Evening journal., 1890-10-28
THE coMMlssloqeRs anus.

" has is known as the Three Commits
sioners bill, was introduced in the last
Legislature designed to place the affairs
of this county in the hands OF three
commissioners instead OF the eleven who
now compose the Levy Court.
The leading spirit in the attempt to
obtain this change was John c. Higgins,
who can give his brother, Senator Hig-
gins, points upon astuteness and disere
tion In political manipulation and the
person, who drew the act and had charge
Of it, according to his own statement,
before the Legislature, was Edward g.
Bradford, ESQ
The Democratic side Of this enterprise
was represented by two good Democrats
from this county, who had but one
object in view, viz; the improvement in
county government.
The Three Commissione ers BIZ was
presented to the Legislature, and tho
only way in whish it changed the law
relating to cur Levy Court was by tax
ing the affairs out Of the hands OF
eleven men and placing them in the
hands of three men, and BY providing
that no elector should vote for more than
two Of the three nominated. These
two points were the only changes
the bill proposed. No restrictions were
thrown around the expenditures Of these
three commissioners, and they had to
account to no one. II there were and
are chances OF dishonest combinations
among eleven. how much easier for only
three.
This bill was thus drawn and sent to
the Republican branch Of the last Legis-
lature and referred TO a committee,
largely Republican, where IL lay until
within one week Of final adjournment
1t was then taken up and passed. and
sent to the Democratic branch Of that
Legislature, only three days before iiual
Adjournment.
The manifest, unfairness. Of asking
the Democrats to over-turn a system of
county government, which had existed
as long as the county itself, without
having time or opportunity properly to
consider the change suggested. is sppar-
ent to every one yet, Notwithstanding
this the Democrats undertook even at
that late day in the session, at whish the
prop osed law reached them, to consider
and act upon it.
There we're at least three features OF
the Three Com miasioners bill which.
when presented to any unbiased person,
would convince such peraon, that il
would not be credit TO anyone 10 advo-
cate the passage Of snch bill.
Those three features were:
First. The bill did absolutely nothing
towards guarding more closely the affair.
OF the county by throwing greater re
strictions about the expenditure Of IL
money. 1t altered in no particular whs
Republican orators denouncs as 9TH
loose methods Of the Levy Court" bu
left those methods exactly as it foun
them. They no doubt realized that i
they get in power il would be muc
easier to control a majority Of three me
than a majority Of eleven.
Second. Notwithstanding they ha
months for the preparation and con
sideration of the bill, they kept It in th
/ close hands Of a Republican committe
. and did not allow it to pass the Hors
! and 60 TO the Democratic Senate unit
the very week Of final adjournment, whe
they knew the Democrats could not, /
the last days Of the session, have time /
( give the bill proper consideration The
i evidently thought the Dem ,crats, in th
c last hours Of tae session, would ignor
J. the matter entirely, and that they woul
thus be able to make political capital on
g of it, and at the same time deceive man
Il people into believing that they earnestl
Q desired reform in county affairs.
e Third The most convincing proc
. that this bill was not intended to NAL
a any real changes in the machinery
county government, was that it was n,
$ to 60 into effect until February /, 1s9
I Before this date could arrive two mo
ie Legislaturss would have been elected.
h this Republican party had majority
u these legislatures they could wipe th
r bill from the statute book In 1891, or
n they wa1tel the people to siumber awhi