same" There
is great deal more, including state
ment that William Bright admitted that
the money collected was used to pay
interest on tie mortgage; but the letter
is too long to print. The committee will
give audience to the lot owners tomorrow.
The Cherry Island Marsh bill has been
amended in the House by cutting the ex-
emption from taxation down 10 10 years.
The House supplement to the charter
OF Frederick provides that married
women shall not vote ard that dogs may
be taxed at any time.
Clerk Gums bill relative to the Frank
ford school districts, introduced by Mr..
DoWnhaul, is the 400th on the calender.