Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1890-04-10
WANTRE 0RM In ADV ANCt.
SHOULD CoHMENOE NOW IN tn q
LAHY CUURT.
Deputy AstOrney-gcmerh' Dayis' Ed-
dress-CiIY N0nCIJor rs;rI"r 'Fainks
~ ~asOi,id CDHnMrcpce Now SItnOut
waiting zOr AcIiOa by the Ne@i
Court.

bnrs cf tte Young Meme Democratic Uluu
en- the bioct CT reform ID tho county gov
erlnant.
Mr.. Davis wag the first speGker. He
thought tho PFC ent suhiect n very tlmely
emo for the mcmners' consideration. There
| existed 10 hl9 opinion q great deal OF imper-
!, feet mRchinary III the county eoyernmept
| svtt3m. But cttheTe arc conditions In 1t that
are wise and economical. In speaking upon
| the wise deeds accomplished IN the lin OF
retrenchmegt he referred to the ab1iishia.
| through Democratic action OF the position
/ OF 1ssassor of Hec'iDnS which cot tho
county tho sum OF ~ 500 q ysar; another
measure advantageous to the county was
that of making the c1unty treasury the de-
| p0sitory for certain fines oolleIted which
| formeriy went into ths State coffsrs. Ia
| ona vaRr Rlone recently botwsea $4,000 and
snd 80 eco went into ths county treasury.
Ia regard to tho elmshouss we have
heard from ull sides Of the eytrGyaHance Of
tha Trustees Of the Poor, that the aims
house cost more than the comfy waS enti-
tied to. Before tha present buildings we're
constructed y7a hed Il number Of Torthlsss
old buildings and al insane asylum NOT
worth the nR'ne. Tho whole property was
worth 3290,GOO. The new buildings cost
i290,G10. The speaker then showed
In the following manner that the whole
Of tho lattar sum Is cancslcd. OF this
old propGrtg from $4,000 10 600 worth
has been reHlz3t. q ne remnant is worth
slnO,000. Adj to this the i;75, 900 due or
account OF the Insane asyium transfer and
fhate stands a total Of s25j.UUO against the
s291 ,011 expenditure he grounds at the
al nshonse ars worth sS0000. Flr tbs gear
since the building has besn turrei ovef
there has brel o saving OF 800 600. Tn9
whcl4 total thus affords a full balance "a
Rguinat the cost OF the building. We now
have an incomperably tine set OF county
huiiiines whieh are Hn undoubted cEeditto
the conuty authorities.
mir. Davis hen reverted to the existing
system OF county government. He consld-
erei that, while II well suited the needs OF
the time when the system WIS established,
1t Is rot necessary nov. He suggested
reduction In tha number OF county OH 3lais,
which, with their COLLECTORS Of tho different
hundreds, trustees OF the poor, commits
sluners, cvatsaers ard other officials, to-
tailed up about l4l officials.
he was against roofing up the present
system In any wholesale manner until a
proper substitute had been devised, He
thought good plan would he to double up
the work 10 vlrt1uN directions. One official
would do for s.. Georges, Appoquinimink
and Dackbirdi one for Rsi Lion, New
Cnstls, Psncader, White Clay Creek, Iil
Cteek. Chrisiana and Rrandywine; and
one for Wilmington, giving instead Of IL
levy courtmeo, The speaker was not IN
favor OF the Three.oommlsstouets bill. Hs
thought the county taxes micht be collected
by the county treasurer. One man, with
the proper Law TO bacE hiIn, might collect
all the taxes Of the county at saving OF
Sl2, GOO TO 5,000 annually.
mr. Davis thouGht that certain state
ments appearing in the public press were
NOT intended as Il Re lection upon the State
, Judiciary. Hs attributed the recent com
plants to the acciient Of the unusually
lengthy term OF the past court. Thls was
, largely due to the Illness Of some OF the
, judges.
, n speaking on the question OF convict
labor he thought that Keeping the prisoners
In idleness was the greater evil. This pt;s-
oners board costs the county 4l5 900 Per
annum. II is rot necessary to reso.t 10
skilled labor In order to reduce that ex-
. peuse. He suggested employing the pr,s.
oners at knirting. Ha was In favor of a
State penltsntiAry, The speaker would
, prefer tue Introduction Of the treaimill
, iEto the jail rather than to allow tha pria-
: oners to live on the present high feed rate
at the expense Of the taxpayers. Mr., Davis
was grested with applause at the close OF
i. hr Hhitess.
President Campbell explained that Attor-
/ nay-general Biggs. WHO IVES announced to
, spaas, was unable TO be present though
/, press OF business which cailei MIN our ol
the city. He then introduced City solicitor
Turner
Mir. Turner said his experiences In the
| ways OF rnt)rm have been mainly IN con-
nsctlon with city government. The Dsno-
cratic party must take hlgh grounds for re-
, form or must take TO tho woods directly.
A good system OF government should
|, colnurise four points. 1t should o4 simple,
efficient, economical, and directly rsspon-
sihg to the psopl9.
In reftrring 10 the 3,commissioners' bill
t be smoke Of Its various promoters ne con-
fsssed reformers. Tho bill had lts defects
md II was dstermiped to rarnedv them
upon democratic lines. The bill had passed
the Republican HOUSE, Whea It reached
= tn 'nate thara wRs 10 GMaltIn N. which
provided fer five commissioners aud for the
, disrtiet system, The latter seemed 10 ba In
eyitable not n1ly for no purpose, Of reform
: Legislation, but NEG siHry Ia parry sense
. for tho Democratic party. In tho original
bill tha auditor was simply . mathematical
I. calanlatoc and adder up We substituted 4
. eoua'y G0uttollar. There is au auditor IN
: this city ard with very slight ad diitions n
+. bis duties he is merely an Shder-up Of fig
urs9. Wa wanted controller VINO cod
+ troliei AFFAIRS instead OF an Gliltor who
: Simply nudlted,
g Tnis i've commissioners bill was drafted
t and handed q tho geEtlenel In charge ui
4 the reform measures OF the county. Among
them wore Mr.. Vandagritt, wn0ss Interests
, in reform you all know; Alr. Buck, who
: f-ityal tho Republicans would nor agres
ana Err hienill, who a<d got an Idea in al:
head that he gentlemen who got the oll
pp intonied It msrnT TO kill tho o.her. &
felt thas MessTs. S9ary, biekoy, Lee end
plyseit were only la our uOvt!Ate; that
;. what suited us was to stay hidden in tht
j clolster awhile longer, as we were not yAl
t r6udy, IN his estimation, for fdil apostle
n ship. TUNED out afterwards that the
: Republicans entirely agreed with thom
The bill went into the Democratic Seuu- -e
i, hisssrs. wilson aud YGniegrift cOacurrlus
y that It was y manifest Improvement on the
. old bill. II passed t6e Senate and was thel
t sent TO the House. Tls speaker then de.
Q tailed the subs qlcut history, showing the
v Republican objections to the yarious efforts
I ut Ieilstrlcling made repeatedly 10 cult the
4 lRtrer's opposition. AT length at a confer
ence Il was objected that the controller was
: given too much power. A quarrel susued
0 resulting In the lOss OF both bills. Nc
Turner, however, adaad that hGtl not the
fve.con miss siungrs' bill been prS3sut the
!. present moment. 1t would have been an.
8 other Instance Of the numerous mis6ts
( illu itr6teG In the various commissions ex
i !sfi0g the city.
Tae m n Who pay theta taxes and who pro,
q vide for their collection should not b' the
:. men men who afterwards distribute tile
= money. Mr.. Turner suggested a board o.
county works, The lg tor s2ouid make
:. r qui-ltiou on the levy court sans aS l.
o ,aa IN the city Of wlminetoa. Il tbu-se
l. ats sh nld ba N tde unteg hsedn' rJ.l.i,
U "A thl- hn wunid III IL unym~n
E % monry for prisrnar' n ;, or r9gd
: q hilpNavs. Tor bfitg.5 NN .vsrT til 4
ufau xnrniIvs ohGrlrtrr tGa. ,3'ac ras n
County, "nN eOatr0ist ,'ii; b5 dttset.y
rs pp3 iDH 20 l- padpa o. tNnlh IY
ta- po ser Of itupeach aent VI that off Il 4
on ps itIon 70 ths superior cont.
|. Mr.. Turner then arralguei ne system Of
! n1unlciDai government In Niliuington n,